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MWD Marco The 72D Military Working Dog (MWD) Section lost one of their own on January 20, 2007. MWD Marco D108 was Killed in Action (KIA) while on patrol in Baghdad in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Marco, a seven year old Belgian Malinois that was an Explosive Detector and Patrol Dog (EDD), died while doing what he loved. Marco and I were attached to the 2D Brigade Combat Team, working in support of C-5/20 Infantry in Baghdad, Iraq when Marco suffered from acute cardio respiratory arrest secondary to electrocution. The MWD team was assisting with a Cordon and Search, looking for weapon's caches, explosives and materials used to make improvised explosive devices (IED's). During this tour in Iraq, Marco assisted me and the US Army in locating numerous finds, allowing coalition forces to seize and destroy potentially deadly materials. Along with explosive detection, Marco also served as a physical and psychological deterrent to Iraqi Nationals while conducting missions in downtown Baghdad. Marco was whelped March 1, 2000, and entered the United States Air Force in March of 2001. After completing training at Lackland Air Force Base, TX, he became a member of the 72D Security Forces Squadron K-9 family at Tinker Air Force Base, OK in January 2003. While serving at Tinker, Marco had been deployed to California, Missouri, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Texas, Nevada, South West Asia and Iraq (for the third time). MWD Marco was more then a dog, he was a free spirited, loving companion and partner. I often described Marco as a small child with four legs, 42 teeth and hair. He would be running around playing one minute and fast asleep the next. He was the kind of partner that would love and nurture, but the minute he or someone around him was threatened, it was all business. He was one of the smallest dogs stationed at Tinker, but had one of the largest personalities; he loved the spotlight, and could not get enough attention from man or K-9. SSgt Alissa B Jones |
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