HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah — Hill Air Force Base recently lost a valued member of its team, as Military Working Dog Bak passed away following a battle with cancer.
MWD Bak, an all-black German shepherd, worked at Hill for 8.5 years as an explosives detection canine. He died April 2 from canine hemangiosarcoma, a form of malignant cancer that arises from the cells that line blood vessels of various tissues of the body.
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The canine, who was nearly 12 years old when he died, started his career with the General Services Administration before moving to the Department of Defense in 2011. He went on one deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Benjamin Tanner, the dog’s last handler at Hill, said he enjoyed working with MWD Bak and will miss him.
“Bak had a very infectious personality and didn’t really act like an MWD,” Tanner said. “He was very hard working, but also happy all the time and enjoyed playing fetch and tug. He was my best friend and was always there to pick me up when I was down and having a bad day.”
Tanner said Bak had “the best nose in the kennel,” as his detection numbers were the highest among Hill’s explosives detection dogs.
Staff Sgt. Nicholas Wiggin, 75th Security Forces kennel master, said due to the dog’s age, Bak stopped working in December and was in the process of retirement.
“That’s what makes it especially difficult,” Wiggin said. “Bak was in the adoption process and was getting ready to go lay on couch somewhere, eating human food and enjoying a carefree life.”
Due to the current restrictions on gatherings, a memorial is being postponed. There will be a “final call” by dispatch over the radio on Thursday.
By Kendahl Johnson, 75th Air Base Wing Public Affairs / Published April 08, 2020
