Growing up as the son of a beekeeper near Glen Innes in the New England region of NSW, Lance Corporal Jared Willis always had a different career in the forefront of his mind: joining the Army.
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At the age of 20, he left the family farm and traded the cool highland climate for the sunshine on the Gold Coast where he experienced working in sales and being a taxi driver before deciding it was time to enlist in the ADF.
"I always thought enlisting in the ADF was something I'd get around to doing," Lance Corporal Willis said.
"I've always been interested in working in emergency services.
"Military policing was one of the jobs available when I applied and it sounded like a perfect fit for me."
After enlisting in late 2019, Lance Corporal Willis completed recruit training at Kapooka, NSW, and the military police basic course at Holsworthy Barracks in Sydney before posting to Bravo Company, 1st Military Police Battalion, at Robertson Barracks in Darwin in mid-2020.
Arriving in Darwin with an interest in military police dog (MPD) handling, Lance Corporal Willis found handlers were keen to share their knowledge and showcase their capability.
"From the moment I arrived at Bravo Company, the MPD handlers were really accommodating, knowledgeable and friendly," Lance Corporal Willis said.
"I was obviously interested in the work so once I got a bit more experienced with everything, being an MPD handler really appealed to me."
Lance Corporal Willis credits the MPD handlers at Bravo Company for his success on the five-month MWD basic course, which he completed at RAAF Base Amberley in Ipswich, Queensland, in 2023.
Graduating as Dux of the course in August 2023, Lance Corporal Willis said all the knowledge and experience he gained prior to the course helped set him up for success.
"We're a big group of mates here at Bravo Company; we look after one another and help each other out," Lance Corporal Willis said.
"My mates helped me prepare by allowing me to handle the dogs and get a feel for the theory as well.
"I felt prepared for the course but I still had a lot of knowledge to pick up, a lot to learn about dogs.
"It's a thinking job, being a dog handler.
"You have to put your mind in the dog's mindset and think about what they're thinking and feeling, what motivates them."
During the course, Lance Corporal Willis was paired with MPD Dirk, a four-year-old Belgian Malinois whose original handler was one of the instructors on the course.
Experiencing both the challenges and advantages of being a re-team, Lance Corporal Willis was determined to develop a strong bond with Dirk by the time they had graduated and were completing the MPD Handler Basic Course - Field Operations at Swartz Barracks in Oakey, Queensland.
While Lance Corporal Willis admits that the helicopter hoisting training they completed during the course was a career highlight, the activity required complete trust between the MPD and the handler.
"Being lowered to the ground out of a helicopter with your dog requires your dog to have complete trust in you as the handler," Lance Corporal Willis said.
"It's a bonding experience as well.
"We landed and apprehended a decoy, which is Dirk's favourite thing to do.
"Apprehending a decoy is when you're really working one-on-one with the dog and you can create good experiences because it's a really big reward for the dog.
"Anytime Dirk sees the decoy suit he becomes very excited."
National Military Working Dog Day is celebrated on June 7, and Lance Corporal Willis and Dirk are celebrating 12 months of training and working together.
"Dirk and I definitely experienced some teething issues at the start, but I think we're getting there now," he said.
"It's hard to replace the first handler but Dirk is always a good dog. I get to see him as soon as I get to work each day and he's the last [thing] that I see before I head home."
