To guarantee it has the correct mix to handle next wars, the Marine Corps Canine Handler is reorganizing its forces generally. And its military working dog community, utilized for anything from patrols and bomb detection to security for high-profile leaders, is no exception.
Seeing your partner, closest buddy, and devoted friend alert to an improvised explosive device buried just in front of your squad as they make their way down a hot, dusty road swells with pride.
The training has at last paid off; you get to celebrate knowing that you and your partner were on point for a purpose—to locate bombs and save the lives of many comrades in your squad.
Reserved for Marine Corps Canine Handler who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, duty above and above their regular Marine responsibilities, and undergone a thorough selection procedure to be chosen to work with a military K9 is this MOS.
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Training and Career Path
MOS, the military working dog handler, is only for Marines who have finished and are currently serving as military police officers or police women.
Anybody in this MOS qualifies to apply for the supplementary MOS 5812.
If this is a goal, however, Marine Corps Canine Handler should begin displaying outstanding leadership, fitness, and discipline from their first day of service.
Most of the Marines who join the military police really want to be military dog handlers.
Given the restricted number of canines regularly available, the degree of competitiveness is thus quite strong.
How choose Marines to manage dogs?
Reviewing the application, marine leadership will sort the military record of the candidate in search of clear indicators of excellence.
This will include PFT scores, volunteer work, letters of recommendation, and anything else demonstrating the Marine applicant has been exceeding the expected level of performance.
Average task-oriented Marines who have not sought additional chances outside of regular duty hours will find it difficult to stand out from their colleagues and will so suffer with being chosen for MOS 5812.
Marines selected will be expected to undergo the Military Working Dog Basic Handler Course at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.
Marines will start working daily to establish a close relationship with a dog that best fits their nature.
Should candidates fail to establish rapport with any K9, they may be recycled to a different class or sent back to their unit completely.
Generally speaking, Marines will have up to thirty days to exhibit a notable degree of bonding and side by side working abilities with their new partner.
The Marine Dog Handler Course is not easy; it calls for several hours of everyday, daily working with dogs as well as some classroom time to cover techniques to effectively use a working dog, basic K9 first aid, and care and upkeep of a military working dog.
Graduates will be ready to return to their unit with their new partner or wherever the Marine Corps may require them to be.
How Much Are Marine Dog Handlers Paid?
According to all reports, military working dog handlers are not given any particular monthly salary incentives.
Therefore, Marine Corps Canine Handler working with military canines will get the same base pay as everyone enlisted in the military across all branches.
When deployed or engaged in unique cases that result in them being placed in dangerous circumstances, Marines working with K9s are qualified for hazard bonus pay.
This will be unit specific, hence prerequisites must be satisfied before one is qualified for hazard pay.
Below are the fundamental pay scales for every enlisted person up to the rank of E5.
Day in the Life of a Marine Military Working Dog Trainer
Marine MWD handlers will operate in almost exactly the same capacity as law enforcement agents in the civilian sector while at their home base, in garrison.
They will be on a shift schedule and patrol like regular police officers until the working dog is needed.
Military working dog handlers could also find themselves on gate patrols, where they will check vehicle traffic for drugs or explosives someone is trying to smuggle onto the facility.
Military working canines and handlers first aim to keep Marine Corps Canine Handler, their families, and other military personnel safe.
Consequently, it is not unusual for military dogs to be utilized for property and vehicle searches where suspected contraband may be concealed.
Military working dog handlers lead a special way of life. These are a very tiny, highly skilled, highly used elite group.
Dog handlers are not unusual in being summoned away for special duty assignments such VIP route clearance, presidential details, or even brief trips overseas for TDA, or temporary duty assignments.
Two recent studies from U.S. Army dog handlers show a degree of occupational satisfaction as well as some annoyance with the long hours and great stress involved in handling dogs.
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Civilian Employment Prospectues
Handlers of military working dogs can have a fulfilling career working for civilian organizations that demand seasoned dog handlers.
Several businesses equip K9s to carry out similar roles to police dogs.
These canines will thereafter be used either for private security events or police assistance.
FAQs
What does a dog handler do in the Marines?
Generally utilized for narcotics interdiction, locating lost or wanted persons, or bomb-sniffing operations, military dog handlers are in charge of the basic care and training of military working canines.
In the Marines, is it difficult to learn dog handling?
Becoming a dog handler in the Marine Corps is a very competitive process that calls for a strong work ethic and loyalty to the employment.
Do military dog handlers get deployed?
Two teams in the MWD unit guard the home station and one is on six-month deployment. Most installations need for MWD's and their handlers' detection of explosives and patrolling of designated areas.
How hard is it to get 31K mos?
One must earn at least a 91 ST on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) to be eligible for placement into the 31K MOS. They will get more instruction to handle the Specialized Search Dog and/or Mine Detection Dog as they progress in their careers.