CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo (Aug. 4, 2015) -- Military Police, or MP, Soldiers from the 363rd Military Police Company out of Grafton, West Virginia, currently deployed to Kosovo in support of Multinational Battle Group-East, or MNBG-E, arrived on the scene during a July 24, active-shooter exercise to rehearse emergency response efforts with their military working dog, or MWD, partners, at the Camp Bondsteel Post Exchange.
The Soldiers with the 363rd MP Company are deployed for the first time to work in a garrison law enforcement capacity. Team leaders said they want to ensure the training at Camp Bondsteel will build the skills needed for the Soldiers to secure a safe environment for the multinational troops and civilians serving in Kosovo.
"Our unit is used to responding in a combat environment," said Sgt. Ashley Snyder, a team supervisor and investigator with the 363rd MP Company. "The mission here in Kosovo is different, so planning and understanding the concepts of working in a peaceful environment with a more traditional law enforcement role has to be approached more carefully."
The active-shooter training pushed the Soldiers to work in a different capacity by allowing them to work with the military working dogs.
Sgt. Earl Thomas, an MWD handler with the 525th Military Working Dog Detachment, out of Wiesbaden, Germany, did a few practice runs with the MPs before including the MWDs in the drill, in order to ensure the exercise would be safe for all involved.
Staff Sgt. Lex and Sgt. Hundi, MWDs deployed to Camp Bondsteel, participated in the training to familiarize the MPs with the use of K-9s during an active-shooter scenario.
"I always enjoy working with the K-9s because it definitely adds a different element to our training that we are not used to back home," said Spc. Christopher Boatwright, an MP with the 363rd.
"The training was geared for getting the Soldiers used to working with the MWD detachment," said Spc. Cindy Ortiz, a K-9 handler with the 100th Military Working Dog Detachment, out of Miesau, Germany, and also deployed with MNBG-E. "This training is also a good way the unit can become familiar with the layout of the buildings on Bondsteel for if there is a real emergency situation," she said.
"Having the dogs as another asset brings an extra level of force to our team," said Pfc. Cecelia Record, an MP with the 363rd. Working with them enables the MPs to see things that could possibly be overlooked, she said.
The MWDs offer support to units within MNBG-E by raising the level of force protection with perimeter checks and vehicle inspections. Explosive ordinance disposal teams located at Camp Bondsteel may also use them in certain situations. Thomas said that part of his job as a handler is to help people realize that MWDs are trained to provide safety and comfort, rather than fear and harm.
For the 363rd MP Company, the overall consensus was that working with MWDs was like training with another Soldier. Over time, as familiarity is gained, the team will become stronger. Training in these different scenarios provides a better understanding of what is needed for maintaining a safe and secure environment within MNBG-E.
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