K-9's Hoisted into Helicopters and Aviation History

Staff Sgt. Michael Hile with "Ronnie", his military working dog, 554th Military Police company is being hoisted into a UH-60 (Black Hawk) helicopter during a canine-hoist training mission July 15 near Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.

1st Sgt. Dean Bissey, left, first sergeant for Company C "Dustoff", 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, hooks the hoist harness to Staff Sgt. Michael Hile and his military working dog "Ronnie" from 554th Military Police Company July 15 near Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.

Staff Sgt. Michael Hile, left, with "Ronnie", his military working dog, from 554th Military Police Company, lifting off the ground by a hoist lowered from a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter July 16 during a canine-hoist training mission. First Sgt., Dean Bissey, Company C (MEDEVAC company), 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade stands underneath the hoisted canine team to confirm the security of the harness.

Staff Sgt. Michael Hile, with "Ronnie", his military working dog, 554th Military Police Company, is hoisted into a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter during a canine-hoist training mission July 15 near Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.

1st Sgt. Dean Bissey, Company C (MEDEVAC company), 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, begins his decent from the side of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter harnessed to a hoist during a canine-hoist training mission July 15 near Bagram, Afghanistan.

By Spc. Aubree Rundle
Task Force Pegasus Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — The 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade troopers and their “best friends” executed their first canine-hoist training mission July 15.

The purpose of the training was to familiarize military canines “Liza and Ronnie”, along with their handlers and MEDEVAC crews, with procedures used when responding to injured canine handling teams.

“In the event that the military dogs or their owners are injured while conducting missions outside the wire, this is how the MEDEVAC would recover their teams,” said Army 1st Sgt. Dean Bissey, Company C “Dustoff”, 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion, 82nd CAB, 82nd Airborne Division. “It’s good training for us and shows these canine teams how to respond if a rescue helicopter is called in.”

Bissey tested the MEDEVAC team’s ability to respond to an emergency by setting off smoke bombs to signal the need for an evacuation. The hoist was lowered from the Black Hawk and the two canine teams were hooked up and raised to the safety of the helicopter.

“Liza has been out on missions with special operations teams since we arrived in theater,” said handler Army Staff Sgt. David Hornsby, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). “The hoist was a walk in the park for her.”

Hoist training has been performed in the past, however, not with canines involved, according to Bissey. He said this was an opportunity for the MEDEVAC teams and canine teams to familiarize themselves with different missions and evacuations that may occur in the future.

“This was Ronnie’s first time in a helicopter and he handled it pretty well,” said handler Army Staff Sgt. Michael Hile, 554th Military Police Company.