Very Likely Auburn Killed Osama bin Laden

[Elephant Tipper 430]

Well, not exactly, but close enough though.

http://www.thewareag...n/#.UZ17YcpBwml

Who let the dogs out on Osama? It might have been Auburn

Let’s just go ahead and say that Auburn University killed Osama bin Laden.

Because not only did we recently learn that terrorism’s nightmare and Auburn alum Richard “Shark Man of the Delta” Marcinko founded the elite Navy SEAL team that took out the Al Qaeda leader, it now seems entirely possible that a dog possibly trained, at least in part, at Auburn University’s Canine Detection Training Center helped them do it.

“Funny that you called, we were just talking about that,” said John Pearce, Associate Director of Auburn University’s Canine Detection Research Institute, speaking of Wednesday’s New York Times story that claims a bomb-sniffing dog accompanied the 80 American commandos that stormed bin Laden’s compound.

The revelation has resulted in a flurry of blog posts on so-called “war dogs,” including a photo essay posted today on ForeignPolicy.com that dedicates anentire page to the “vapor-wake dogs” trained at Auburn:

Scientists at Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine have genetically bred and specially trained canines to not only detect stationary bombs or bomb-making materials, but identify and alert their handler to

the

moving

scent of explosive devices and materials left behind in the air, say, as a suicide bomber walked through a crowd — all without ever tipping off the perpetrator. While not as expensive as some military-trained dogs, the cost of breeding and training these dogs cost is not cheap at around $20,000 each.

According to the Washington Post, the dog used in the bin Laden operation was trained for combat environments at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, but the New York Times story claims that the primary function of dogs used by Navy SEALS is finding explosives. Is it possible the dog received that part of it’s training in Auburn?

“We haven’t heard that [it was an Auburn-trained dog],” Pearce said. “No one has called to tell us that or anything.”

Pearce says Auburn University’s Canine Detection Training Center currently has contracts with Federal Protective Services, private security companies, and “several other agencies,” some of which he was not at liberty to reveal.

“I’d say it was unlikely it was one of our dogs, but we really don’t keep up with the dogs after they leave the program.”

Pearce says that there are many training programs similar to Auburn’s, which was recently featured on Fox News, across the country.

But Auburn’s is the best, right?

“Oh yeah, ours is the best.”

H/T Tamala Hillhouse and Keith Blackwood.

[autigeremt 6,970]

War Eagle!

[alexava 6,974]

I thought only about 24 or25 seals stormed bin laden.

[Elephant Tipper 430]

I thought only about 24 or25 seals stormed bin laden.

......and one b**a** dog.

[alexava 6,974]

80 commandos is a load for two helicopters. With a dog crammed in too?

[cptau 169]

I thought only about 24 or25 seals stormed bin laden.

Thats correct. 24 seals plus the flight crews of the 2 two US Army Blackhawks actually attacked the compound. 24 seals and 2 US Army Chinook helicopters were held in reserve about 50 miles away.

Other Chinooks and 24 more seals were back in Afghanistan for more reserve. That's where the 80 number come from that was mentioned

The 2 Blackhawks were a special stealth version and were carrying a lot weight contributing to the crash of one at the compound. One of the Chinooks held in reserve had to fly in and pick up the

crew and seals of the crashed Blackhawk. It also picked up bin Laden's body.

[AURaptor 1,137]

How 'bout them dogs!

[jj3jordan 2,125]

One less muslim.

[homersapien 11,812]

Sort of a side issue, but if they are breeding dogs for this purpose, I hope they also have a program for screening shelter dogs as candidates. It suspect it would be a lot more efficient than a breeding program and it's nice to place a homeless dog in a job.

[Elephant Tipper 430]

Sort of a side issue, but if they are breeding dogs for this purpose, I hope they also have a program for screening shelter dogs as candidates. It suspect it would be a lot more efficient than a breeding program and it's nice to place a homeless dog in a job.

Homer, the breeds used for these specialties have physical characteristics that few dogs possess. That is why they are breeding these dogs. Those few dogs which might be candidates, such as Labrador retrievers and beagles, would most likely have other issues that complicate the training. Best to start with a breed that is protected and has the special characteristics needed. Theses puppies are nurtured in the best of circumstances.

[homersapien 11,812]

Sort of a side issue, but if they are breeding dogs for this purpose, I hope they also have a program for screening shelter dogs as candidates. It suspect it would be a lot more efficient than a breeding program and it's nice to place a homeless dog in a job.

