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Wing commander attends military working dog demonstration

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Larry Carpenter
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Col. Scott Hanson, 92 Air Refueling Wing commander, attended a military working dog demonstration on May 14 at the military working dog facility here.

The demonstration provided the commander an opportunity to see first hand the dog team demonstrate the abilities of military working dogs.

"The demo showed the abilities of the dogs, whether it be on the confidence course, basic obedience or the controlled bite testing," said Tech. Sgt. Max Talley, 92nd Security Forces Squadron kennel staff.

The afternoon started with Colonel Hanson receiving an initial facility tour, as well as a short briefing about the military working dogs, the animals' sleep schedules and the different teams the wing has as available resources.

"Colonel Hanson received a status of the individual teams to include those deployed, not deployed and what dogs are certified with whom," said Sergeant Talley.

After the commander toured the kennel facility, the veterinarian room, the feeding room and the area where the dogs live, he headed outside to see the dog team in action.

The dog team on included Staff Sgt. Josh Farnsworth, 92nd SFS military working dog handler and his 6-year-old Belgian Malinois, Eesau. The two have been working together for more than three years and were stationed in Iraq with the Marine Corps in 2004.

Once on the obedience course, Eesau ran the course flawlessly as Sergeant Farnsworth barked out commands. Eesau listened to every command without hesitating, and once the course was completed took position by Sergeant Farnsworth's side.

To finish the afternoon, Staff Sgt. Levi Wilson, 92nd Security Forces Squadron military working dog trainer and handler, arrived on the course wearing a bite suit to demonstrate the controlled bite testing. Sergeant Wilson portrayed a suspect and started to run away from Sergeant Farnsworth. Eesau stayed completely still until given the command at which point he chased down Sergeant Wilson, bit him and held him on the ground until Sergeant Farnsworth took control of the situation.

At that point, Eesau once again waited for the command to release and took a position by Sergeant Farnsworth, keeping a keen eye on the suspect laying flat on the ground.

"I love it," said Sergeant Wilson, referring to why he willingly sports the bite suit to get attacked by the working dogs.

To end the afternoon, Colonel Hanson coined the members of the military working dog team to congratulate them on a job well done.