LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
For Senior Airman Shawn Ryan, attending the Department of Defense Military Working Dog Program at Lackland Air Force Base was the fulfillment of a longtime desire to work with military canines.
A native of Danville, Ill., he is currently participating in the training course with his military working dog, Laikia. Airman Ryan is also the AETC (Airman category) 12th Outstanding Airman of the Year.
"Basically, I've wanted to do it since before I joined the military," said Airman Ryan. "That's why I joined."
However, his path to Lackland's MWD course was marked by the experience of combat in Iraq, namely an encounter with an improvised explosive device during a patrol in Baghdad.
Airman Ryan's Humvee was destroyed by an explosively formed projectile, or EFP, Feb. 1 last year.
Fortunately, all of the vehicle's occupants survived and two servicemembers, including Airman Ryan, were treated for injuries suffered in the blast.
He was awarded the Purple Heart by former 82nd Security Forces Squadron commander Maj. Gregory Nowak at Sheppard AFB on July 16 of that year. The ceremony was also special for Airman Ryan because of the birth of his first son that month.
He was redeployed to finish the remainder of his year-long tour, returning to the United States last October.
Airman Ryan also received the Combat Action Medal from Air Education and Training Command Commander Gen. William R. Looney III last November.
He arrived at Lackland AFB to work with the MWD Program in late May and hopes to apply the skills learned in training during future deployments.
"I hope I get stationed at a nice base wherever the Air Force wants to take me," he said.
Airman Ryan also mentioned the difficulties of serving away from his family.
For him, training for service as a military working dog handler is an undertaking that is well worth the effort.
"Overall, it's a good course," said Airman Ryan. "It's hard, but worth it."
The 341st Training Squadron is tasked with running the MWD Program at the Lackland Training Annex.
It supplies dogs for various Department of Defense and other federal duties, such as patrol, drug searches and explosive detection.
The facility produced 270 dogs this year, with students from the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force graduating each year.