On Tuesday 1st August Alicia Kearns MP visited St George’s Barracks in North Luffenham to learn more about the Regiment, the training of dogs, and the support available for military personnel and their families.
The 1st Military Working Dog Regiment performed a training demonstration involving a handler in a decoy suit and a trained patrol Belgian Malinois military working dog (MWD).
Alicia was also given a tour around the camp, including the veterinary clinic, welfare centre, fitness facilities and the officers' mess and accommodation.
Alicia Kearns, Member of Parliament for Rutland and Melton said:
“It was fascinating to see these incredible working dogs in action, our Armed Forces are such a credit to our communities, and learning more about the work of dog and handler, and the bond between handler and their dog first-hand, was very special.
“Here in Rutland we have the largest military population in the UK, so this was a valuable opportunity to discuss what more support we can provide for the serving, veterans and their families in our communities, as they all sacrifice so much to serve our nation.”
There are four different roles undertaken by MWDs based at St George’s Barracks:
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Arms Explosive Search (AES): assist in searches during routine patrolling or deliberate Strike Operations,
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High Assurance Search (HAS): provide the detection capability of improvised Explosive Devices during high-risk search operations.
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Patrol: trained to detect, pursue, and detain an intruder with sub-lethal force.
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Vehicle Search (VS): assist in searching all types of vehicles for weapons, explosives, and ammunition.
