Episode #44 Steve Stoops "Man is Primary"

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Steve “Zane” Stoops spent the last 19 years as the Senior Combat Assault Dog Trainer (CAD) for the United States Joint Special Operations Command-JSOC, assigned to the 1st SFOD-D, located at Ft. Liberty, NC (retired January 2024.) He and a very small and exclusive group of Special Operators are innovators and developed many K9 training philosophies utilized today by the most elite SOF tactical working dog programs throughout the world. Steve actively handled these dogs in numerous combat situations facing fire fights, suicide bombers, and IEDs. A veteran of 14 combat deployments, Steve was also requested by and assisted Naval Special Warfare units in Iraq. During this time, Steve also played a crucial role in the development of the following CAD programs worldwide: 

• Conducted the initial training course for Army Ranger CAD program. 
• Selected and trained the CADs and Handlers for the elite British Special Forces, traveling to England to instruct at the inaugural K9 course for both British Army and Naval Special Operators and their dogs. 
• Selected and trained the dogs for the Danish Jaeger Corps, traveling to Scandinavia to conduct training events. 
• Stood up a K9 program in a combat zone by importing dogs into the zone for the Kurdish Counter Terror Group (CTG). 
• Assisted the German KSK with their CAD program and was co-located with them on a combat deployments. 
• Assisted the Norwegian SOF Dog program in Afghanistan. 
• Stood up the CAD program for the FBI Hostage Rescue Team, selecting and training the K9/Handler teams on a multi-week training course.  

Prior to working for Special Operations, Steve stood up and supervised a protection dog program in Afghanistan for Afghan President Hammed Karzai (2002.) Thereafter, Steve stood up a detection dog program in Tirana, Albania, for the Albanian National Police (2003.)

Steve’s K9 career started while serving 15 of his 20 years as a Police K9 Officer in Anderson, Indiana, after serving in the United States Marine Corps as a Security Specialist at U.S. Embassies throughout Europe and South America. While a K9 Officer, Steve was a SWAT Team member, SWAT Dog handler, and a veteran of hundreds of K9 deployments. He experienced numerous violent encounters with suspects including Officer involved shootings and edged weapon attacks and was responsible for numerous narcotics seizures with his K9s. Steve

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