Border Guard: Secret Missions | News

“Wow special agent”

Not only Mr. Toan, but also more than 30 officers and soldiers selected for “Team 24” were shocked. Many people were concerned because in 1959, the Vietnam People’s Army was built in the regular direction, many cadres and soldiers were selected to train officers, creating a strong main unit building source. .; while the brothers “were selected for Team 24” they simply “teach dogs, learn dog school” but have yet to keep absolute secrets about their work. Even when sending guard dogs, it is necessary to report by telegram and have to rely on unit radio or border posts to transfer to higher levels, not clearly telegraphed and by mail …

Warmly, but the selected cadres and soldiers have yet to start their work, because their superiors perfectly understand “the army is a clock, we have a screw, it is also useful, helping the clock.” run. “In the first days of study, there were only 2 dogs brought in by experts from the Soviet Union, named Duc and Eliza, so the students only looked at the dogs. A few months later, when buying dogs from people, the practice of following the master only looked at the movement. “There is an interpreter, but he only knows how to communicate, so any expert can accept it. We saw him pressing the dog’s head and pressing it. They patted the dog on the back and said : “Back off! Drop the number! “Always understood as a compliment” Good! All right! ”Recalled Major Le Xuan Toan, former student of Class 1 (1959 – 1960), Middle School 24, and laughed:“ We keep getting used to it. Press the dog forever, they also have to sit down. After an illustrator, learn fast. “

Training course 2 (1960) trained in the basic discipline for border guard dogs

“Stop, tây tây”

Initially, the standard of the dog was very high. Not just bath soap, a towel to clean people monthly … dogs also eat 1.2 VND / day and beef (while the trainer’s standard is just 7). Starting from the second word, the dog’s standard is reduced to 7-9 ditches and the dog is gradually trained to eat fish and pork to adapt to border conditions, the shortage of beef and rice.

Courses 1 and 2 were completed in August 1961. Session 3 opened in October 1961. Course 1 is fully trained by Soviet experts. Course 2, our staff trained themselves, with expert guidance. Course 3 we are completely in charge. In terms of skills, early sniffer dogs focus on basic movements, vigilance, and tracking; Session 2 many episodes in dense forests, getting in and out of cars, getting familiar with explosions, knowing how to detect opium – gunpowder, coordinating with infantry; Course 3, the dog also knows how to combine with the cavalry, searching under ships.

Trainer Luu Xuan Bach, an apprentice from Course 1 (1959), controlled a sniffing dog to capture two commandos, on the night of March 17, 1963 at Bac Giang and Lang Son.

Find a way to train yourself

Colonel Do Xuan Thanh, former principal of the 24th Middle School, said: Fighting training dogs should be of strong, shapely, agile and flexible stature, close sniffing, hearing, and sharp eyes. In the early years, the school depended on the number of dogs that the Soviet Union helped, but this guy was not used to food, the climate was tropical, so it was very difficult to breed. Dogs bought from outside, but with good aggressiveness but little discipline, difficult to train. Since the end of 1961, the new school plans to organize breeding to ensure the practice of the number of dogs and the selection of breeds.

Dogs must have received basic training (lie down, sit, walk to the side, call, overtake, steal things, ride, cross obstacles, do not eat others …), to improve nerves, Put the dog in the frame , loves and works under the control of the owner.

In the combat movement training stage, focusing on movements: vigilance, ferocity, guard, escort, patrol, ambush, search, search … in a method that goes from easy to difficult. The hardest part is training the traceability department. Dogs practice the 3 to 4 m tracing until they can do 500 to 700 m. When there are good reflections, you resort to tracing the origin of other people from close to far, from flat roads to difficult weather conditions.

When the dog is caught, the dog must stand guard (in order) so that the owner can disarm and tie. At the time of interpretation, the dog must follow the actions of the subject, if it detects an act of escape, it must volunteer to save and steal all hidden exhibits …

“At first, we had to think of ways to train the dogs,” repeated the elder Le Xuan Toan, listing: “Some dogs develop fiercely but do not bite, you have to wear different colored clothes. The sticks prompted them to bite and then these dogs knew how to bite strangers. Tracking dogs have children who do not smell, you have to take the fragrant roast buffalo bone and put the rice and porridge in a pot to tie a person to the rope first (taking advantage of the reflex to eat), the trainer controls that the dog sniffs often. As a result, the dog can smell the mark… ”.