Working K-9 military dogs are an incredible force multiplier. Simply put, they can do things that humans cannot. Besides being faster and more agile, they are amazing at tracking while remaining stealthy. More specifically, the Special Operation Forces working dogs are truly America’s Tier One K9′s.

According to the Warrior Dog Foundation, each entity of SOF employs a Multi Purpose Canine program. These dogs train in nearly every aspect imaginable. The MPC’s have the ability to sniff out IED’s and other explosives as well as pick out the scent of an insurgent from several hundred meters away. These incredible animals are usually the ones helping us, but this time they need our help and this is where the Warrior Dog Foundation comes in.

The Military Dog Transition

The goal of the Warrior Dog Foundation is to transition these military dogs from their operational environment to a state-of-the-art kennel facility where they can be cared for throughout the rest of their time. The foundation was established by Mike Ritland who served as a Navy SEAL in Operation Iraqi Freedom and other deployments. Ritland knows firsthand how much support these dogs provide and wanted a way to give back some of that support.

We strive to educate the public on the importance of K-9s in the combat environment, and showcase the level of sacrifice these dogs give in support of our troops.  We care for each individual SOF K-9 with dignity and grace, including both mental and physical rehabilitation for the rest of their lives.

The Warrior Dog Foundation is working to establish a scholarship fund for the families of handlers who are wounded or killed in combat. They are also planning to build a living memorial and museum for SOF K-9s to showcase the talents and awards received in combat operations in support of our nation’s military.

Many people have expressed interest in adopting former military working dogs and that’s now a possibility through H.R. 5314. Not every dog is available for adoption though. The needs of the dog comes first and their future home is closely examined.

Trident K9 Warriors

If the video above does not load, view the 60 Minutes special on cbsnews.com

As the founder and lead trainer of Trikos International, Mike Ritland trains and provides private protection dogs to companies and high net-worth individuals as well as the SEAL Teams, U.S. Government, and Department of Defense.

Prior to starting Trikos International, Ritland was a multipurpose K9 trainer for the SEALs. He’s also served 12 years of active duty as a Navy SEAL and is a disabled combat veteran. He records his experiences in handling these highly trained working dogs in some of the toughest of battlefield conditions in his first book, Trident K9 Warriors.

For the first time ever, Trident K9 Warriors gives readers an inside look at these elite canines—who they are, how they are trained, and the extreme missions they undertake saving countless lives, asking for little in the way of reward. From detecting explosives to eliminating the bad guys, these powerful dogs are also some of the smartest and most highly skilled working animals on the planet.

Support America’s Elite Working Dogs

You can support the Warrior Dog Foundation by donating directly or by purchasing Mike Ritland’s book. Proceeds from Trident K9 Warriors will be donated to the Warrior Dog Foundation.

A new organization has recently formed, going by Special Operations (OPSEC) Political Committee. From their mission statement and the video you’ll see embedded here below, they’re attempting to put a stop to the leaks occurring within the current and future administrations.

After the successful raid on UBL’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan on 5.1.11, some (including myself) saw the leaks surrounding the disclosure of operational details which followed, as political capitalization on OPSEC (Operational Security).

I will also state that in my opinion, the Obama administration has also done a lot of good for our Special Operations community and did credit the success of the UBL operation to the “tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals.” This doesn’t change the fact that in the same speech announcing the raid, President Obama divulged the name of the unit responsible and their location.

In the video below, you’ll see a few key figures mention that even holding onto the the press release for a day or two could have helped the intelligence community utilize the intel gathered at the raid to their advantage, rather than our enemies knowing publicly that intel had been compromised.

Former Navy SEAL and DEVGRU (Development Group) Operator, Craig Sawyer, recently wrote a fantastic article on OPSEC here on ITS Tactical, which I’d highly recommend you read if you haven’t yet. In it, he calls on citizens, those in the operational community and the media to protect the information that is sensitive to the welfare and success of our troops.

I feel that Sawyer’s article sums it up best, we need to police ourselves. Not only in the ranks of the government, but from within the military and the civilian community as well. I feel this is where the Special Operations (OPSEC) Political Committee could have chosen to direct its energy towards as well.

What’s your opinion of the video below? Do you feel the current administration is leaking too much information?

I have fond memories of being involved in the Boy Scouts of America from my youth, the majority of those having taken place outdoors and on campouts. I believe scouting is what started my sense of adventure and gave me the confidence needed to explore not just the outdoors, but all aspects of life.

Scouting is that last true organization left in the US that’s promoting the leadership, integrity, confidence and life skills this next generation needs and can’t get anywhere else. Scouting is taking these young men out of their element of video games, socializing and organized sports for just long enough to teach them how to rely on themselves. While there’s certainly a place for team sports and what’s learned there, it’s still very much an “all about me” activity. Today’s sports superstars aren’t helping that stereotype either.

