Department of Defense

Military Working Dogs FM 3-19.17 Department of Defense

The last Army dog field manual (FM) was published in 1977. It reflected military working dog (MWD) doctrine developed during the Vietnam era. Although useful at that time, much of the information has since become obsolete. Today, MWD teams are employed in dynamic ways never before imagined. Today's MWD team is a highly deployable capability that commanders have used around the world from Afghanistan to Africa and from the Balkans to Iraq. These specialized teams aid commanders in stability and support operations as well as in warfighting. Being modular and mobile makes these teams very agile. As situations dictate, MWD teams are quick to arrive and able to conduct various operations. Their versatility allows for effective transformation at all echelons among readiness for deployment and operations on the ground, through redeployment and back to readiness. The highly aggressive dog tactics of the 1960s and 1970s are long gone. Today's MWD program effectively employs expertly trained and motivated handlers coupled with highly intelligent breeds of dogs. These teams are continuously rotating between their assigned duties and deployments worldwide to perform joint operations, multiechelon tasks, and interagency missions. This FM addresses the current capabilities of the Military Police Working Dog Program as well as the potential for future applications. As technology and world situations change, the MWD team will continue the transformation process and give commanders the full-spectrum capabilities needed to be combat multipliers on the battlefield as well as persuasive force protection and antiterrorism assets.