There are also unknown problems in `` using the Self-Defense Forces guard dog as a disaster relief dog ''

(Kuon Nudu: novelist, military critic, former SDF officer)

　On July 3rd, the debris flow disaster that occurred in Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture was rescued by the fire department, the police, and the Self-Defense Forces dispatched as a disaster dispatch. Among them, the disaster rescue dogs of the Air Self-Defense Force were attracting attention. Perhaps because it was impressive to see him enter the collapsed building covered in mud, not only dog ​​lovers but also many people on the Internet cheered him on.

　This disaster rescue dog is deployed by the Air Self-Defense Force as a guard dog at each base, and usually plays a role in base security. You may have seen military dogs in action in movies, but most people are unfamiliar with them. In the following, I would like to introduce the utilization of dogs in the Self-Defense Forces and also consider the problem.

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The Ground Self-Defense Force was abolished early

As mentioned at the beginning, the Air Self-Defense Force has deployed dogs at many bases as guard dogs. It is deployed not only at major air bases, but also at sub-bases such as radar sites with large areas but few personnel and a high security load. It is also used by the Maritime Self-Defense Force to guard major bases, though not as much as the Air Self-Defense Force.

On the other hand, it does not exist in the Ground Self-Defense Force. I used it in the past, but it was deprecated pretty early on.

　The ASDF's guard dogs used to be called "sentinel dogs". The reason the term sentry dog ​​fell out of use may have been that the term sentry conjures up images of the military, as infantry has been rephrased as "ordinary department." And above all, since new usage methods were added, the official name "guard dog" became the official name from 2013 (in fact, the name "guard dog" was already used together with "sentinel dog" even before that. ).

　The new usage method was exactly the use as a "disaster rescue dog" that attracted attention this time. Needless to say, the trigger for this was the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred in 2011.

Iruma Air Base is home to ASDF guard dogs

　In fact, the Maritime Self-Defense Force was ahead of the ASDF in the use of guard dogs as disaster relief dogs. In response to disaster dispatch after the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Maritime Self-Defense Force has introduced two guard dogs as disaster relief dogs.

　At this time, it seems that the ASDF officials also thought about using a guard dog, but at that time they were not trained as disaster rescue dogs, so the use was shelved. Based on this reflection, training began in 2012 with the cooperation of the NPO "Rescue Dog Trainer Association". The centerpiece was the "Sentinel Dog Management Team" (currently the "Guard Dog Management Team") at the Iruma Air Base in Saitama Prefecture, which also dispatched guard dogs to the landslide.

　The ASDF does not train guard dogs at each base, but trains them to a level that can withstand practical use at the guard dog management team at this Iruma base, and deploys them at each base. Each base conducts only field training. Iruma Air Base can be said to be the home of all ASDF guard dogs.

　After training as a disaster rescue dog in this sentry dog ​​management team (at that time), it was ready to be dispatched to a disaster area, so the name was changed from "sentinel dog to guard dog". .

Are there any disadvantages to using a guard dog as a disaster relief dog?

To tell the truth, I was critical of this movement when the ASDF began training as rescue dogs in 2012. Even now, I can't say that I agree with all of my hands. This is because there are the following disadvantages to using a guard dog as a disaster rescue dog.

Masahisa Sato, a member of the House of Councilors (former Ground Self-Defense Force officer) tweeted about this disaster dispatch, saying, "The activities of guard dogs and rescue dogs are completely opposite, so training for both is extremely important. There is also an explanation from the Director-General,” he said. Security and disaster relief require different abilities in dogs.

　Because I have always liked dogs, I once tried to stroke the head of a guard dog (they were still called sentry dogs at the time) when I passed by them in the unit. However, I was warned by the guards to stay away from the guard dogs.

　The guard dogs were trained to be wary of anyone other than the guards, so it was dangerous for even the Self-Defense Forces to approach them. And more than that, if guard dogs become accustomed to people other than guards, they will not be able to fulfill their duty of vigilance.

