Veteran dog handlers reach out to Nellis and Creech Airmen Published July 28, 2009 By Nellis Public Affairs 99th Air Base Wing NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- There has been no other wingman that has both rivaled and complemented mankind's strengths and weaknesses as that of a canine. Working alongside canines, is not an easy feat and requires an unwavering dedication. It takes a special person to do this, and regardless of rank, service, country or generation - the men and women that do this line of work have an unspoken bond, understanding and appreciation for each other. This deep rooted appreciation inspired three Vietnam veteran dog handlers; Mr. Jon Hemp, Mr. Ron Carlton and Mr. Gerry Carlton; and an Air Force parachute packer, Mr. Mike Mizak, to start Feed the Dawgs, an organization that visits various bases to thank military canine handlers by treating them to a steak meal and home cooked food. The 99th Security Forces military working dog handlers were visited by this group in late June. "People that do this job, have something in common," Mr. Hemp said. "They don't even realize it. As uniquely different as we all are, there's that common thread of being able to work with a dog and having an appreciation for your dog." Tech. Sgt. John Danser, 99th Security Force Squadron military working dog kennel master, agreed, "You have to like dogs and be willing to give up time to put in training that is needed for a military working dog team to be successful. A lot of Airmen do not realize that for a canine handler, the duty day doesn't always end the same time as other security forces members. Our dogs save lives, you have to make sure they stay proficient." "What drives everyone of us [Feed the Dawg veterans] is, we're not going to have these kids come back to what we came back to (where some Vietnam veterans were not welcomed home),"Mr. Hemp said. "Somebody's got to say thank you to these kids." During the steak meal, the veterans and Nellis Airmen exchanged stories. "The mission has changed," Mr. Hemp said. "We were sentry dog handlers; this Air Force canine function no longer exists." In the Vietnam era, sentry dogs were primarily used to guard the bases' perimeters at night, before sensors and night vision applications were used in the military, Mr. Hemp said. The sentry dogs endured weeks of aggression training and did whatever was needed to keep the bases' and their handlers secure at all costs, this meant they were virtually uncontrollable. "But the dogs capabilities are so much more than that," said Mr. Kenneth Neal, a Vietnam veteran sentry dog handler and member of Feed the Dawgs. "They can see better motion, hear better and smell better. Sometimes they're more intelligent, they would tell you that something was wrong." The function of the canine has since evolved, said Sergeant Danser. Today, MWD's are trained in various areas such as detection and patrolling. Serving military dog handlers since 2007, Feed the Dawgs has visited more than 200 active duty military working dog handlers and their families at six southwestern bases and camps, including Marine Corps, Army, Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force installations. Five more events are planned for the fall of 2009. Based in Redlands, Calif., Mr. Hemp said if he can pretty much throw a rock at any of the bases, he will visit. Feed the Dawgs plans to visit the 99th SFS MWD handlers again next year. "The veteran handlers showing their appreciation for the present handlers was a memorable experience for all of us," said Sergeant Danser. "It was an incredible opportunity to talk to the Vietnam era handlers, see how some things in our career field have changed over the years, and how much we have in common in the wars we're fighting today."
