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K9 goes from Air Force blue to couch brown

  • Published
  • By Greg Allen
  • 27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE N.M. --  He's a retired Airman now and lives a life of luxury. A box full of items awaits his attention, but he can't quite give up his military ways. He clings to a large rubber Kong ball, his "treat" when he was active duty. 

Alex has officially become a couch pooch. 

Alex was a military working dog forced into early retirement because of medical issues. He overheated too easily and had problems with his eyesight. Despite his intelligence and desire, this strong, well-muscled and alert 4-year old German shepherd just couldn't physically hack it any more. 

Military working dogs work side by side with their handlers, said Tech. Sgt. Rob Wilson, the kennel master here. The dogs are used in patrol, drug and explosive detection, and specialized missions for the Department of Defense. Their environment is tightly controlled, but once they retire and are adopted, that often changes. 

"They get scraps from the table," said Tech. Sgt. Rob Wilson, the base kennel master. "That's something they never got to do when they were working dogs. 

Sergeant Wilson said that when a dog can no longer remain on "active duty," Security Forces works to find a home for the veteran that might have seen multiple tours in combat zones. 

That's when Troy Gilliard stepped in. Mr. Gilliard is an anti-terrorism officer at Cannon and is a former security forces dog handler. He knew about an Air Force program that adopted out military working dogs when they got older or had medical issues.
"It's worked out great," said Mr. Gilliard as Alex lazed about the living room. "I would definitely recommend it to anybody. 

As a former K-9 handler himself, Mr. Gilliard had always wanted a large dog, but his wife, Tonia, wasn't so sure. They already had two smaller dogs, Gizmo and Chip, and she didn't know if it would work out. It has. 

"Gizmo (their Boston terrier) is still in charge, but Alex enjoys being a house dog," she said. 

There were adjustments on the canine side as well, said Mr. Gilliard. 

"I think he might have been depressed when he first got here because he didn't eat for a couple of days," he said. But that was only temporary, as the German shepherd now romps in the back yard with Gizmo. 

Although Alex easily adapted to his new life, not every military working dog is suited for adoption once its days as an MWD are over. For those who are not, they are often used to train other working dogs at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas or euthanized due to medical reasons. 

For information on the adoption process, visit www.lackland.af.mil and click on the MWD Adoption Program.