TEDD Howard
The 82nd Airborne Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team employed a unique tactic against the increasing improvised explosive device threat in Afghanistan: Tactical Explosive Detection Dogs. The TEDD teams are sent into the field to accompany foot patrols where they are effective in detecting potential IED threats. Unlike traditional Military Working Dog teams, which the Army has used in the past, TEDD teams are different in that their handlers are regular infantrymen from the brigade who have been given specialized training in working with the dogs. The brigade has trained and deployed 18 TEDD dogs and handlers during their 2012 deployment in Afghanistan.