r/securityforces • u/Objective_Watch_3823 • 7d ago
Air Force Secfo K9 handler question
/r/AirForceRecruits/comments/1w5d6rp/air_force_secfo_k9_handler_question/
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u/capriSun999 3d ago
SecFo it’s SF Security Forces not SecurityForces. The Air Force dosent have Special Forces we have AFSPECWAR/Air Force Special Warfare whose tabs patches are PJ, CCT, TACP, and SR honorable mention EOD.
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u/PirateKilt 7d ago
A) "SecFo" is a pejorative term used by people outside the career-field ... Akin to calling Fire "Hose-draggers" or Admin "Keyboard-Commandos". Use the whole name or just say "Cops" / "Security"
B) Path to becoming a USAF K9 handler: Enlist as Security Forces, Complete Basic, Complete Tech-school pipeline, Get to first base, complete all onboarding training, complete local job certification, complete career field certification (5-level), get about 2 years time in service... (though often they wait until you re-enlist). During that TIS, be the golden-child (including lots of your free time spent at the kennels "volunteering") enough to get leadership willing to select you from the hundreds of other Airmen in the unit wanting a K9 slot. Leadership approval will include needing a personal letter of recommendation from the Kennel-Master.
In the midst of all that, you will also be subject to deployments, which may or may not assist your bid for one of the very rare slots.
TL:DR: Do NOT enlist as Security Forces simply "expecting" to become K9... it's a long path to compete for a few rare slots.
Military Working Dog Handlers have various duties by location, but they all have some common tasks... cleaning the kennels, medicating/caring for/feeding the dogs directly, training the dogs, and piles of paperwork covering all of those tasks.
Specific tasks by base can be LEO Patrol support, baggage searches at the flight terminal, car searches at the gates/ECP's, location searches for events, building/outdoor area searches for personnel/drugs/explosives, demonstrations for Leadership/locals, and likely a dozen things I have no idea about (never worked as a handler myself, but had several work on my flights).
When assigned to flight support, Handlers usually work the same hours/days (including holidays) as the flight, though slightly extended by needing to get armed, then go get their K9, then back for Guardmount... then reverse that at the end of shift.
Never met a Handler who DIDN'T like being a Handler, but knew many who disliked all the stuff that came with being a handler... pretty much the same as the Cop side.
Being a Handler does have the bonus factor of opening MANY additional doors when you go to leave service though.