Female MWD handlers have a special bond

Published March 10, 2016
By Kimberly Woodruff
Staff Writer

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- More and more jobs in the Air Force are opening up to women. One such job is with the security forces K9 teams.

There are three women dog handlers in Tinker's 72nd Security Forces Squadron. Staff Sgt. Teofila Ochoa-Hudson, Senior Airman Brianna Krayenhagen and Senior Airman Meredith Jordan, though very different, all joined the Air Force and the K9 team so they could work with the animals they love. The three have also overcome obstacles in their lives to better themselves and to live their lives as they choose

Tech. Sgt. Dwight Veon, kennel master with the 72nd SFS, said a woman's softer, higher pitched voice makes it easier to bond with a dog, whereas a man's voice is much deeper and authoritative so it takes a little longer for dogs to bond with men. He added, "Women invest more emotionally into making the bond than most men do."

Sergeant Ochoa-Hudson is handler to Syrius, one of the newer military working dogs at Tinker. The sergeant said she loves being a dog handler and it was the main reason she joined the Air Force. As a senior handler, she helps to further train the new military working dogs.

"When we get the dogs, they have the basics down and it is up to us to continue training them," said Sergeant Ochoa-Hudson. Additionally, as senior, she is able to help train the newest dog handlers on the team.

Being in a male dominated field, the sergeant said that the women who do come in need to be able to carry their own weight and not be afraid to get in there and get dirty along with the men.

Sergeant Ochoa-Hudson, who is married to Staff Sgt. Jacob Hudson, also with the 72nd SFS, is a first generation Honduran to live in America. Her parents were both immigrants. Her father, who has since passed on, was from Honduras and her mother is from Mexico.

"I came from growing up poor and sleeping on cardboard to being able to spoil my mom," said Sergeant Ochoa-Hudson.

Airman Krayenhagen, the newest member of the team, is handler to Nika. She graduated Military Working Dog handlers school at Lackland AFB, Texas, with the "Top Dog" award for detection in December and came here to start training with Nika in January. She was just certified to patrol the streets of Tinker AFB.

Airman Krayenhagen said that being a member of the K9 team is interesting and that they are all part of a family. It isn't only a security forces thing, but a dog handler bond they share. That bond is strong with the K9 crew. They not only work together, but they play together -- all three ladies are on the SFS softball team.

Airman Krayenhagen is no stranger to the police force, or the K9 team for that matter. Her father, a former Air National Guard member, is a police officer and had a K9 business on the side. Her sister also serves on the police force.

Airman Krayenhagen's parents divorced when she was in high school. She said her father wasn't around much because of his work.

Her mother was a stepping stone for her and made her what she is today. "Mom was a teacher and went on to become a school principal," she said. "My dad always had K9 demonstrations at mom's school and I got to see that and wanted to do it."

She, like most dog handlers, simply loves dogs. Airman Krayenhagen is doggy mom to Emmitt, a loveable Pit Bull.

As for the rest of the family, she just became engaged and plans to marry her fiancé, Stormy Frazier, in September. Ms. Frazier is a nurse in Texas.

"My family has always been very supportive," said Airman Krayenhagen. "I wouldn't be here without my mom. She's the strongest and most amazing woman in my life and I look up to her tremendously. She encouraged me to join the Air Force, and keeps me going."

Airman Jordan, also a "Top Dog" award winner from MWD handler school, said she joined the military because she felt the calling to serve, plus she comes from a long line of military members. She has family in the Navy, Marines, Army and Air Force.

One reason she put off joining the military was because of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." When that was lifted in September 2011, she decided to join the Air Force. Though she is geographically separated from her spouse, Alison, Airman Jordan said she's her priority.

"She's really supportive of me," Airman Jordan said. "And I want to support her, too, in whatever she chooses to do."

Airman Jordan said her lifestyle has never been an issue for her. It might have been a little difficult to share with her family at first -- she waited until she had moved out of the house.

"No one ever treated me differently," she said. "My first unit was very welcoming and didn't care about my sexuality."

In fact, her first shirt helped her obtain benefits for her spouse.

"It all comes down to being judged based on your performance on the job," said Airman Jordan. "I think we all have to prove ourselves at one point or another."
Airman Jordan said she chose a career in security forces because she wanted to do something active.

"I didn't initially choose K9, but there is so much opportunity in security forces to do different things," she said.

Airman Jordan is currently going through Airman Leadership School, but stops by the kennels when she can to visit with her dog, Duke.

"I can't wait to work the street and spend time with my dog," she said.

These ladies all agree it doesn't matter that they're women because security forces is like family and as handlers, they have the dogs in common.

"We're all loving the dogs, training the dogs and doing our jobs," said Airman Krayenhagen.