FORT LEONARD WOOD, Missouri -- A 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, military police working dog handler was awarded the Bronze Star Medal earlier this month during a ceremony at the brigade's conference room.
Staff Sgt. Scott Armantrout, 252nd/180th Military Police Detachment, 92nd Military Police Battalion, was presented the award by Col. Andy Munera, 4th MEB commander. Armantrout's father, Mark, a former Army chemical officer, also attended the Jan. 5 ceremony.
"It is a very rare treat for me that I actually get to pin on this award here and not in a deployed environment, which is how it is usually done," Munera said. "I am very privileged to do this, and I'm also very privileged that your dad is here to help pin on this award."
Armantrout received the award, but shared credit at the ceremony with his K-9 partner, Storm, a specialized search dog. During their 12-month deployment to Afghanistan, Armantrout and Storm completed 100 missions, resulting in more than 350 hours spent together searching for unexploded ordinance.
The duo also responded as part of a quick reaction force following the, Sept. 13, 2013, attack on the U.S. Consulate in Herat.
Armantrout and Storm redeployed to Fort Leonard Wood in August 2014. Storm was at the kennels and wasn't able to join his handler for the indoor ceremony.
Storm did a huge portion of our work, but I get all of the credit, Armantrout quipped as he spoke about his K-9 partner.
"The dogs actually do most of the work," Armantrout said. "They receive all of the training to find the explosives for us, and the handler is just there to read his change of behavior when he finds something and gives him his reward."
Proud of his accomplishments and those of his K-9 partner, Armantrout describes a bigger picture as a military dog handler.
"Not only are you providing assistance to all the units … it's a morale booster for everybody you're around. Anytime someone sees a dog, they want to pet it, and that brightens everybody's day a little bit."
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