Military Working Dogs

Photos capture military working dogs in training and operational settings alongside their handlers, emphasizing companionship, readiness, and the important role these dogs play.

An Air Force Security Forces K-9 handler, and his military working dog, stand together.
An Air Force Security Forces K-9 handler, and his military working dog, stand together.
243 assets in this story
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040922-F-4177H-005. Base: Charleston Air Force Base State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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Pvt. Chesty XVI, the official mascot of Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., greets educators with the Marine Corps Recruiting Command Educators' workshop before the Evening Parade at Marine Barracks Washington, D.C. June 10, 2022. The Educators Workshop presents collegiate academic influencers the opportunity to experience the training and heritage of the Marines.
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220713-N-YD731-1269 NORFOLK, Va. (July 13, 2022) A Sailor kisses a dog brought to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) as part of a collaborative effort between Mutts with a Mission, Canine Comfort, Crisis Response Canine and the USO of Hampton Roads and Central Virginia to increase morale, joy, connectedness, and toughness of the crew while decreasing stress for Sailors, July 13, 2022. The George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group is an integrated combat weapons system that delivers superior combat capability to deter, and if necessary, defeat America's adversaries in support of national security.
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STAFF Sergeant Michael T. Socey, 52d Security Forces Squadron, and his military working dog, make security checks at the front gate of Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany following recent terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centerßs Twin Towers in New York and at the Pentagon. When hijackers deliberately flew civilian airliners into the buildings, on the morning of 11 September 2001. Staff Sergeant Michael T. Socey, 52d Security Forces Squadron, and his military working dog, make security checks at the front gate of Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany following recent terrorist attacks on the World Trade CenterÕs Twin Towers in New York and at the Pentagon. When hijackers deliberately flew civilian airliners into the buildings, on the morning of 11 September 2001.
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Jozef, a K-9 assigned to ProMedica Security, prepares to bite U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Kregg York, a public affairs specialist assigned to the Ohio National Guards 180th Fighter Wing, during bite training at the 180FW in Swanton, Ohio, July 21, 2022. The K-9 officers visited the 180FW to learn about the units security forces mission, sharing best practices and strengthening community partnerships.
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Texas National Guardsmen from the 386th Engineer Battalion work alongside first responders from Texas Task Force One and the Cypress Creek Fire Department to rescue local citizens from severe flooding in Cypress Creek, August 28, 2017. Soldiers, fire fighters, paramedics and neighbors ensured more than 1,000 people and hundreds of dogs and cats were safe, evacuating them to dry ground and local shelters.
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040412-F-9927R-003. Base: Baghdad Country: Iraq (IRQ)
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DA-ST-86-05834. Country: Unknown
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U.S. Air Force Military Working Dog, Ali, assigned to the 633d Security Forces Squadron leaps through a concrete wall on the agility course at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, Aug. 16, 2022. Ali is dual purposed, preforming in multiple specialties within 633d SFS and has served six years at JBLE with two deployments and multiple secret service missions under his collar.
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U.S. Marines with Chemical Biological Incident Response Force wash chemicals and particulates off a simulated animal casualty in the decontamination line during exercise Vista Forge in Atlanta, Georgia, Nov. 3, 2022. Exercise Vista Forge was a joint annual exercise in which Army forces directed a series of exercises that brought together local, State, and Department of Defense, capabilities across the Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear response enterprise across the U.S.
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A member of the 17SPS Security Police and his dog check the rear wheel well of a vehicle for drugs. Checking an entire vehicle for drugs is a service offered to members who have recently purchased a used vehicle. Base: Goodfellow Air Force Base State: Texas (TX) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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STAFF Sergeant Micheal T. Socey, 52d Security Forces Squadron, with his canine, inspects a vehicle entering the base during a base force protection exercise at Spangdahlem AB, Germany. Base: Spangdahlem Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE
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Approximately 10 members of the Pennsylvania Canine Search and Rescue (PACSAR) trained on a variety of scenarios Dec. 3, 2022, in a remote part of Fort Indiantown Gap designed to resemble a village. PACSAR is a group of highly trained and certified volunteers that offers search and rescue services free of charge and provide additional resources to other search and rescue teams, local law enforcement, and fire companies in Lancaster County and surrounding areas. Fort Indiantown Gap is consistently among the busiest National Guard training centers in the nation, hosting civilian partner agencies and organizations in addition to active, reserve and foreign allied militaries.
