Page 28 - Chiron Issue 2 2014

102 Millitary Working Dog Squadron – Exercise PASHTUN LINKS 7
By Pte Parfrement
In March 2014, I deployed on Exercise PASHTUN LINKS along with other members of 102 Millitary Working Dog Squadron (102 MWD Sqn). I was looking forward to the Exercise because it was the first time I would be teamed with High Assurance Search Dog (HAS(D)) Ullie. I would also get to train with the BRIMSTONE Call Sign (C/S) Royal Engineer Search Team (REST) who I would be working with when I deployed on Op HERRICK 20 later in the year.
The first week I spent developing a bond with my dog and also getting her acclimatised to the ground and weather conditions. Jordan lies within the Middle East, between Israel and Iraq. The country has a climate and vast areas of dry desert and scrub lands very similar to that found in Afghanistan, making it a very good area to train in prior to deployment. The ground is very stony and dry out in Jordan, so Ullie’s feet needed to get used to walking on it, and her pads needed to harden up. We were also at a high altitude, so both handlers and dogs needed to get used to exercising with less oxygen in the air. We started on short walks and extended the distance as the week went on.
After acclimatisation I went on lots of different mini tasks with the BRIMSTONE C/S. The mini tasks were a day spent with the Search Team on a route or a compound, searching it. The team used myself and Ullie in the most high threat area as an extra level of assurance before the team continued their search.
As a Squadron we put on demonstrations to show other Cap badges taking part in the Exercise the capabilities we could offer, and how the dog would fit in with their team. During the VIP visit day I was involved in a demonstration where I baited for Pte Harrison and his Protection dog Apo. The American General who
was watching was very impressed by the professionalism of all those involved, and presented me with a coin.
Before the main Exercise I visited Petra for the day with LCpl Freeman (another HASD handler). We had a great day out, walking up the 850 steps, to the Monastery at the top of the hill; it was a very long way. Due to the limited time allowed we had to tab up the steps. The views on the way up and at the top were amazing. We even got to have an ice cream at the top which I really enjoyed. After visiting Petra I would recommend it to anyone who travels to Jordan. I felt very lucky to have visited another Wonder of the World.
Finally, the last week spent in Jordan was the Exercise phase. I worked in two different locations with two different teams. For the first 3 days I worked with a heavy REST working out of Mastiffs to help clear a route. At night we would put the 3 mastiffs together for protection and we would sleep either just outside or inside the mastiff. This enabled us to keep eyes on the route we had just searched at all times. Ullie luckily loved the Mastiff, so she coped very well living out of it. The second part of the week was spent in a Forward Operating Base (FOB) location. Again we were responsible for clearing a route which took us 2 days to complete. The FOB was an upgrade in accommodation as Ullie and I had our own tent with a kennel and a bed. The FOB also had running water, so I could have a shower every night and hot food was put on for us.
I spent just under 4 weeks in Jordan, I was able to see how my dog would work with a REST, and I was able to work my dog in environmental conditions closest to what I would experience in Afghanistan.
28 Chiron Calling