A MWD is a woman's best friend

A great story from the MoD:

One woman and her dog help avert a riot in Afghanistan

A Military Operations news article

10 Mar 10

A dog proved to a woman's best friend recently when a Royal Army Veterinary Corps soldier and her military working dog helped calm what could have been a very dangerous situation in Kabul.

Private Hynde Ritchies, Royal Army Veterinary Corps, with her military working dog Neil
[Picture: Corporal Steve Blake RLC, Crown Copyright/MOD 2010]

Private Hynde Ritchies of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps is currently deployed to Afghanistan where her main role is to carry out security patrols at Camp Bastion and the military base at Lashkar Gah with her military working dog Neil.

Her role also includes securing the military compounds at Kabul as part of a regional rotation of Theatre Military Working Dog Support Unit taskings in Afghanistan.

During a routine security search in Kabul recently, Private Ritchies, who is just 18, could sense the mood of the crowd she was dealing with rapidly changing.

Private Ritchies explained:

"The crowd had formed initially to queue for temporary employment with coalition forces - a normal occurrence for normal activity on a normal Kabul day....

This 'normal Kabul day...' turned into anything but... Go read the rest of this great story here.

Great job, Private Ritchies and Neil! Thank you BOTH for your service.