RAF LOSSIEMOUTH HAS announced a special promotion for an important member of the base team – Military Working Dog (MWD) ‘Dee’.
Dee has been officially appointed as the new station mascot and was recently presented with his new ‘uniform’ by Station Commander, Group Captain Paul Godfrey.
His promotion is equivalent to the rank of Sergeant and means he will now appear on parade at all appropriate official occasions on the Moray base.
Dee is a foreign recruit – born in the Netherlands in 2011, he joined the forces at 16-months and began training as an Arms and Explosives Search Dog at the Defence Animal Centre. On completion of training Dee was posted to RAF Marham before being assigned to No 4 RAF Police Squadron, at Aldergrove, Northern Ireland, as one of eight search dogs in the Province.
He became an integral part of RAF Police Search handlers working alongside 321 Explosive Ordnance Device Squadron, Royal Engineers, Search Teams, and the Police Service Northern Ireland whose main effort is to locate the presence of explosive devices, firearms and ammunition.
Unfortunately, in 2014 during a routine exercise Dee ruptured a ligament in his front right leg and due to the complexity of the injury a fixed plate was fitted to the area to enable pain free mobility. After several veterinary reviews, the plate was removed in the hope it would be strong enough to take the weight of normal canine mobility.
By this point Dee was assigned to No 4 RAF Police Squadron at RAF Lossiemouth with his handler Corporal Adam Renison and showed signs of a promising recovery. However, despite Adam’s hopes that Dee would be able to return to active Service, his leg never recovered, and it was decided that Dee’s front right leg was to be amputated.
Despite no longer being able to fulfil an operational role, Adam realised that Dee had become an asset in the dog kennels and across the Station.
Adam said: “Dee has such a relaxed and happy personality that he helps Treacle, another of our working dogs, to de-stress in the kennels after her duties. So while we can keep Dee in the kennels here at RAF Lossiemouth we will do.”
Adam had to do a bit of research into military regulations to ensure that all of the correct paperwork had been completed to enable Dee to join the Sergeants Mess.
He added: “Dee now has her own service number, a jacket for formal occasions, and his own bowl in the Mess. I’ll make sure he respects all of the military rules and regulations when attending any formal functions – and I’m sure he will just be his usual happy self and not let his rank go to his head.”