Homer, the breeds used for these specialties have physical characteristics that few dogs possess. That is why they are breeding these dogs. Those few dogs which might be candidates, such as Labrador retrievers and beagles, would most likely have other issues that complicate the training. Best to start with a breed that is protected and has the special characteristics needed. Theses puppies are nurtured in the best of circumstances.

I understand. But my point is that there are many dogs in shelters who do have the ingredients to make good military/search dogs.

In fact, some of the inherent personality characteristics you want - curiosity, intensity, need to work - are the same characteristics that cause many people to give up on them as pets. And many of these dogs are old enough to start training immediately. There are charitable organizations that take advantage of this for identifying good candidates for working or helper dogs, including search dogs. (There is a shortage of search dogs in this country.)

I also understand that this is one of the few justifications for breeding dogs at all. And it's possible the military prefers breeding programs because it's easier to administrate.

It's just that I am a dog person and I hate to see a good dog be put down because it is unwanted.

[Elephant Tipper 430]

Sort of a side issue, but if they are breeding dogs for this purpose, I hope they also have a program for screening shelter dogs as candidates. It suspect it would be a lot more efficient than a breeding program and it's nice to place a homeless dog in a job.

Homer, the breeds used for these specialties have physical characteristics that few dogs possess. That is why they are breeding these dogs. Those few dogs which might be candidates, such as Labrador retrievers and beagles, would most likely have other issues that complicate the training. Best to start with a breed that is protected and has the special characteristics needed. Theses puppies are nurtured in the best of circumstances.

I understand. But my point is that there are many dogs in shelters who do have the ingredients to make good military/search dogs.

In fact, some of the inherent personality characteristics you want - curiosity, intensity, need to work - are the same characteristics that cause many people to give up on them as pets. And many of these dogs are old enough to start training immediately. There are charitable organizations that take advantage of this for identifying good candidates for working or helper dogs, including search dogs. (There is a shortage of search dogs in this country.)

I also understand that this is one of the few justifications for breeding dogs at all. And it's possible the military prefers breeding programs because it's easier to administrate.

It's just that I am a dog person and I hate to see a good dog be put down because it is unwanted.

This is a specialty that is better served by dogs that have an improved bloodline that provide the qualities the military need for this job. Yes, there are many dogs from the pound that could be utilized for other search and rescue needs but they do not meet the criteria required for this job.

For this use, the military does prefer breeding the desired traits, not because of administration needs but because of the superior physical improvements that are produced.

[homersapien 11,812]

Sort of a side issue, but if they are breeding dogs for this purpose, I hope they also have a program for screening shelter dogs as candidates. It suspect it would be a lot more efficient than a breeding program and it's nice to place a homeless dog in a job.

Homer, the breeds used for these specialties have physical characteristics that few dogs possess. That is why they are breeding these dogs. Those few dogs which might be candidates, such as Labrador retrievers and beagles, would most likely have other issues that complicate the training. Best to start with a breed that is protected and has the special characteristics needed. Theses puppies are nurtured in the best of circumstances.

I understand. But my point is that there are many dogs in shelters who do have the ingredients to make good military/search dogs.

In fact, some of the inherent personality characteristics you want - curiosity, intensity, need to work - are the same characteristics that cause many people to give up on them as pets. And many of these dogs are old enough to start training immediately. There are charitable organizations that take advantage of this for identifying good candidates for working or helper dogs, including search dogs. (There is a shortage of search dogs in this country.)

I also understand that this is one of the few justifications for breeding dogs at all. And it's possible the military prefers breeding programs because it's easier to administrate.

It's just that I am a dog person and I hate to see a good dog be put down because it is unwanted.

This is a specialty that is better served by dogs that have an improved bloodline that provide the qualities the military need for this job. Yes, there are many dogs from the pound that could be utilized for other search and rescue needs but they do not meet the criteria required for this job.

For this use, the military does prefer breeding the desired traits, not because of administration needs but because of the superior physical improvements that are produced.

OK, I understand that.

My point was that many shelter dogs could meet the requirements. But I agree, from the military's perspective that is not a practical option. It is undoubtedly more "efficient" for the military to source dogs from a breeding program.

So, after thinking about it, I was in error in suggesting that shelter dogs are a more "efficient " way to obtain qualified dogs for the military.

I guess I am really promoting the idea of utilizing a "wasted" resource ( to put it euphemistically). And our country could use a lot more of these 'search" dogs than we have available. I really respect the people who train these dogs (not to mention the dogs themselves).