Meet Mmoab: A Military Working Dog Serving in England

Sept. 1, 2026 | By Karen Abeyasekere, 100th Air Refueling Wing |

The latest addition to the 100th Security Forces Squadron's military working dog pack is 3-year-old Mmoab, a black Belgian Malinois who joined the U.S. Air Force canine team at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England.

The double letter at the beginning of Mmoab's name is intentional. It signifies that he came from the Military Working Dog Breeding and Foster Program at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. He is currently the only 100th Security Forces Squadron dog born, bred and initially trained at the Military Working Dog Center in Texas — and just the fourth specially bred canine at RAF Mildenhall — his predecessors being military working dogs Vvonya, Ootto and Oorion.

Operated by the 341st Training Squadron, the puppy program, as it is commonly called, was established at Joint Base San Antonio in 1998 to allow the military to breed its own dogs, cut costs and produce highly trained military working dogs. The program provides hands-on training from the day the puppy is born, and the Air Force can track the dog's social progression. Their training includes several months of detection and patrol work.

Once a litter is whelped and weaned, the puppies are placed in foster homes in and around San Antonio. The volunteer families must meet specific requirements before being accepted into the program. They provide care until the puppies return to the training program. Foster families receive everything needed to care for the puppies, including dog food, veterinary care equipment, toys and training.

Once a dog is trained and ready to head to its new duty station, a handler travels to Joint Base San Antonio to personally escort the dog to its new home.

Mmoab's handlers said he showed from the start that he was perfect for the job.

"He's insanely fast, very driven and loves to give hugs to his handlers," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Cameron Gilbert, a trainer assigned to the 100th Security Forces Squadron, who was also the first handler paired with Mmoab. The pair recently returned from a five-month deployment to Royal Air Force Fairford in England, where they performed patrol and detection duties.

"I've done his field evaluation from the ground up," Gilbert said. "Everything he's done and where he is now is a result of how I've worked with him, so I'm proud of where he's at right now and when I handed him over to his new handler."

The young Belgian Malinois is now teamed with Air Force Senior Airman Karina Flores, a handler assigned to the 100th Security Forces Squadron. Mmoab is the third K-9 she's worked with during her Air Force career, and she said they are currently in the rapport phase of their partnership.

"He's my first puppy program dog and is focused 24/7; other dogs can often be like, 'Okay, I'm here, so I'll do it,' but he's completely dedicated," she said. "Mmoab is definitely the most energetic dog I've worked with, and I've been spending a lot of time bonding with him and getting him used to me.

Flores said she gives Mmoab simple tasks, and he receives his favorite toy as a reward so he knows he can trust her and sees her as his "mom."

"It's going good so far," Flores said. "Because he's so driven, I know he's going to make me a better handler because of how much he wants to work."

After military working dogs arrive at the base, which will be their home for the duration of their career, the next stage for them is to pass their field evaluation qualification.

"We made sure Mmoab can meet what's asked of us operationally here," Gilbert said. "Once he arrived and settled in, we took him out to the different training areas to make sure he can do the tasks no matter what."

While military working dogs may draw attention when they are out, don't let their appearance fool you. With a top running speed of more than 30 mph, a bite force of more than 200 pounds and a nose 40 times more powerful than a human, they are highly trained psychological deterrents and a vital asset to the Air Force and the War Department.

100th FSS civilian receives 30-year pin for dedicated service

by Gina Randall
100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

8/13/2015 - RAF MILDENHALL, England  -- For some serving their country means long hours away from loved ones while fixing aircraft, flying missions, cooking meals for Airmen or moving cargo.

It's often a worry for many service members with young family members what to do with their children so they can concentrate on the job at hand. Who do they trust to nurture and develop the next generation?

One local national direct hire staff member has devoted 30 years of her life to care for American children, and their parents, while they are so far from their own family in the states. The child development center is here to provide a safe place for military children while their parents are at work.

Maureen Morley, 100th Force Support Squadron Child Development Center room leader from Beck Row, Suffolk, retired July 31, 2015 after many years caring for others.

"She works with infants and we're overseas, so there are parents who have no one here such as a normal support system of mums or grandparents to help them," said Nicholas Batey, 100th FSS assistant director from Brandon, Suffolk. "So people like Maureen, who have been here for so long, help mentor the parents and well as the staff."

On July 29, 2015, Col. Thomas D. Torkelson, 100th Air Refueling Wing commander, presented Morley with a pin and certificate to commemorate her 30 years of service to a country not even her own, but one she has grown to love.

