BAGHDAD - Military police have many tools at their disposal to assist them in accomplishing their mission. The MPs or "Enforcers" of 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, just added to their arsenal a military working dog April 8 at Joint Security Station War Eagle. The dog and its handler will stay with the Enforcers for a few days to aid the mission then move on to another unit that requests their assistance.
The Enforcers run patrols and provide security for different types of missions with two goals in mind.
"We just enforce the laws and make sure everything is up to standard," said Pfc. John Hanner, a native of Statesboro, Ga., and an MP gunner assigned to the Enforcers. The embedded military working dog team can do just that as well as add an extra level of security.
"It's a little bit more security for us, it's something else to help us out," added Hanner. "The more equipment we have, the better we are. It's easier to fight with more equipment," he said.
Not only can the MPs add more to the fight with specialized dogs, but they can mitigate some of the risks that make their job dangerous.
"I feel more safe with having extra equipment, like a dog, cause a dog is trained in finding things we possibly might not see or know about," explained Hanner.
Sonja, a Belgium Malnois, is a dual certified dog for patrols and explosives detection. She is trained to assist in weapons sweeps, caches searches, raids and finding improvised explosive devices, thus reducing the danger for the MPs.
"Having an asset out in front of your team takes a little bit of risk away from them," said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Bob Weigold, a military working dog handler assigned to the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team. "I try to reduce the liabilities for us by having the dog out there to detect the explosive devices prior to anybody going in there."
Weigold and Sonja are employed throughout Baghdad by different branches of service, but wherever they go they add a substantial level of security.
"As far as security, the biggest thing is the amount of area we can cover with it in a short period of time," said Weslaco, Texas native, Spc. Chris Saenz, an MP driver assigned to the Enforcers. "It's another tool to fight the fight."
The Enforcers use all the tools available to their advantage on every patrol to communicate to higher headquarters ensuring Coalition forces security.
"We're always relaying back to battalion what we see, what we notice," added Saenz.
The MPs of 1st BSTB are always on alert and reporting what they see. With the addition of a military working dog team, they can find and report on things that Soldiers may not even see. Either way, the Enforcers continue to use all their tools to their advantage to keep enforcing the law and enforcing the standard.
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