From saving lives to a life of leisure--MWD Eddie retires

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Shandresha Mitchell
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing public affairs
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  One of MacDill's most recognized heroes in the Tampa Bay community, Eddie, a military working dog assigned to the 6th Security Forces Squadron, retired with full ceremonial honors on April 11, 2014.

During the ceremony, MWD Eddie's former trainer, Staff Sgt. Shannon Hutto, 6th Security Forces Squadron MWD trainer, expressed his gratitude for Eddie's service before reuniting him with his first handler, Andrew Grymes.

"Today is kind of emotional for me, seeing Eddie leave the kennels, but I'm glad to see him go," commented Hutto. "He's done his service and I'm happy for him."

In his more than five years of service at MacDill, Eddie deployed once and conducted 15 Secret Service missions.

Most significantly, Eddie served in Operation Enduring Freedom where he located two improvised explosive devices containing 10 pounds of homemade explosives saving the lives of his 13-member patrol unit comprised of U.S. allied forces.

Hutto was Eddie's handler during this deployment; he described the day of events as if they had happened yesterday.

"He started scenting and I thought he wasn't doing anything at all, but he had actually located an IED and showed me where it was," recalled Hutto. "It was a high stress moment; I had to walk back slowly because it was about six inches from my foot."

Eddie had also located another IED on a bridge the platoon was about to cross.

"He saved my life; having him as a partner and doing this job has been amazing; it's been great," expressed Hutto. "This experience I will always remember because he's the best partner I could ever have."