To the guard dog and handler gallery page with a collar that says "Don't pet" (DO NOT PET) Various people are active. They are often off leash due to the need to enter a collapsed building. So they have to get used to everyone so that they never attack anyone other than their handlers.

To the ASDF guard dog and handler gallery page that works with the police and fire department

If you are a member, you can change your behavior depending on whether you need to be alert or when you are dispatched to a disaster. However, it is not easy to get the dog to understand it. Trying to do both may end up being less skilled than doing just security or just disaster relief.

　I often go to see security dog ​​training exhibits that are open to the public at air festivals, etc., but at the training exhibition at Iruma Air Base in 2012 when training as disaster relief dogs began, It seems that the ability as a guard dog has decreased compared to before.

　At this time, an exhibition was held in which a guard dog attacked a simulated suspicious person. It is the most powerful and highlight exhibition in the training exhibition. This "raid" is actually not difficult if you just let it attack. Because dogs do it instinctively. Conversely, it is difficult to stop an attack against instinct.

　When attacking a suspicious person, after the handler orders the guard dog to attack, the attack must be stopped if the suspicious person stops resisting, such as raising his hand. This is because most of the cases where guard dogs are used are assumed to be cases where the Police Duties Execution Act must be applied mutatis mutandis, rather than under a defensive dispatch where it is okay to kill or injure enemy soldiers.

　In the attack exhibition at this time, after the guard dog attacked the simulated suspicious person, even if the handler ordered to stop the attack, it could not be stopped, and the handler put his hand on the collar and forcibly pulled it off. I had to. If this wasn't an exhibition but an actual attack on a suspicious person, the handler could have been charged with bodily harm.

　In the display of guard dogs at the Yokota Air Base of the US military, where guard dogs are more highly trained than those of the Self-Defense Forces, the cessation of the attack can be reliably carried out with just a voice command.

Is it possible to have both?

Some people may think that stricter training should be given to guard dogs so that they can be used as disaster relief dogs. However, I think it is difficult for two reasons.

One is that dogs have a short lifespan. Breeds of guard dogs are German Shepherds, and their life expectancy is around 10 years. In addition, guard dogs tend to have shorter lifespans than domestic dogs, possibly due to their high levels of stress. Also, young dogs and old dogs cannot withstand practical work, so it takes only about 8 years from the start of training to retirement.

　The other thing is that it is difficult to get enough training time for guard dogs because they are on the actual duty of guarding.

　When a suspicious person is discovered, a guard dog may be dispatched with a handler, but the most frequently used guard method is a fixed point (often a pattern that uses a wire and can move to some extent). mooring. Dogs are herd animals to begin with, so basically being moored alone will cause stress, and mooring in the open air will expose you to heat and cold. After mooring, they should rest in the kennel. This means that daily security alone consumes a considerable amount of physical strength.

　The military police "K-9" of the US military Yokota Air Base, which cooperates with the security dog ​​management team of the Iruma Air Base (the US military calls the guard dogs and their units "K-9") is essentially " Although it has a high level of ability that can be said to be a teacher, it is basically trained and used only as a guard dog.

Skills that a guard dog must learn

　Besides, in the first place, the skills that a guard dog must learn are quite wide.

　The mooring alert mentioned above is the most basic task, and it is easy to train because it only barks when it finds a suspicious person. On the other hand, when a suspicious person is discovered and rushed to the scene with the handler, various skills are required. Some examples are:

・Like crawling, crouch and move forward so as not to be detected.・If you smell a suspicious person, inform the handler without barking.・When a suspicious person tries to escape, the handler approaches the suspicious person and barks (kinsoku houkou) without biting at close range to block the movement of the suspicious person.・While the handler conducts a body check, monitor and help the handler if a suspicious person attacks the handler.・If a suspicious person resists with a weapon, attack and assist the handler and security forces. In addition, it is wary of explosives and dangerous substances brought into the base, and when used as a detection dog, it memorizes the odors of various explosives and dangerous substances, and if it sniffs them, it will notify the handler. You have to train different movements.