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U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Victor Henderson, 81st Security Forces Squadron military working dog handler, and Basso, 81st SFS military working dog, perform a demonstration of the MWD capabilities for ROTC cadets at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, Sept. 16, 2022. Keesler hosted ROTC cadets from Louisiana State University and Tulane University for a base tour to demonstrate mission capabilities and Air Force career opportunities.
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A special warfare tactical air control party Airman from the 124th Air Support Operations Squadron participates in pack animal training, Feb. 9, 2020 in Emmett, Idaho. Pack animals, including horses, donkeys and mules, are utilized during missions where normal methods of transportation are restricted.
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Ron, a Military Working Dog (MWD), checks out a car trunk with his handler US Air Force STAFF Sergeant James Mings from the 569th US Forces Police Flight, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, they are looking for narcotic or explosive training aids on cars during the vehicle search portion of the 2001 Ramstein, K-9 Competition on January 22, 2001. Eleven teams from Ramstein are competing to determine who will represent their base in the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) competition and then go on to represent the command at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and the Department of Defense MWD competition. Ron, a Military Working Dog (MWD), checks out a car trunk with his handler US Air Force Staff Sergeant James Mings from the 569th US Forces Police Flight, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, they are looking for narcotic or explosive training aids on cars during the vehicle search portion of the 2001 Ramstein, K-9 Competition on January 22, 2001. Eleven teams from Ramstein are competing to deter
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Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to the Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., to view Marine Corps Evening Parade, deliver remarks, and attend reception at the site, a National Historic Landmark
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Capt. Terrence Shashaty, commanding officer, NAS Pensacola (left), prepares to present Dolar with a congratulatory piece of steak July 21, 2022, as a part of the military working dogs retirement ceremony.
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JOINT EXPEDITIONARY BASE LITTLE CREEK FORT STORY, VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (August 18, 2022) U.S. Navy Sailors and staff, attached to Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC), interact with "Patty Mac", a facility dog, during a Professional development (PRODEV) training onboard Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek Fort Story.
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MAYPORT, Fla. (Feb. 22, 2013) Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Thomas Bohannon and his military working dog Mirko subdue a simulated suspect during an active shooter drill for Exercise Citadel Shield 2013. Citadel Shield is an annual Force Protection and Anti-Terrorism exercise conducted on naval bases and installations throughout the continental U.S.
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Marines from Recruiting Station Phoenix show their support at the 2022 UBU Fitness Expo on Aug. 7, 2022, in Scottsdale, Arizona.
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Breanna Lawson, a K-9 officer assigned to ProMedica Security, and Storm, a K-9 assigned to ProMedica Security, wait for vehicles to search as they enter the gate at the Ohio National Guards 180th Fighter Wing in Swanton, Ohio, July 21, 2022. The K-9 officers visited the 180FW to learn about the units security forces mission, sharing best practices and strengthening community partnerships.
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Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to the Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., to view Marine Corps Evening Parade, deliver remarks, and attend reception at the site, a National Historic Landmark
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030212-F-9105A-006. Base: Aviano Air Base State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA)
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Security personnel with bomb detecting dogs in action outside 21st Street entrance of Harry S. Truman Building
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030120-A-5273C-022. Base: Kofi Sofi Country: Afghanistan (AFG)
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020317-F-4406B-020. Base: Ramstein Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE
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U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Sierra Parks, a Marine working-dog handler assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakunis Provost Marshals Office, gives commands to her K9 during water aggression training at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, Sept. 8, 2022. Water aggression training is designed to build dogs confidence in water. MCAS Iwakunis port provided K9 teams the opportunity to refine obedience training, commands, and reactions when posed with a potential threat in an atypical environment.
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Kay, 31st Security Forces military working dog, receives his toy from Senior Airman Ian Moran, 31st Security Forces military working dog handler, after detecting a simulated explosive during training at Aviano Air Base, Italy, Sept. 28, 2022. Explosive detection is a critical duty of MWDs due to its role in safety.
