How Fort Gordon’s military working dogs keep our country safe
FORT GORDON, Ga (WJBF) A key component of our national security starts here, at the training yard at Fort Gordon.
A place where Segal, and his fellow K9’s put in the work.
“He is an explosives detection dog,” Specialist Levi Jackson says. “So he’s able to find multiple different types of military, commercial grade explosives.”
And when he sniffs something out, Segal just sits. A signal of success to his handler.
Specialist Jackson:
“All explosives dogs are trained to do a passive response, which is either a down, a sit, or a stop and stare.”
Segal really is a sight to behold. 90-pounds of pure strength, intelligence and agility.
No need for treats. Verbal markers let him know he’s done well.
Specialist Jackson:
“Yes! and, boom, he gets the toy. And so the rewards for the dog is play time.”
“But these dogs are capable of so much more than detection. There’s also a lot of bite training, so that skillset is there if the situation warrants.”
Specialist Jackson:
“Their is a level of threat to where we send our dog in. The dog is right below lethal-force. And so if it comes to the situation where somebody has done horrific things, we send our dogs.
So if a bad guy is trying to hide, this is probably the last sight he’ll see before he’s caught.
Military Working Dogs can be get called into service on short notice.
Captain Richard Wilson
Commander, 222nd MP Detachment:
“So that can be United States Secret Service Missions. Support of POTUS, president of the United States. As well as going deployed into the CENTCOM theatre.
And that’s when all this training pays off.
“It’s not if something’s going to happen, but when. So that’s our standard. I always like to say, the Latin phrase of Mox Nox, which is soon it will be night, which means that our guys have to be ready at all times.”
They are strong. They are war-ready. They are soldiers and we are grateful. But above all else, they’re somebody’s best friend.
Specialist Jackson:
“If I could take Segal home with me, I absolutely would. Me and him can lay down in the yard, and just cuddle up and hang out. But then also I have to realize, he is my job and equipment. So I have to take care of him to the highest level.”