Fundamentally, I feel like this is what’s wrong with society today. People have lost the skill-set that should be held above all others. Self reliance. I don’t mean putting on a tin foil hat and being holed up in a bunker, I mean true self reliance in all aspects of life.

A Lesson from the Navy

One of the best quotes I overheard during my time in the Navy, that goes along with self reliance, was when I was at BUD/s. I was in a duty section before I’d officially started BUD/s and we had to clean up the grinder, or the large asphalt area where PT takes place. A fellow student was relaying to an instructor that he couldn’t find anymore trash bags and the instructors response was “if your life depended on it, could you find a trash bag?” Guess what, the student took off and found a trash bag. That may seem like a simple example, but it’s stuck with me since then and I’ve always remembered that when I wanted to mentally give up on a task or thought something I’d undertaken was too hard.

Granted this was an example used from my time in the Navy, but scouting is what helped me have the courage to get there in the first place. I strongly believe that. I’ll go off on a small tangent here and also say that knowing you can accomplish certain goals through practice and determination is what mental fortitude is all about. I’m proud to say that while never achieving my goal of becoming a Navy SEAL due to an injury, my mental fortitude is what got me through Hell Week and two thirds of BUD/s. I owe that all to not only what I knew about myself from growing up, but what I was able to achieve in the two years I spent training for it. Most things in life are 90% mental just like BUD/s was.

My Scouting Experience

I’ve been involved in scouting with my step-son for a little over two years now as a volunteer Assistant Scoutmaster. My step-son, who’s just turned 14, started scouting when he was 12 and we couldn’t have picked a better time for him to pick it up. I’ve been in his life since he was 5, but he hadn’t had the desire to try scouting until a few years ago.

I never wanted to push him into it, as he’s been very involved with baseball and football from an early age. I feel that since starting scouting he’s learned some very important life lessons, is extremely confident in his abilities (self reliance) and has exhibited great leadership skills. Again, scouting has played a big role in getting him there. He’s progressing well through the ranks, but again, I’m not pushing him. I do often remind him of the merits of making it to Eagle Scout and the great things it can do for his future.

I’ve often used the example that if he and another person were vying for the same position at a company, with the exact same qualifications, being an Eagle Scout would certainly tip the scale in his favor. I also point out all the public figures that are Eagle Scouts, including our Tactical Governor Rick Perry and Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs, to name a few. I also particularly like Mike’s perspective on achieving Eagle Scout.

Volunteering my time as been a great way for me to give back to today’s youth and help them learn important skills that they’ll look back on one day in their lives. This may sound sappy, but it really lights me up to see a boy’s reaction when he finally understands how to tie a knot, accomplishes something like rappelling down a 50 ft. tower, or that look in his eye when he shoots a .22 rifle for the first time. This is what every young person needs in their lives, to accomplish life’s challenges and learn more about themselves.

This is why I’m such a big advocate of skill-sets and why I started ITS back in 2009, to continue to give back after I left the military the best way I knew how, to share my knowledge and build a community around it. Scouting has been another great avenue to do this and both it and ITS have been tremendously rewarding.

I’d encourage everyone to get their children, friends and family involved in scouting. The organization is doing well as a whole, but could be even better with your help. Please do what you can to support one of the last remaining avenues kids have these days for this kind of personal development.

I would argue yes, the order does matter. Something that’s been ingrained in me since my days in BUD/s is the order in which I dress.

As I was getting dressed this morning, putting my pants on first, I thought I’d write about why we were taught back in the day to dress in a certain order.

Pants, Socks, Boots

The reasoning is this; if you’re suddenly awoken in the middle of the night and have to move out, that muscle memory of putting your pants on first means that you’re somewhat protected from the elements if that’s all you have time to put on. Especially if you’re going commando.

Next is socks, which I feel don’t necessarily stand on their own. If you have to move out and you’ve got pants on socks on, yes there’s some protection on your feet, but it can be easier to move barefoot than it can be with socks in certain situations.

With boots being the last thing on the list, you’ve got enough to be able to run, move efficiently and evade if necessary. Of course the elements have a lot to do with this methodology, as keeping your core warm is more important than your legs.

David Guttenfelder / Associated Press

I’ve always been able to see the reasoning behind why we were taught this though and granted it had a lot to do with the time constraints we were under at BUD/s to get our gear on and move out to the next evolution. That’s not to discredit this information though and hopefully you can see the value in it too.

This doesn’t necessarily have to apply to a soldier either, which is why I still do this. If something awakens me in the middle of the night, I’ve always got a pair of pants next to me just in case. More than likely though I’d just grab my gun and negotiate the threat, but at least my pants are there if I need them.

