Hero of the week
Man�s best friend keeps Camp Victory safe

Story and photo by
Pfc. Joshua R. Ford
Multi-National Corps - Iraq
Public Affairs Office
CAMP VICTORY � Servicemembers from the Air Force, Army and Navy are protecting Camp Victory�s entry control points, not with weapons, but with their sense of smell.
Eighteen K-9s and their handlers attached to XVIII Airborne Corps, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, are on the job. The dogs sniff out explosives and identify car bombs, stopping terrorists before they can get onto Camp Victory.
�There are several types of explosive materials we are looking for out there,� said Army Sgt. William Brown, explosive dog handler, HHC, XVIII Abn. Corps. These explosive materials include C-4, dynamite and the not-so-common ingredients of other explosives.
The Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen train their dogs by conducting mock bomb sweeps with live explosives or taking them through a basic obedience course the handlers built.
�Our main reason for the basic obedience course is to challenge the dogs with unfamiliar surroundings, like having to jump through a window or run on narrow surfaces,� said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Leon Gray, explosive dog handler, HHC, XVIII Abn. Corps. �The course helps the dogs negotiate unusual surroundings.�
Since the handlers arrived in Iraq, they have learned a lot about each service�s method of training K-9s.
�Even though all the dogs have gone to the same school, each service has their own way of training the dogs and different ways of keeping records,� Gray said.
The dogs perform two main jobs.
�There are detection dogs and patrol dogs,� said Army Spc. Chris Tillman, explosive dog handler, HHC, XVIII Abn. Corps. Detection dogs are trained to sniff out illegal substances and explosive materials where patrol dogs are trained to track and attack the enemy.