Vance military working dog section works hard, plays hard

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Lynn Aird
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  All Airmen are familiar with the wingman concept -- but who says your wingman needs to be human? 

Technical Sgt. Carinae Samsel and Staff Sgt. Patricia Fuller's wingmen are of a different breed. As part of the 71st Security Forces Squadron's Military Working Dog section, these women rely on a canine partner to support them in their duties. 

"It's not that different from how work would be if you were supervising people," said Sergeant Samsel. "You make sure that your subordinates have what they need to get their jobs done, whether that's proper training or time for morale and team-building."
 
"Mutual respect is a must with us and our partners, just like it is in any other organization," added Sergeant Fuller. 

Sergeant Samsel arrived at Vance in Novemeber 2008 and has worked with military working dogs since 1998. Sergeant Fuller arrived in March 2009 and has worked with military working dogs since 2001. Both women were already security forces personnel and had the option to retrain at the three-year marks in their careers. 

In order to retrain as a handler, security forces personnel attend a twelve-week training course with the 341st Training Squadron at Lackland AFB, Texas, the only United States facility that currently trains dogs and handlers for military use. The squadron also offers follow-on training for supervisors, which Sergeant Samsel completed in March to become the Vance kennel master. 

According to Sergeant Fuller, however, training goes far beyond what is completed at Lackland. 

"I don't think people understand how much work goes into these dogs," she explained. "It takes years and years of continuous training to get them to the proficiency level you want. Luckily, the nature of the mission at this base allows for a lot of opportunities to train the dog teams." 

The primary duties of the MWD section at Vance include bomb detection, narcotics detection, patrolling and law enforcement. Most of the dogs are dual trained to accomplish more than one aspect of the mission. 

All military working dogs are paired with a single handler, although handlers may be assigned more than one dog. Dogs are assigned to a specific base however, so when a handler moves to a different base the dog does not move with them. Sergeants Samsel and Fuller have each changed dogs seven times. 

"It's rough," said Sergeant Fuller. "I still miss my first dog, and the ones who have passed on. I know a fellow handler whose dog Ricky passed away this month, and my heart goes out to him. The dogs really mean a lot to us." 

Despite all the work and training that are part of life here at Vance, both handlers agreed that an important aspect of the dogs' days was time for play and exercise. 

"Playing with the dog allows you to build a better rapport with them," said Sergeant Fuller. "If you don't establish a strong relationship with them then they're just going through the motions while they work. A combination of work and play allows you and the dog to get to know one another." 

"Besides, they're not machines," said Sergeant Samsel. "And sometimes you just have to let the dog be a dog."