A military working dog deployed from Tinker AFB, Okla., to Iraq was killed in action Jan. 19 during a patrol in Baghdad. Marco, a 7 year-old Belgian Malinois, was on weapons and explosives detection patrol with his handler, SSgt. Alissa Jones, deployed from the 72nd Security Forces Squadron at Tinker, when he died subsequent to electrical shock. It was Marco’s third tour in Iraq.
With a shrinking fleet and growing operational demand, Air Force Special Operations Command sees the new OA-1K combat scout aircraft as key to a “new era,” officials say.