"I didn't think I was going to last the first six months because it was completely different back then," Morley explained. "Ratios back then were 15 children to one caregiver. I came from being a social worker to this sort of establishment and it was very different."

What began as an uncertain time turned into 30 years of service that she'll miss after her retirement.

"I came straight in as a room leader to teach other people and, to be honest, I didn't know what I was doing myself," Morley laughed. "These 30 years have gone quickly. It's time for me to go, but I don't want to."

Base leadership recognizes the benefits of experience and knowledge of local people, and what they give to their Airmen and families.

"Maureen has become the person you look to for advice," said Torkelson as he presented the pin. "She is the continuity as military members come and go. You are caring for our kids so our single parents, and other parents who both work, are able to serve their nation knowing their children are in good hands. There are also military dependents you have cared for over the past thirty years who are now old enough to serve themselves."

There have been many changes in childcare during her time on base. Her leadership is proud of the changes in the childcare system, a system Morley has helped develop.

"Maureen is one of our best employees," added Batey. "She has been here since before the Child Care Act came in. The Child Care Act was brought in for the Air Force to improve childcare safety. There were not a huge amount of regulations before the act. We were more like a babysitting-type service. Now we can improve the children's education, improve what they can do, to achieve while they are here, rather than just us caring for them and making sure they are warm and clean."

The lasting affect this caregiver has had on the children in her care transcends the generations.

"Maureen has worked with many different age groups," said Batey. "We have parents who she looked after when they were little who have children of their own now, who still send her pictures. So she keeps in touch with a lot of people as they enter adulthood across the world."

Combat crew communications: Taking care of aircrew, ensuring mission security

by Senior Airman Christine Halan
100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

8/5/2015 - RAF MILDENHALL, England  -- Whether assisting transient aircrew members or 100th Air Refueling Wing aircrew members, the 100th Operations Support Squadron's combat crew communications Airmen have it covered.

Their main mission is to ensure all KC-135 Stratotanker crew members have the required communications security material required for their training, along with the correct materials and equipment for secure communications while flying missions.

COMSEC is cryptographic material, both electronic and physical, that is used to communicate via secure means.

"We provide COMSEC material to all 100th ARW aircrew members," said Senior Airman Brett Leary, 100th OSS combat crew communications technician from Hohenwald, Tennessee. "If they have a mission that requires them to communicate securely, they have to get a kit and take it with them. We train them on how to use those kits when they're in the air, so that they can communicate and identify themselves in a secure manner."

Each kit consists of a security key loader, fill cable (to connect the SKL to the actual radios) and a binder containing all relevant books, paperwork and checklists.

The three-man shop is tasked with a variety of responsibilities, including giving annual training to 351st Air Refueling Squadron Airmen on how to use their communication kits.

Providing the correct material to aircrew members is vital in helping aircrew members, communicating securely or identifying themselves correctly as a friend or foes to other U.S. air NATO forces.

By trade, these Airmen are specialists, but at RAF Mildenhall they work solely alongside 100th OSS and 351st ARS aircrew. This allows them to focus all their attention here, rather than making it an additional duty.

Acting as a COMSEC responsible officer, an individual appointed by the commander of a unit to manage the local COMSEC material, the Airmen are responsible for maintaining and disposing of all COMSEC material and paperwork, such as hand receipts, destruction reports and inventories, which are issued from the base COMSEC office.

"Our job as crew communications is as detailed as a COMSEC-responsible officer, which is essentially what we are," Leary said. "In most units, the job is very involved but it would usually be an additional duty as a COMSEC custodian. Here, they wanted people to actually deal with COMSEC on a daily basis, which means we just take care of the aircrew. Having that specific knowledge and experience means there are fewer issues."

Every day, the communications trio ensures all kits are in place, inventories are checked and correct, and paperwork is updated.

Being in the 100th OSS means the communications Airmen see the real impact of their job.

"I enjoy the direct mission involvement here," Leary said. "At my last base I worked in the communications squadron, and although we supported the entire base, we didn't always see the big picture.  Working in the 100th OSS means we work directly with the boom operators and pilots, see the missions going out and coming back, and have a better idea of what's actually going on."

351st ARS boom operator receives 2014 USAFE Instructor of the Year award

by Senior Airman Christine Halan
100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

7/28/2015 - RAF MILDENHALL, England  -- Teaching others is something Master Sgt. Joseph Blakley, 351st Air Refueling Squadron operations superintendent and chief boom from Strawberry Plains, Tennessee, has always wanted to do.

