MWD Symposium 2022

By Sgt. Maj. Viridiana Lavalle and Master Sgt. Annette S. ParkerOctober 13, 2022

Handlers work as a team to treat a simulated injured MWD using canine Tactical Combat Casualty Care (K9C4) on the TACMED’s K9 Diesel mannequin.
1 / 12 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Handlers work as a team to treat a simulated injured MWD using canine Tactical Combat Casualty Care (K9C4) on the TACMED’s K9 Diesel mannequin. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Maj. Viridiana Lavalle) VIEW ORIGINAL
Handlers take a class picture with Maj. Gen. Miller and Sgt. Maj. Viridiana Lavalle, Military Working Dog Program Manager, Office of the Provost Marshal General, after conducting combat medical scenario-based training.
2 / 12 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Handlers take a class picture with Maj. Gen. Miller and Sgt. Maj. Viridiana Lavalle, Military Working Dog Program Manager, Office of the Provost Marshal General, after conducting combat medical scenario-based training. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Maj. Gen. Miller observe handlers conducting canine Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TC3) scenarios instructed by ParaVet Course Instructor, Evan Nolte.
3 / 12 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Gen. Miller observe handlers conducting canine Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TC3) scenarios instructed by ParaVet Course Instructor, Evan Nolte. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Maj. Viridiana Lavalle) VIEW ORIGINAL
Maj. Gen. Duane R. Miller, 19th Provost Marshal General and Commanding General, U.S. Army Corrections Command, discusses Military Working Dog (MWD) behavioral training with LTC Desireé Broach, Deputy Director, DODMWDVS, Chief, Behavioral Medicine, and Dr. Melissa Singletary, Assistant Director, Canine Performance Sciences Program and Assistant Professor Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University.
4 / 12 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Gen. Duane R. Miller, 19th Provost Marshal General and Commanding General, U.S. Army Corrections Command, discusses Military Working Dog (MWD) behavioral training with LTC Desireé Broach, Deputy Director, DODMWDVS, Chief, Behavioral Medicine, and Dr. Melissa Singletary, Assistant Director, Canine Performance Sciences Program and Assistant Professor Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Maj. Viridiana Lavalle) VIEW ORIGINAL
Pat Nolan instructs tactical off-leash directional handling to a young Patrol Explosive Detector Dog-Enhanced (PEDD-E) Team.
5 / 12 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Pat Nolan instructs tactical off-leash directional handling to a young Patrol Explosive Detector Dog-Enhanced (PEDD-E) Team. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Maj. Viridiana Lavalle) VIEW ORIGINAL
ParaVet Instructor, Mr. Evan Nolte, teaches handlers how to execute a needle decompression for canine life-saving interventions.
6 / 12 Show Caption + Hide Caption – ParaVet Instructor, Mr. Evan Nolte, teaches handlers how to execute a needle decompression for canine life-saving interventions. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Maj. Viridiana Lavalle) VIEW ORIGINAL
Patrol Explosive Detector Dog-Enhanced (PEDD-E)
7 / 12 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Patrol Explosive Detector Dog-Enhanced (PEDD-E) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Maj. Viridiana Lavalle) VIEW ORIGINAL
Rivanna Canine Services Instructor Mr. Armin Winkler teaches handlers advanced decoy and bite development.
8 / 12 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Rivanna Canine Services Instructor Mr. Armin Winkler teaches handlers advanced decoy and bite development. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Maj. Viridiana Lavalle) VIEW ORIGINAL
Handlers learn advanced close quarter rifle techniques.
9 / 12 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Handlers learn advanced close quarter rifle techniques. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Maj. Viridiana Lavalle) VIEW ORIGINAL
Maj. Gen. Miller presents Spec. Justin Ane, (Patrol Explosive Detector Dog), 2D MP DET (MWD) Fort Meade, MD,  with a certificate of achievement and the Provost Marshal General’s coin of excellence for his great handling skills which helped locate a missing person.
10 / 12 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Gen. Miller presents Spec. Justin Ane, (Patrol Explosive Detector Dog), 2D MP DET (MWD) Fort Meade, MD, with a certificate of achievement and the Provost Marshal General’s coin of excellence for his great handling skills which helped locate a missing person. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Maj. Viridiana Lavalle) VIEW ORIGINAL
Handlers conduct advanced rifle and pistol marksmanship training with their MWD partners.
11 / 12 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Handlers conduct advanced rifle and pistol marksmanship training with their MWD partners. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Maj. Viridiana Lavalle) VIEW ORIGINAL
Instructors from Veterinary Tactical Group observe handlers as they conduct Canine Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TC3) training.
12 / 12 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Instructors from Veterinary Tactical Group observe handlers as they conduct Canine Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TC3) training. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Maj. Viridiana Lavalle) VIEW ORIGINAL

Military Working Dog (MWD) Detachment Commanders and U.S. Army Veterinarians were invited to the MWD Symposium, hosted by the Headquarters Department of the Army, Office of the Provost Marshal General, Army MWD Program, held at Muscatatuck Urban Training Center, Butlerville, Indiana from June 25 – July 1, 2022.

Attendees observed MWD teams conducting training in addition to receiving briefs on the current and future state of the MWD program. In addition, they also attended hands-on training courses led by various K9 instructors and veterinarian subject matter experts. Handlers were challenged in a variety of events and so much more. The realistic scenario-based training that identified current strengths and weaknesses across the program provided a multitude of training methodologies to incorporate into their training programs to enhance capabilities.

More than 40 units participated in the symposium. Commanders identified training that would benefit both MWD handlers and other Military Police (MP) within their commands. The many professional Senior noncommissioned officers gained the skills and knowledge to advise commanders on industry best practices, lessons learned, and innovative equipment for improving MWD capabilities to meet requirements. With this, the MWD Symposium, supports the Army’s three priorities – People, Readiness, and Modernization and the MP Corps’ motto of Assist, Protect, and Defend as our focus.

-        People (Assist): Opportunities were provided to meet and network with some of the nation’s best K9 instructors, individuals from the industry along with their fellow 31Ks from around the world. This networking was beneficial for future training events and potentially acquiring positions when they transition out of the Army.

 -        Readiness (Protect): The skills the participants learned will enhance their effectiveness in a variety of mission sets they support.

 -        Modernization (Defend): The symposium hosted a vendor show in support of the Army MWD Program’s modernization efforts. Over 25 companies demonstrated the latest tactical and medical K9 equipment available. 

Additionally, the United States Army Provost Marshal General, Maj. Gen. Duane R. Miller, was on hand to recognize Mr. John Meeks, President of the Chapter 3 War Dogs Association, for support in the MWD Symposium, SPC Justin Ane, and MWD Cadir, 2nd Military Police (Military District of Washington) Detachment, Fort Meade, MD, for their exemplary actions relating to a missing person. This MWD Team demonstrated a great example of illustrating the proper use of an MWD to find a missing person.

The symposium met all established training objectives with innovative methodologies to defeat current threats both domestically and abroad. Enhancing the combat effectiveness by fielding better trained MWD teams. The symposium leveraged some of the nation’s best K9 Instructors and counter-improvised explosive device SMEs; along with strengthening collaboration with K9 industry professionals.