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Spectators at the Air Show watch a demonstration as AIRMAN 1ST Class Mark Lloyd (Dog SPECIALIST) searches STAFF SGT. Brian Normstrom for any possible weapons. Benny, the police dog, watches STAFF SGT. Normstrom for any threatening moves or escape attempt. They are from the 314th Security Police Squadron. Base: Little Rock Air Force Base State: Arkansas (AR) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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Kiru, a U.S. Air Force military working dog (MWD) with the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), poses for a photo at Chebelley Airfield, Djibouti, July 13, 2022. Whenever the K-9 unit isn't protecting U.S. assets they train their military working dogs by pushing their boundaries to ensure peak effectiveness during the work day.
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000301-A-6770D-001. Base: Fort Hood State: Texas (TX) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: FORSCOM
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Tim McKenna, an Explosive Detector K-9 handler with the Federal Protective Service works with his dog Misa, a Belgian Malinois, as they conduct on-going training sweeps to evaluate any potential threats in order to help ensure the safety of the participants and observers at the Championships at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Ore., July 21, 2022. The World Championships were held July 15-24, 2022 and was the first time the event has been held in the United States. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)
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Officer Jeremy E. Alvarado, a Marine Corps police officer from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, conducts a detection training exercise at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, San Diego, California, June 28, 2022. Military working dog handlers and their canines go through extensive training to provide protection from the threat of enemy forces.
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A corporal 1 of the Air Force. Monitoring with dog during the open day at the Twente airbase.
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Civic leaders from the city of Rehobeth receive a tour of the DUSTOFF complex to learn more about realistic medical evacuation training during a Meet Your Army event at Fort Novosel, Ala., Jan. 16, 2024.
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U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Manny, the mascot of Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) San Diego and the Western Recruiting Region, visits the Finance section at MCRD San Diego, Dec. 12, 2022. Manny was named after Sgt. Johnny R. Manuelito, one of the 'original 29' Navajo Code Talkers.
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U.S Marine Corps Cpl. Manny, the mascot of Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) San Diego, tours the training grounds at MCRD San Diego, April 2, 2023. Manny was named after Sgt. Johnny R. Manuelito, one of the original 29 Navajo Code Talkers.
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Rayne Hicks, 12, the niece of Illinois Army National Guard Lt. Col. Andrew Adamcyzk, gets caught between two playing puppies as she waits for the Gold Star 500 riders, including her uncle, to arrive at the Great Lakes Community Center, part of the Naval Station Great Lakes near North Chicago, Illinois, on Sept. 24. Several Illinois National Guard active and retired service members participate in the more than 500-mile bicycle ride that raises awareness of the approximately 300 Illinois service members who have fallen since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, including 34 members of the Illinois National Guard. This year's Gold Star 500 included 16 Polish riders who learned of the 5-day event through the Illinois National Guard's State Partnership Program with the Polish military. The Polish riders included seven Polish Army Soldiers, six students and three Polish Gold Star Family members. The Illinois Army National Guard co-deployed with Polish first to Iraq and then to Afghanista
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1st Lt. Madeline Miller, the Fort Carson Mountain Color Guard (FCMCG) commander, warms up her horse, Sgt. Beau, before the 2022 National Cavalry Competition on the historic landmark Fort Reno in El Reno, Okla., Sept. 21, 2022. The 2022 National Cavalry Competition will be the first time this team of FCMCG will compete at the national level.
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240113-N-SK336-1036 Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro greets Sage, a four-year-old female Labrador Retriever, deployed aboard the world's largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) through Mutts with a Mission in the commanding officers in port cabin during a visit to mark the completion of the ships eight-month maiden deployment, Jan. 15, 2024. Gerald R. Ford is deployed in the U.S. 2nd Fleet area of operations in support of maritime stability and security.
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Educators, media, and influencers from Recruiting Stations Dallas and San Antonio participate in WRR's Educators' Workshop Program aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton from Aug. 1, 2022 to Aug. 5, 2022.
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Sgt. Chesty XIII, official mascot of the U.S. Marine Corps, right, stares down his successor Recruit Chesty, left, during training at Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., March 20.