QUANTICO, Va. -- The Marines Corps needs feedback from Marines who have worked with Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Detector Dogs. The Program Manager (PM) for Marine Corps Systems Command’s IED Detector Dog (IDD) office requests that all Marines who have supported the IDD program, active duty and no longer serving, participate in an official Office of Naval Research (ONR) online survey.
According to IDD officials, results from the survey will help improve the IDD program. Specific targets for improvement include stamina, stress management and the understanding of how dogs cognitively process the changing elements of the theater in which they operate. The data gathered will help officials revise how IED dogs are selected, conditioned and trained.
“The warfighter feedback loop is an integral part of the ongoing effort to improve the IDD program,” said Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Burger, PM IDD. “This type of data is used to adjust both IDD and IDD handler training. The survey is one tool we use to assist in capturing this type of information. In essence, it has no boundaries and can reach all Marines that have been associated with the IDD Program in some way.”
ONR, with support from MCSC, Marine Corps Combat Development Command and the Marine Corps
Warfighting Laboratory, developed the IDD survey, which is intended to capture as much information as possible from a variety of viewpoints. According to IDD officials, in order to analyze information from all levels of command, the Marine Corps requires participation not only from IDD handlers and kennel supervisors, but also from battalion commanders, operations officers, company commanders, platoon leaders and squad leaders.
Only those Marines identified above should complete the online IDD survey, which is located at http://mcpd.us/survey283/. Enter survey ID “IDD2011” into the allotted space and click continue. Then create a personal identification number or PIN and click continue. The survey will then commence.