I also wanted to bring up this information to get you thinking about situations that might come up while you’re sleeping. Apart from a break-in, there’s also fires to consider and whether your evacuation plan requires clothing. If it doesn’t, it should. Especially with the winter upon us, having to climb out of a window on short notice without clothing to protect you from the elements isn’t ideal.

Following this will also ensure you don’t stumble out of a bunker with pink boxers on like the soldier above, despite how awesome that is!

What do you think, does the order you dress in really matter?

Editor-in-Chief’s Note: Please join us in welcoming former Navy SEAL and current Director of Training at Center Mass Group, Chris Sajnog as a contributor on ITS Tactical.

I live in the Socialist Republic of California, where we take gun control to the extreme. I’m not too sure of the exact language of all the gun laws we have here, but I’m pretty sure you can still possess a BB-gun as long as it is a single-load, one-pump deal and you use soft rubber projectiles.

Because of all the restrictions on capacity, we need to make sure every shot we fire finds its mark. In the other 49 states across our Great Nation, feel free to spray and pray, but when in the Republic…Gun Control rules the day.

Today I’m going to address three amendments that need to be added to the current list of gun control laws. By enacting these laws, you will find that not only will your rounds will be delivered safely to their intended target, but you will even save money by wasting less ammunition.

Law # 1: Stand and Deliver

The first law in our amendment is an aggressive stance. This means having your body weight leaning forward towards your target. During a gun fight you’re not going to be able to figure out what percentage of weight is on our toes or your heels, so get that idea out of your head right now.

Just lean into the shot with a low, wide stance. Due to the many positions your lower body may find itself in during a gun fight, it’s important that you learn to control the gun with your upper body. Keep it simple: Lean forward.

Law # 2: Get a Grip

How you grip your favorite firearm is vital to gun control. This is the junction between yourself and the explosion going off in your hand, so it needs to be solid. Make sure that you have a gun that fits your hand. This isn’t possible for the military or most law enforcement groups, but maybe that’s why some of the gun control laws don’t apply to these groups.

If you’re planning on buying a gun, make sure you try it out in your hand before making the purchase. You need to be able to wrap your hand around the grip with your forearm in a straight line behind the gun and your trigger finger needs to be able to press straight back on the trigger without dragging along the side of the gun. Be sure to read my last article, You Want Me to Do What with My Finger? to dispel any myths you might have on finger placement.

When you grip the gun, make sure that the forearm of your strong hand is in line with pistol. Your hand also needs to be as high up the gun as possible. In a perfect world you would have your hand directly behind the barrel, but most guns have moving parts up there making this impossible. Keeping this in mind, your hand should be high enough on the grip so the webbing of your hand is compressed on the beaver-tail. Wrap your hand around the gun and make sure your trigger finger is not riding along the side of the grip as this can pull the gun off target as you press back on the trigger.

If you’re using a two-handed technique (and I suggest you do whenever possible), the support or reaction hand should be placed with the palm of the hand filling the space on the grip left by the strong hand. To do this your support hand should be angled down at about a 45-degree angle. Some people teach a 60/40 grip for how hard you should be gripping the gun. I teach a 100/100 grip since that’s what you’re going to do in combat and it’s best to think about how you’re going to drop the threat rather than how hard you’re squeezing the gun with each hand. Both your thumbs should be pointing forward. I’ve found that the more things you have pointed at your target, the better chance you have at hitting it.

Now that you’ve got the perfect grip, put the gun back in the holster and take the time to note the position of your hand. Your grip needs to be established in the holster and you need to practice getting the right grip every time. Did I hear someone say dry-fire? Practice drawing the gun from its holster and bringing it up on target making sure you have the right grip. Once you’ve got the thing out in your hand, the grip you’ve got is the one you’re going to shoot with, make sure you get it right.

Law # 3: Control of Assault Weapons

Author demonstrating improper support hand postition.

The grip for the firing hand of a carbine is the same as a pistol. The gun is controlled with support hand, leaving the strong hand to concentrate on fire-control. Before I talk about the forward grip of the carbine, I need to talk about accessories such as lights or lasers. Before you start tricking out your bang-stick with cool-guy gear, make sure you can shoot it accurately.

Take it out to the range and establish a solid shooting position and note where your forward hand grips the gun. Now look at the open space you have available, this is where you need to mount accessories. I see a lot of guys on the range saying they can’t grip the gun properly because something is in the way. Don’t let the tail wag the dog! You need to be able to shoot effectively first or that cool new light is not going to do you any good.

Author demonstrating proper support hand position

Now that we’ve cleared the playing field, grip your gun as far out on the gun as possible. I ask my students; if you were going to nail a 2×4 to a wall and only had two nails, where would you put the nails to give you the most support? The answer is always the same, as far apart as possible. If you want to support your gun, you need to do the same thing. There are a number of different ways to grip the gun, but it’s important that some part of your hand is above the level of the barrel.

