Air Pressure 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh, who can be Miss America 2024, bought her first chew expertise throughout a go to Tuesday to the thirty seventh Coaching Wing at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.

Marsh, the primary navy service member to be topped the title of Miss America, donned the Okay-9 chew sleeve and took half in canine coaching workout routines with Workers Sgt. Adam Gagnon, a navy working canine course coach with the 341st Coaching Squadron, and realized what coaching navy working canine and their handlers is all about.

Gagnon positioned Marsh in entrance of a canine and carried out many biting workout routines the place they simulated real-life situations. For every train, the trainers inspired Marsh to swing her physique and yell, mimicking the kind of real-world wrestle these canine would possibly face on the job.

“I felt somewhat little bit of strain,” Marsh stated with a smile, “nevertheless it didn’t harm in any respect, and I felt utterly secure.”

Throughout her go to, she absorbed the important function Okay-9 groups have in nationwide safety and guaranteeing public security.

The 341st Coaching Squadron trains over 600 handlers and practically 300 canines yearly. These canine are important companions, skilled for detecting explosives, apprehending suspects and rather more. A lot of the squadron’s canine are acquired, however about 15% are bred inside the squadron, in response to a service information launch.

Marsh met the puppies and noticed their early classes in obedience and environmental conditioning.

Marsh additionally visited the handler schoolhouse and linked with airmen, troopers, sailors and Marines to speak in regards to the rigorous coaching and education aspiring navy working canine handlers should bear.

Aspiring handlers from the Air Pressure start their careers in Safety Forces and may apply for the specialised coaching program as soon as they’ve expertise in Air Pressure legislation enforcement and safety. These accepted into this system head to Lackland for coaching, which incorporates six in-residence programs that educate every little thing from canine dealing with and obedience to superior expertise like fight monitoring.