A Special Forces Pararescue Canine, Unique in the Air Force, Readies for Final Career Chapter.
Saving Lives Through Fur and Feathers
In a chilly Alaskan night, Master Sgt. Rudy Parsons realized he was part of something extraordinary as he clung to a helicopter's cable, side by side with his Dutch Shepherd partner, Callie. Their mission was to locate a missing 70-year-old hiker, and despite the foul weather, their relentless search for the elusive man with a canine nose showed the world that they were no ordinary team.
A pararescueman with the Kentucky Air National Guard's 123rd Special Tactics Squadron, Parsons saw firsthand the unique capabilities of search and rescue dogs in the Department of Defense. Over her six-year career, Callie, the only search and rescue dog in the DOD, had jumped out of planes, been hoisted from helicopters, and ridden on jet skis, snowmobiles, and everything in between.
"She can do anything a pararescueman can do, besides scuba diving," Parsons said proudly. "We have a top-tier capability canine that can go anywhere in the world faster than anybody else because we're part of the United States Air Force."
While PJs are combat search and rescue specialists, a dog like Callie can make the search side much more efficient and effective than any other technology.
"How can we hone our capabilities as search experts as well as rescue experts?" he questioned.
Dogged Determination
Search and rescue dogs have roots dating back to at least the 18th century when monks at the Great St. Bernard Hospice in the Swiss Alps used Saint Bernards to save travelers in the surrounding mountains. After the Haiti earthquake, the PJs witnessed a canine rescue team from FEMA clearing rubble much faster.
Inspired by the canine expertise, Parsons started working with 15-month-old Callie in 2017, named after her fearless predecessor who helped search the rubble of the Pentagon after the 9/11 attacks. With training from the renowned Penn Vet Working Dog Center, thepair completed certifications in urban and wilderness search and rescue.
"The hardest part was just learning how to communicate with another living creature that has a mind of its own," Parsons admitted. "Luckily for me, Callie's incredible at her job, and she could make up for all my mistakes."
From tornadoes and floods to missing persons cases and avalanches, Callie and Parsons have cleared swaths of ground and rubble in hours, a task that would have taken days otherwise. Even in the most challenging environments, like a candle factory leveled by a tornado, Callie's superior sense of smell guided her to the remains of two victims.
One of Their Own
The high-pressure rescue work takes its toll on dogs like it does on people, with Callie experiencing bites from rattlesnakes, surgeries on both knees, and numerous scrapes. But her willingness to persevere in the face of danger is what makes her a true PJ, just like her human counterparts.
"I can't relate to a drone, but I can really relate to Callie," Parsons said emotionally. "I've had knee surgeries, I've had back injuries... She's putting herself on the line just like we are. She's one of us."
As Parsons looks toward Callie's retirement, the Special Tactics Squadron plans to replace both the canine and Parsons.
"I think for it to be sustainable, I can't shoulder it the whole time," he admitted. "So as much as I want to stay in and do it the rest of my life, I think I need to share the blessing."
While Callie's retirement will be inevitable soon, Parsons looks forward to giving her a well-deserved rest, even if he doubts that Callie will truly take it easy.
Canine Comrades Across the Force
As the popularity of search and rescue canines like Callie grows, some wonder if the Air Force rescue and special tactics squadrons could benefit from such a valuable asset. However, manning remains a challenge for special operators who are already swamped with training and mission requirements. Nonetheless, the Taxonomy Guided Training (TGxT) initiative aims to streamline operational processes and make it easier for units to incorporate new capabilities like canine search and rescue teams, opening the door for the future use of such key resources.
Some units, like the 100th Security Forces Squadron and 355th Security Forces Squadron, already use military working dogs primarily for security and explosive detection roles. However, the 123rd Special Tactics Squadron stands out as the only unit to have successfully integrated search and rescue dogs into its operations, proving that it takes a unique and dedicated team to turn this concept into reality.
- The United States Air Force, through the Kentucky Air National Guard's 123rd Special Tactics Squadron, showcases the potential of canines in their military operations, with Callie, a Dutch Shepherd, demonstrating the capability to excel in search and rescue missions, even exceeding the efficiency of advanced technology.
- The integration of search and rescue dogs, such as Callie, into military units like the 123rd Special Tactics Squadron, could significantly enhance their search expertise, enabling them to locate missing persons or victims quickly and effectively in various challenging environments.
- As the success of search and rescue dogs like Callie within the military becomes more apparent, initiatives like the Taxonomy Guided Training (TGxT) are being developed to facilitate the incorporation of such capabilities into other units, potentially expanding the use of these invaluable resources across the Air Force.