The recoil of the gun is going to kick the gun up. If you’re trying to hold the gun from underneath, it’s going to recoil up every time. For the same reason it’s important that you take that hinge-point (elbow) out of the equation. Most people I see on the range shoot with the support elbow directly beneath the gun giving the weapon a perfect hinge to move around. By simply rotating the arm out to the side, you eliminate the hinge and are better able to control the gun. As with the pistol I like to point anything I can at the target. In this case, depending on your grip, you can either point your thumb or your index finger.

Gun Control: It’s your American Duty!

Help keep this land safe by following the gun control laws listed in this amendment. Write to your Senators and Congressmen and ask that these be brought up on the house floor for debate. I would love to hear what Senators Reid and Pelosi have to say about this important topic! What are your thoughts?

Editor-in-Chief’s Note: Please join us in welcoming Chris Sajnog as a contributor on ITS Tactical. Chris is a former Navy SEAL and the Director of Training for Center Mass Group, started by two retired Navy SEAL Instructors. Giving people the experience of being trained by the most elite combat unit in the world, Chris is currently a Maritime-Counter-Terrorism and advanced marksmanship Instructor who has trained DOD, DHS, FBI, CIA and multiple foreign allies in all aspects of combat weapons handling, marksmanship and Maritime Operations.

Editor-in-Chief’s Note: Please join us in welcoming former Navy SEAL and current Director of Training at Center Mass Group, Chris Sajnog as a contributor on ITS Tactical.

Imagine if there was a law that all car seats had to be set to the same distance from the steering wheel. It didn’t matter how tall you were, your body shape or if your arms looked like you came from Planet of the Apes – You will keep that seat in the same position!

OK, wait…if it’s a manual transmission you can scoot a little forward, but for automatic slide that seat back to the approved seat-length.

Sounds strange? Of course it does; but why doesn’t it sound strange when a firearms instructor tells you the “law” about where you need to put your finger?

Different Strokes for Different Folks

Think about all the different sizes, shapes and strengths of our hands. Looking at the finger joints alone of any group of shooters and you’ll see they are in different places. How can they ALL put their finger on a gun in the same place and be expected to shoot well?

Now think about all the different sizes and shapes of handguns out there and we’re all going to put our finger in the same place? Oh, I forgot, on a revolver we all need to switch to a better place!

I know this is going to upset some people. For over 20-years I too have been told exactly where to put my finger on the trigger and when I first started instructing I was regurgitating the same company line that I was told.

I would tell students where to put their finger and if it didn’t work for them (normally some whining about their hands being “different”) I would have them change (weaken) their grip to put their finger where they were told.

It took a while but I finally took off my blinders and realized you shouldn’t adjust 99% of where your hand comfortably contacts your gun so that 1% goes where it said in a book.

Give Your Instructor the Finger!

Actually he’ll need to give you his finger if he’s telling you where you need to put it on the trigger. Your hands are not the same as his (go ahead, look!), so you may need to put your trigger finger somewhere else.

When you start key-holing shots, I’m sure he’ll be fine with it. To shoot effectively you first need to establish a good grip. Get high up on the tang with your firing arm straight behind the gun to control recoil, and then wrap your fingers around the grip.

Wherever your finger hits that trigger is the best place for YOU to put YOUR finger on the trigger of THAT GUN. Different person, different place. Different gun, different place. With the gun comfortably in your hand you’re going to have much better recoil management and better trigger control

Shooting is all about being relaxed and you can’t be relaxed when your hand is contorted around the gun in an effort to put the tip of your finger where it works for someone else. Finally, to make sure you press the trigger straight to the rear so you don’t pull your shots.

Here’s a sniper trick I learned years ago: Keep your 2^nd knuckle (the 1^st one on your finger) pointed straight at your target as you press the trigger. By doing so it’s nearly impossible to push or pull the shot with your trigger finger.

I’ve used this technique to improve the shooting of many students over the years and if you’re contorting your hand all in the name of finger placement, I know it will help you too. Give it a try next time you dry-fire (you do dry-fire, don’t you?) and then try it out on the range. Feel free to send thank you notes.

Editor-in-Chief’s Note: Please join us in welcoming Chris Sajnog as a contributor on ITS Tactical. Chris is a former Navy SEAL and the Director of Training for Center Mass Group, started by two retired Navy SEAL Instructors. Giving people the experience of being trained by the most elite combat unit in the world, Chris is currently a Maritime-Counter-Terrorism and advanced marksmanship Instructor who has trained DOD, DHS, FBI, CIA and multiple foreign allies in all aspects of combat weapons handling, marksmanship and Maritime Operations.