　In addition to doing all of this, as mentioned above, you must be wary of anything other than handlers. It would be difficult to have both a guard dog and a disaster rescue dog, which have very different basic movements.

What should we do with

?

　If you can't do both, you have no choice but to specialize it for another mission.

　This also has advantages. Just as humans are unsuitable and unsuitable, dogs have different personalities and are unsuitable for missions.

　Although vigilance is essential for guard dogs, there are some dogs that are really friendly. Such dogs get along well even at disaster sites where many people are active, and they themselves find joy in finding people who are suffering in collapsed buildings and actively work. On the other hand, there are dogs that are suitable for guard dogs that are only attached to specific people (handlers).

　The suitability of dogs is not always clear at the young dog stage. When dogs grow up just like people, their impressions can change dramatically from when they were children. While conducting basic training, it is necessary to determine whether a person is suitable for security missions or disaster relief missions.

However, there is also a problem with this. Each base has its own demand for guard dogs, so more dogs are needed than before. This not only increases the cost of purchasing a dog, but also increases various costs such as kennels, dog food, and rabies vaccinations. The biggest one is the cost of hiring more handlers.

　The budget is also a problem, but the Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces are currently facing a serious shortage of personnel. We will have to think about whether we can secure a large number of personnel in order to maintain a large number of guard dogs and disaster rescue dogs.

Do we need a “guard dog”?

　In this landslide disaster, the Self-Defense Forces' guard dogs attracted a lot of attention as disaster relief dogs. It would have actually helped, and public opinion has been favorable.

　Drones that can enter collapsed buildings may become a reality in the near future, but drones with advanced AI functions that can detect the odors of survivors and search for them are still For the time being, it seems to be difficult to realize. As long as disaster dispatch is a mission and it is possible to obtain budget for disaster dispatch, we should continue to train and maintain disaster rescue dogs.

On the other hand, I think that the debate about whether guard dogs are really necessary will grow in the future. Some people think that a flying drone or UGV (Unmanned ground vehicle) would be fine. In fact, this idea has been around for a long time. The idea is that if there are surveillance cameras and various security devices installed around the base, there will be no need for guard dogs. It's a long time ago, but it seems that the reason why the Ground Self-Defense Force abolished guard dogs was that "the age of machines is coming."

　The introduction of drones and UGVs is certainly necessary. But I think we also need a guard dog. This is because having guard dogs respond to "non-serious threats" will eventually increase the ability to deal with "serious threats."

　Although it doesn't make much news, there have been quite a few incidents of intrusions into SDF bases. And most of those intrusions are for trivial reasons, not information gathering or anything like that. For example, a young man trying his nerve, or a drunkard who has grown up. When I was enrolled, there were also unintentional intrusions by people with intellectual disabilities. It seems that there are many people who want to enter the base where the grounds are wide and there are many rare things.

　This kind of intrusion is also illegal, so it can be punished by law, but it is not so malicious that even if it is handed over to the police, it is normal not to file a case. The existence of a guard dog is very effective as a deterrent against these intruders who are not worthy of being charged. Some foreign bases have guard dogs in certain areas. The fear of being attacked by a dog is also instinctive, so it is a great deterrent. Drones cannot be expected to have a psychological deterrent effect.

　This can reduce so-called "false alarms". This reduces the number of “non-serious intrusions” and increases the percentage of genuine malicious intrusions among intrusions, making it easier to take appropriate measures and reducing the burden on security forces.

Currently, the Air Self-Defense Force deploys a considerable number of guard dogs. If those guard dogs were abolished and only disaster relief dogs were used, the security force might be swung around by intrusion incidents. A lovely guard dog that wags its tail, which is excellent as a rescue dog, does not serve as a guard dog.

To the gallery page of rescue dogs searching for collapsed buildings