Sniffing out trouble

***image1***The largest Army kennel in Europe is now operational, giving commanders here more opportunities to deter narcotics use and detect explosives within their units.

The move from Pulaski Barracks to the Miesau Army Depot was completed at the end of August. This facility is more than double the size of the previous one on Pulaski. It can house 48 dogs, and includes an administrative building and a 41-by-41 meter training area for dog teams to practice their skills.

Housed in this kennel are patrol narcotics and explosive detector dogs that are here specifically to support law enforcement and force protection missions for the U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern, said Sgt. 1st Class Paul Adams, 230th Military Police Company kennel master.

***image2***“We can now handle an increased number of requests from commanders for unit-directed health and welfare inspections,” said Sergeant First Class Adams, who is the certification authority for U.S Army Europe kennels.

For these unit inspections, dog teams search for narcotics and explosives through the unit’s barracks, work areas and vehicles.

“Wherever they want us to search,” said Sergeant First Class Adams, who has close to eight years experience as a kennel master. “Pretty much everything (narcotics) that is used locally these dogs are trained to detect.”

When they are not doing force protection or law enforcement missions, these dogs are doing sustainment training every day. The requirement for dual-purpose dogs is four hours detection training a week, and for single-purpose dogs, it is six hours.

***image3***Requests for these dog teams need to be made 48 hours before the unit inspections. “Units describe the missions for us and then we decide the number and what kind of dogs to support what they want done,” said Sergeant First Class Adams.

Commanders can request dog teams for their unit health and welfare inspections by calling Sergeant First Class Adams at 481-3952 or the garrison’s Provost Marshal’s Office at 489-7444.