The military working dogs and their handlers are assigned to the 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron or 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron at Kirkuk Air Base in Iraq. Officials say the dog teams have become a vital asset to protecting the more than 5,000 Coalition forces at the base while patrolling the perimeter and being deployed at the base's entry points, the Air Force reported.

Canine units, widely used for their ability to detect explosives among other threats, have also been trained to protect soldiers by attacking insurgents.

"Explosive detection is one of the main things we do with the dogs," Air Force Staff Sgt. Kevin Nelson, a 506th ESFS military working dog trainer, said in a statement.

"The dogs are also trained to protect, deter, identify and apprehend any unauthorized personnel or contraband. Basically, the dogs prevent anything from getting on base that isn't supposed to be here."

Defense officials say the dogs have become integral tools in finding weapon caches and protecting the Kirkuk Air Base from continuously evolving threats.

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