Dog teams help keep the 'Lik' safe

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Brian Jones
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR FORCE, Turkey --  Maintaining safety and security at an installation that has been in Force Protection Condition Charlie for more than three years takes a lot of teamwork. Although the 39th Security Forces Squadron and 10th Tanker Security Battalion use some of the most advanced technology to defend the base, detecting bombs on Incirlik starts with the tip of a nose. 

The 39th SFS and 10th Tanker Security Battalion military working dog teams are the base's first-line of protection against explosive devices, but before the teams "hit the streets" of Incirlik, they go through an intense training and certification process. 

"We procure dogs from Lackland and enhance their training and bring it to the next level once they arrive here," said Staff Sgt. Charlene Daniels, 39th SFS military working dog trainer. "Only the dogs with the highest drives are trained as explosive detection dogs." 

The process begins when a military working dog handler is first teamed with a dog. 

"We pair handlers and dogs according to their personalities and skill sets," said Sergeant Daniels. "The team then trains every day until the dog passes a validation inspection and the team is certified. The team goes through a very strenuous process before we put them on the road to protect the installation." 

The training doesn't stop once a team is certified. 

"We train at least twice a week," said Sergeant Daniels. "We place training aids in very challenging places -- under mattresses and up-high, so the dogs are able to detect odors at any depth or height." 

In addition to practicing the dog's ability to detect explosives, handlers must also pass a quality control assessment once a year on local procedures which outline exactly what they would do should a dog "alert" or give a "final response" to its handler indicating the presence of an explosive. The teams must also re-validate every six months. 

"It's a constant system of checks and balances," said Sergeant Daniels. 

The training turns into action when the teams hit the streets of Incirlik. Should a dog alert, a chain of events is initialized to ensure the safety of base members. 

"We immediately contact the LE (law enforcement) desk and the Turkish Air Force and we jointly evacuate the area to establish a cordon," said Staff Sgt. Alonzo Ivey, 39th SFS military working dog handler. 

In the event of a potential explosive device, the 39th Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal flight is the first to respond. 

"Once EOD takes over, we provide all the information -- the what, where and when," said Sergeant Ivey. "We will also give them information on what areas are clear so they have safe passage." 

When it comes to keeping the base clear of explosives, the 10th Tanker Security Battalion and 39th Security Forces Squadron military working dog teams are the most effective and efficient means of keeping the base safe. 

"I feel secure living on base with my children," said Sergeant Daniels. "The dogs are better than most electronic detection equipment." 

"When a dog alerts, you can pretty much guarantee that something is there, or was there," added Sergeant Ivey. "If somebody is trying to get something on base, it's not going to get very far."