MWD Job Description
Military Working Dog Handlers are qualified RAAF Security Police who have gone on to do a specialist dog handling course. Military Working Dog Handlers (MWDH’s) can expect to do shiftwork in conditions that are often far from ideal. Their working environments can vary from modern Air Bases located near state capital cities to bare bases located in remote regions of Australia. During their career they could also be deployed to foreign locations such as recent deployments to the Solomon Islands, the Middle East and East Timor.
Military Working Dog Handlers (MWDH’s) and their dogs are normally employed in a physical security role on RAAF Bases with airfields. Handlers are rostered to cover after-hours security as well as covering normal business hours so they can expect to work lots of evening and night shifts. Handlers must be prepared to work on their own with a high level of responsibility.
Most dog sections operate a weekly roster which sees the handlers and their dogs working a 40 hour week. This may be made up of five 8 hour shifts or even four 10 hour shifts.
