PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — There’s nothing moving in morning dark, only a stillness that’s interrupted by the odd buzz from the bugs under street lamps at the Military Working Dog Kennels. The silence is soon shattered as Staff Sgt. Kyle Pethtel, 45th Security Force Squadron MWD handler, whips into the parking lot and slams on his brakes under a street lamp. As he steps out of his car and into the brisk winter breeze, not even the crickets have woken up yet.
It’s 4 a.m., but Pethtel doesn’t seem to mind. Awake and alert, he hasn’t allowed an ounce of morning grogginess to permeate; there’s a certain determination to his steps as he walks to the kennels to snag his partner on the way to patrol.
“The best part of my day is walking into the kennel first thing to see my dog,” said Pethtel. “He’sgot a big personality, so when he sees dad you can tell that he has a twinkle in his eye.”
Throughout the duty day there is a tangible father-son bond between the two defenders. It’s this daily connection and trust that they have in each other that allows them to execute the mission, and it starts as soon as Pethtel walks through the kennel door.
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