Enlisting September 1998 and now 36-years-old, he has been stationed at RAF Mildenhall for almost two years.

As an instructor boom operator, Blakley teaches Airmen a variety of necessary tasks while on the ground or in the air, eventually resulting in their ability to fly as the only enlisted person on a KC-135 Stratotanker.

"I take students and teach them ground classes that are associated with flying, aircraft systems, boom knowledge, refueling and egress knowledge, and passenger considerations. Then I take them up in the airplane and allow them to practice so that they can do it themselves," said the instructor, adding he often flies with experienced boom operators to evaluate them and ensure their qualifications or up to date.

Blakley has gathered his experience both on the job and while teaching as a technical school instructor for four years.

"I wanted to be an instructor and I enjoy it so much that I went to the school house. Now I get to fly and still instruct," he said.

In 2014, Blakley orchestrated U.S. Air Forces in Europe's new boom simulator requirements, managing a six-figure temporary duty assignment plan amidst surge operations that included multiple deployments while ensuring Airmen were combat ready. He also instructed over 100 hours in the aircraft for combat mission capability.

"This award meant a lot to me because it meant someone had seen the work I was putting in. I was pleased to get the award because I knew [my leadership] supported me.

"I might have received this, but there are probably at least six people here that could have received the same award who can do just as much or more of what I gave on the instructor side," he said. "What makes me pleased is to know that when I go home I know I did my best at the end of the day."

Hungarian air force performs first historic air refueling with help from NATO ally, partner

by Senior Airman Kate Thornton
100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

7/17/2015 - RAF MILDENHALL, England  -- The Hungarian air force hosted U.S. and Swedish air force personnel between June 21 and 30, 2015, at Kecskemét air base, Hungary, to learn air-to-air refueling for the first time.

Following a recent tasking to perform close air support for global operations, the Hungarian air force made this new capability a priority.

The NATO allies and partners met for a two-week familiarization period enabling the Hungarian JAS-39 Gripen pilots to perform air-to-air refueling in a safe and controlled environment before applying the new skill in combat.

"To get the right mission strength, we need to have air-to-air refueling, that's why we turned to the U.S. to get some AAR capability and initial training," said Hungarian air force Brig. Gen. Csebe Ugrik, Kecskemét AB commander.

As the only permanent U.S. Air Force air refueling wing in the European theater, the aircrew and tanker assigned to the 100th Air Refueling Wing at RAF Mildenhall, England, was the go-to unit to provide practical training after the classroom portion.

"Now we could finally start this training and get this very important force multiplier capability for the Hungarian Gripen fleet," said Hungarian air force Lt. Col. Tamas Szvath, Hungarian AF fixed wing training commander.

Although the Gripen aircraft has the ability to air refuel, the Hungarian pilots needed training.

Three instructor pilots from the Swedish air force Gripen Operational Testing and Evaluation unit were responsible for the training syllabus, basic training and the Hungarian instructor pilot training.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Benjamin Kline and Tech. Sgt. Daniel Maas, 351st Air Refueling Squadron instructor pilot and boom operator, instructed the Hungarian students using the KC-135 Stratotanker as the training platform, which gave them an idea of what to expect when communicating and air refueling with the U.S. tanker.

After three days of academics taught by representatives from the two guest air forces involved, the pilots took flight for hands-on familiarization.

"In the beginning of the training we're trying not to focus on [a quota of successful contacts]," Swedish air force Capt. Fredrik Borgström, Gripen instructor pilot said. "We want to make sure the performance is safe, corrections are made after feedback and they continue to improve. Then in the end we want them to handle those corrections by themselves and analyze their own behavior."

Along with learning air refueling, the Hungarians needed instructor pilots to maintain the new skills. The Swedish instructor pilots trained two individuals after they had completed their basic air refueling training.

"You have to start somewhere," Borgström said. "It is not ideal to become an instructor when you've just recently done your basic training, but we show them the tool box so they have a way to move forward with training."

The tanker and Gripen aircrew flew approximately six hours daily for six days to ensure the pilots understood their new capability. The training event also developed better interoperability between the air forces.

"Our job is to sustain and project air power," Kline said, "We're here to enable the Hungarians with this new military skill set."

After days of performing only dry contacts with the tanker, the pilots were confident enough and took fuel for the first time, proving they were ready to perform air refueling safely and correctly.

"For the future of the Gripen fleet, it means we have a capability the Hungarian air force has never had before," Szvath said. "Our partners who provided this help to us have written their names in the history of Hungarian military aviation."