3rd ID soldiers talk about their hazardous duty, devotion to dogs who save lives | savannahnow.com

They’re known, in Army jargon, as Tactical Explosive Detection Dogs, TEDDs for short. In Afghanistan, on duty with the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 3rd Infantry Division, they have saved countless lives and shaped unbreakable bonds with their handlers.

Mission days for the dogs and handlers “are filled with long walks and multiple searches of roads, vehicles, fields, buildings, ditches and anywhere else you could hide any type of explosive,” said Spec. Nate Korpusik, who’s paired with K9 Zino.

That time “outside the wire,” can last for just a few hours, or several days, said Sgt. Austin Swaney, who shares danger, down time and demanding exercise routines with Rudy, a marble-colored German shepherd.

The K9s and their handlers “lead patrols, regardless of rank,” said Korpusik. “They say that, for every explosive found, you potentially saved the lives of 10 soldiers. That’s 80 for Zino and I alone.”

Training never stops

On days when the soldiers and their dogs are not on a mission, the “primary focus” then turns to “concurrent training,” said Sgt. Logan Synatzske, who teams with K9 Bako.

“This includes explosives detection training, obedience training and PT,” said Synatzske, a Stephenville, Texas, native who’s done a tour in Iraq, in addition to his time in Afghanistan. “We are required to maintain a certain number of hours training each week.”

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