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HILL AIR FORCE BASE — It's a warm spring day in Davis County, and Staff Sgt. Carlos Kubischta is putting Cvoky, a 103-pound Belgian Malinois, through his paces as he learns to contain a security threat on base.
On this day, Sr. Airman Preston Ward is the unlucky soul deemed to be the target of Cvoky's hands-on — or more accurately described "mouth-on" — attack training.
The dog's bite is so powerful, his front paws come off the ground if the target lifts their arm above their head. And just as he can be ferociously aggressive upon command, he will pull back just as easily when given the appropriate signal.
It's a sight to behold.
"As soon as you start training them, it's all fun and play for them," according to Staff Sgt. Enrique Diaz. "It's not even work, it's fun. They enjoy doing it."
Before getting to this point, the dogs have embarked on a journey that started months before, explained Diaz, who is the military working-dog trainer at Hill Air Force Base. Hill houses seven dogs trained for explosive detection and one for narcotics, he said.
All canines matriculate through the 341st Training Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, he said. The initial training takes place after the dogs are about 2 years old, at which point the dogs receive approximately 120 days of intensive training to learn to detect explosives or narcotics.
Most also learn military patrol skills as well, he said. The cost to buy, train and care for a military canine is about $35,000 over their lifetime.
Upon completion, they are sent to various bases around the country for enhanced specialization training, Diaz said.
"(German) shepherds and Malinoises are the preferred breeds because they are easily trained and they are bred for personal protection," he said. "And their nose is amazing! It's 60 times more (sensitive) than a human's."
Diaz described the Belgian Malinois as tireless and relentless, the German shepherd as very smart.
Airmen who want to become handlers must go through a six-month application process and, if accepted, that is followed by a three-month basic handlers course, Diaz explained.
"They teach you basic veterinary skills, basic patrol work and basic detection skills," he said. Upon graduation, handlers are then sent to fill slots at bases. They are responsible for care and well-being of their assigned animal, and they have to check on them every four hours when they are not involved in training, he noted.
"That's where I come in, and I'll train you the proper way of searching or doing canine training," he said.
He said being a handler/trainer requires an enormous commitment, which means the job isn't for everyone.
"If you like your time off, then don't go (into) canine (handling), because I'm here six days a week (and) sometimes maybe more," he said. There are odd working hours and they are responsible for looking after their dogs at all times.
"If your dog is sick and you have to stay with your dog for 48 or 72 hours, then you're staying here (in the base's kennel and training facility)," Diaz said. "Technically, they are equipment, so unlike police dogs, they don't go home with us."
While the dogs rarely leave the on-base facility, he said it is their 'safe place' and they are comfortable being there.
"We like to take them out every chance that we get to let them run around and get their exercise," he said. Even then, the dogs are constantly receiving instruction to reinforce their skills and maintain their proficiency.
"Training never stops," Diaz said. "Even if (they) are proficient in one week, we can push the limit and improve their skills."
The dogs can typically have a working career of up to 10 years as long as their health holds out, Diaz said, but once the time comes to retire, they become couch potatoes.
"It's funny. It seems like they know that when they retire and go to somebody's house, that's it," he said with a laugh. "They've forgotten everything they ever knew about work. It's pretty interesting that they know when to flip that switch."
