Page 8 - Desert Lightning News 8-14-15

8 August 14, 2015 Desert Lightning News

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Air Force MWD handler reunites with best friend

Airman Sadie R. Colbert as long as we were, Chukky and I U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Suita Ika
communicated well with each other.
28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs He knew exactly what he needed to Staff Sgt. Mark Bush, 28th Security Forces Squadron military working dog handler, plays with his
do just by the way I looked at him.” retired MWD, Chukky, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., July 10, 2015. Chukky retired at Nellis July 10
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, after serving eight years in the Air Force.
S.D. -- “It was a very long day of search- As one of their final missions to-
ing [a village in Iraq],” said U.S. Air gether, Chukky and Bush proved to be over 13,000 personnel, $2.9 billion Bush’s career, the defender said.
Force Staff Sgt. Mark Bush, 28th Secu- quite the dynamic-duo, discovering 50 worth of Department of Defense re- “He made coming to work the most
rity Forces Squadron military working pounds of homemade explosives. sources, and executed numerous mis-
dog handler, referring to one day dur- sions with the Secret Service. He also enjoyable,” Bush said. “It was like com-
ing a deployment to Iraq in 2010. “We “As we were walking through a vil- completed four deployments, and was ing to hang out with a best friend.”
searched vehicles in the area for hours, lage,” Bush said. “Chukky approached responsible for the discovery of over
both parked and passing through.” a blue vehicle without windows. Af- 200 pounds of random explosives, sav- As Chukky transitions into his
ter searching for so many hours [and] ing dozens of U.S. and coalition lives. new lifestyle, Bush said he is already
Earlier this month, Bush seized to see such a change in his behavior setting a good example of obedience
the opportunity of a lifetime, adopt- [with] tail up and wagging, a burst of The accomplished K-9 even to the younger dog in their home,
ing retired MWD Chukky at Nellis energy, and focused on odor, I knew helped secure the nation’s highest and the Airman is looking forward
Air Force Base, Nevada, July 10 and we had something. I didn’t need a fi- leaders, clearing areas to safeguard to giving him a comfortable couch
reuniting with his old friend after nal response. His change of behavior two U.S. presidents. to lie on, a good time at the lake and
their long separation. was enough for me to call it.” a lot of love.
In addition to Chukky’s service,
As a senior airman at Nellis, Chuk- Bush said that as a military work- he has been an amazing part of “He’s a part of the family now,”
ky was assigned to Bush and together ing dog handler the find was one of Bush said.
they deployed twice to Kirkuk, Iraq in their biggest accomplishments.
2008 and Baghdad from 2009 to 2010.
They spent a total of three and a half “I was incredibly excited that
years with one another, making it the Chukky and I had located the vehi-
longest Bush has kept the same MWD. cle,” Bush said. “I thought about the
many lives we had saved. We train
With the help of non-profit or- daily to find explosives and protect
ganizations like The Dawgs Project the people behind us.”
and Pilots N Paws, Bush was able to
travel to Nellis to retrieve Chukky Chukky was given the Military
and fly him to his new home. Working Dog Certificate of Merito-
rious Service from the Nellis MWD
“Chukky and I hit it off at the be- unit for his outstanding service.
ginning of developing our team dy-
namic,” Bush said. “Being together During his career, Chukky secured

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