Vietnam Veterans 'Feed the Dawgs'

  • Published
  • By Lisa Camplin
  • 95th Security Forces Squadron
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  On any normal day in Military Working Dog sections around the world the phrase "Feed the Dawgs" brings to mind the handler's daily chores. However, on April 19 at the 95th Security Forces Squadron, Military Working Dog section here it had a completely different meaning.

"Feed the Dawgs is a U.S. Veterans group of Vietnam era dog handlers who travel from base-to-base to provide a meal for K-9 handlers and their families," said Kenneth Neal, Vietnam Dog Handlers Association member.

The Veteran dog handlers brought everything from cases of steaks to bags of homemade cookies, all served with a healthy side of K-9 war stories.

"The hardest part about going to war and coming home during the Vietnam Era was that nobody said thank you," said Jon Hemp, U.S. Air Force K-9 Veteran. "We want to make sure that doesn't happen again," 

Mr. Neal served two tours in Thailand during the Vietnam War with his partner Sentry Dog Rinny.

"Back then military working dogs were sentry dogs, which meant they were virtually uncontrollable. Once the dog was released there was no calling them back," he said. "Those dogs went through weeks of aggression training after their regular canine training at Lackland AFB, Texas. Their purpose was to cause irreparable damage."

Regardless of the extreme ingrained aggression of military working dogs back then, the bonds formed between handler and dog were just as strong as they are today.

"I loved my dog [Astor]. He weighed 85 pounds to my 165 pounds but, he took me wherever he wanted to go," said Mr. Hemp. "K-9 was the Air Force's night vision back then. We stood guard along the perimeter at night watching for threats."

Sadly, Sentry Dog Astor was killed during the U.S./Libyan stand-off at Wheelus Air Base, Libya. In fact, many MWD's failed to return home during the Vietnam War era either due to loss in combat or because they had to be left behind due to threats of foreign disease and viruses.

As quickly as the Veterans eyes saddened while they reflected on their personal stories, they brightened again upon seeing Edwards working dogs brought out for a demonstration in the training yard.

Tech. Sgt. John Ricci and Staff Sgt. Eric Magnuson, 95th SFS military working dog handlers, escorted military working dog Nix. Together, they put on an attack work and bite training demonstration to show the skills of today's Air Force working dogs.

"In the 60's and 70's our bite wraps were made of used fire hoses covered with old field jackets," Mr. Neal said, as he watched Sergeant Ricci take several aggressive bites from military working dog Nix.

Today's bite wraps consist of layers of burlap and leather, which take most of the pressure and pain out of a bite.

After the demonstration, several of the military working dogs were brought out to capture a rare group photo of Air Force K-9 handlers past and present.

"To be lucky enough to have prior K-9 handlers take the time to recognize what we do and to share their stories is so invaluable." expressed Master Sgt. Jon Camplin, 95th SFS Kennel master.

"Working with military working dogs isn't an exact science because you're dealing with a living, breathing animal that has a mind of its own," said Sergeant Camplin. "A great K-9 handler learns everything possible from other K-9 handlers and puts all of that knowledge into their own little bag of tricks."

"Just spending 10 minutes with any of the war veteran handlers here today is one of the most special learning experiences any of our current handlers could hope for," said Sergeant Camplin.

By the end of the afternoon one message was clear, even decades after a military working dog handler's career ends, he or she still has a K-9 bond with all handlers that only people like them could understand. Their patriotism and love and respect for all things K-9 stands true.