Wednesday, March 6, 2024

What My Husband Misses From The Air Force

This post is sponsored by Responsival but all opinions are my own.


My husband was in the Air Force for nearly 22 years before retiring. He deployed a number of times and it wasn't the easiest life. He was in security forces, which meant he started off checking ID cards at the gate and then he went to being in a vehicle. He knew he always loved dogs so he decided to go to school so he could become a K9 Handler. 

Yes, that meant he also had to put on the big suit to actually get bit by a dog so he'd know first hand what it was like. It looked absolutely terrifying to me, but he didn't mind. He would even volunteer to wear the suit when families and friends came out to a demonstration. You do not feel the bite, but you certainly feel the pressure of the strong teeth. 


I know he had different breeds of dogs as partners. German Shepherds. Belgian Malinois. Each of his dogs had different personalities and he would learn how to best work with them. 




He had a close relationship with all of the dogs he was partnered with. He'd give them treats like long lasting dog chews that were hand-selected and would benefit their health, and made sure they felt safe and secure. No, none of these dogs ever lived at the house. In the military, they must remain in the kennels on the base. But you are able to visit them whenever you'd like on days off, so Tom would usually do this so the bond would grow. 

He even became Kennel Master, which meant he was in charge of the entire kennel. He did a fantastic job and enjoyed seeing all the dogs. He didn't have one specifically that was his partner anymore, but he oversaw the entire kennel which sort of meant all of the dogs were a reflection of him. He took this job seriously and made sure the kennel ran as smoothly as it could. 




So yes, if you ask my husband what he misses from being in the military, he'd mention the dogs. He works at Lowe's now and sometimes people bring in their dogs. He spoke to a man who had just adopted a German Shepherd and wasn't sure how to train him. 

Well. Naturally Tom had plenty of advice and that man said he might even have Tom help to train his new furry friend. Tom said he wouldn't mind. He's always open to helping out when he can. 

It just goes to show that the things you learn that mean a lot, always come back around in the end. 





11 comments:

  1. I love that! I didn't realize the different breeds they used! And a kennel master is really impressive! Good for him!

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  2. I knew that different breeds are used for different tasks and think thos who choose to work with them must have a love of dogs and yeah Kennel Master is impressive

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  3. It can be hard to retire. My boys ROTC instructor felt the same way and now he is teaching kids.

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  4. I love animals but don't know much about dogs, but those who work directly with animals definitely have a lot of love and patience.

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  5. It's amazing to think about the strong bonds formed between handlers and their K9 partners, bonds built on trust, respect, and mutual care. The detail about your husband volunteering to wear the bite suit to help demonstrate the skills and training of these dogs shows his bravery and dedication!

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  6. I'm sure that your husband has quite a few interesting stories to tell in addition to these. While it might not be all things that he misses, those are the things that make life interesting!

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  7. So very wonderful and inspiring to read that your husband is continuing his passion to work with dogs however he can. One of our friends is a dog trainer too and loves what he does

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  8. It's not surprising that the dogs would be what your husband misses the most. They are wonderful and intelligent creatures!

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  9. Thank you for sharing this unique glimpse into your husband's military experience and lifelong affinity for dogs. I think I would like to be part of the Air Force working with the K-9 unit.

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  10. It is good that there are such institutions, I take responsibility for the education of your pet, for example, I do not have time for this because of research proposal writing service https://studyfy.com/service/research-proposal-writing-service where I work, so would use the services of love

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  11. <a href='https://google.com>google</a>

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Thanks for the comment!

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