Military Working Dogs Get New Home at Joint Base Charleston

Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Feb. 19, officially unveiling a state-of-the-art military working dog kennel facility and marking a significant investment in enhancing the well-being and mission readiness of the dogs and their handlers.

The project began in November 2023 and was completed in December 2025, with a total investment of $3.2 million in upgrades.

The renovated facility has built-in housing to increase capacity by two dogs, sound-dampening panels to reduce kennel anxiety, angled chain-link fencing to prevent visual agitation, epoxy flooring to minimize moisture and skin-related issues and an expanded obedience yard to support enhanced training and enrichment. The new arrangement of the kennels aims to reduce agitation and anxiety, reducing the risk of behavioral issues and injury.

“Health is paramount with these dogs. They have enough room for enrichment to keep them happy and healthy,” said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kyle Titus, military working dog kennel master assigned to the 628th Security Forces Squadron. “So far, we’ve had zero injuries in the new facility, which has been great!”

Since the remodeling, handlers have observed how the new layout fosters a healthier, safer and more efficient environment for the dogs’ health, training and recovery.

“It was like a night and day difference that you could see in them and their behavior,” Titus said. “You can walk through the building now, and the dogs will remain sleeping. We can definitely tell the difference in the dogs’ health and morale with this new facility.”

The military working dogs conduct extensive training to secure the installation’s strategic assets through actively detecting explosives, deterring potential threats and defending personnel.

“The Green Kennel Initiative started about 10 years ago, and the new facility reflects our overall goal to make a massive impact on the military working dogs’ health and wellness,” said Air Force Staff Sgt. Reginald Conyers, military working dog trainer assigned to the 628th Security Forces Squadron.

Looking ahead, the squadron hopes the new facility will extend the working life of the dogs while significantly reducing injuries and stress-related issues.

“We need to be doing our part as far as giving dogs ample time to get [their] energy out,” Titus said. “Providing longevity to their careers with better conditions and more space to move around is a big goal for us.”

The new facility supports the squadron and its military working dogs’ readiness and capability to defend the mission every day, symbolizing the installation’s continued commitment to resilient infrastructure and operational excellence.

“The ceremony showcases that we’re going forward in the right direction in improving the life conservation of our military working dogs and making a massive impact for mission accomplishment,” Conyers said.