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PACIFIC OCEAN (Oct. 24, 2017) - Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) simulates a strait transit as part of Dawn Blitz 2017. Dawn Blitz is a scenario-driven exercise designed to train and integrates Navy and Marine Corps units by providing a robust training environment where forces plan and execute an amphibious assault, engage in live-fire events, and establish expeditionary advanced bases in a land and maritime threat environment to improve naval amphibious core competencies. (U. S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Irwin Sampaga/Released) 171024-N-XN518-095
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MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan (Sept. 17, 2020) - U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Rick Winegardner Jr., the U.S. Forces Japan command chief, runs from military working dog, Cento, during a demonstration at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Sept. 17, 2020. Working dog handlers with the 35th Security Forces Squadron's K-9 unit display the skills of their dogs during a demonstration for Winegardner. Military working dogs train in phases of controlled aggression, which consist of field interviews, pursuit and attacks, search and escorts, search and re-attacks, and stand-offs. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class China M. Shock) 200917-F-SA178-1012
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Kabal of the Pallid Sun Command Venom designed to carry the Archon with his Incubi retinue. Armed with two splinter cannons.
USMA receives Colonel (P) Buzzard as the new Commandant for the Corps of Cadets at West Point New York on June 28, 2019. (US Army photo by Tarnish Pride).
U.S. Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER) Soldiers participate in a ceremony honoring ARCYBER's 10th anniversary, in Winship Hall at Fort Gordon, Ga., Oct. 1, 2020. The ceremony was one of three simultaneous events honoring the anniversary of ARCYBER's activation on Oct. 1, 2010 The other two celebrations were conducted at ARCYBER's facilities at Fort Belvoir, Va., and in the command's new headquarters in Fortitude Hall on Fort Gordon. For more on ARCYBER's commemoration and links to videos, photos and articles on the command's history and accomplishments, go to www.army.mil/article/239565 (Photo by Staff Sgt. John Portela)
Col. Gavin Marks, 55th Wing commander, and Col. Eric Paulson stand during the 55th Operations Group change of command ceremony at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., July 31, 2020. The 55th OG is the largest operations group in the Air Force with 11 squadrons and two detachments around the world. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jessica Montano)
Kabal of the Pallid Sun Command Venom designed to carry the Archon with his Incubi retinue. Armed with two splinter cannons.
WHEELER ARMY AIRFIELD, Hawaii - Lt. Col. Aaron Martin, 2nd
Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment Commander, discussing Apache systems' status and battlefield awareness with Admiral Harry Harris, Commander, U.S. Pacific Command before his AH-64 Apache flight, Nov. 9, 2016 (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Heba Bullock).
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As the descending sun blankets Castle Destro with its golden light, General Maximus shows no hesitation at news of the discovery of the outbreak. Venomous Maximus immediately grabs the infected Grenadier Trooper by the throat with his own mutated arm and snaps his neck, dropping him to the floor as he gives his next command.
Venomous Maximus: Equip all unit with biohazard masks. Prepare Annihilator units to monitor all teams on the perimeter with orders to shoot to kill anyone suspected of infection effective immediately.
The Iron Grenadiers that delivered the new to their General do not make the mistake of revealing their surprise at the spontaneous execution of one of their own soldiers and snap to attention.
Iron Grenadiers: Yes sir!
RODRIGUEZ LIVE FIRE COMPLEX, South Korea (Feb. 5, 2015) - A Bradley Fighting Vehicle, from B Company, 3rd Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, fires its main gun at targets at Rodriguez Live Fire Complex. Bradley and M1A2 Abrams tank crews from 3-8 Cav. conducted gunnery skills training to ensure unit readiness before rotating out this summer. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. Samuel Northrup, 1ABCT)
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Lt. Gen. Darryl A. Williams assumed command as the 60th Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Lt. Gen. Darryl A. Williams assumed command as the 60th Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan (June 22, 2016) - U.S. Air Force Col. Timothy Sundvall (left), the commander of the 35th Fighter Wing, and Japan Air Self-Defense Force Lt. Col. Mikio Kobayashi, the commander of the 3rd Fighter Squadron, give the "thumbs-up" in an F-2A at Misawa Air Base. Maj Gen Koji Imaki, the commander of the 3rd Air Wing, invited Sundvall to fly in an F-2A with the 3rd FS, giving him the unique opportunity to see firsthand how his bilateral counterparts operate in their day-to-day mission. (Photo by Senior Airman Brittany A. Chase) 160622-F-BM568-029
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The Isle of Mull is the second-largest island of the Inner Hebrides (after Skye) and lies off the west coast of Scotland in the council area of Argyll and Bute.
Covering 875.35 square kilometres (338 sq mi), Mull is the fourth-largest island in Scotland and Great Britain. From 2001 to 2020, the population has gradually increased: during 2020 the populace was estimated to be 3,000, in the 2011 census it was approximately 2,800, and in 2001, it was measured at 2,667 people. It has the eighth largest Island population in Scotland. In the summer, these numbers are augmented by an influx of many tourists. Much of the year-round population lives in the colourful main settlement of Tobermory.
There are two distilleries on the island: the Tobermory distillery, formerly named Ledaig, produces single malt Scotch whisky and another, opened in 2019 and located in the vicinity of Tiroran, which produces Whitetail Gin. Mull is host to numerous sports competitions, notably the Highland Games competition, held annually in July. The isle is home to four castles, including the towering keep of Moy Castle. On the south coast, a stone circle is located in the settlement of Lochbuie.
The Isle of Mull has probably been inhabited since shortly after the end of the last Ice Age, around 11,000 years ago. This is evidenced by radiocarbon dating done in a mesolithic hut at Crieth Dubh on the northwest coast of the island. Later, Bronze Age and Iron Age inhabitants built brochs at Dun Nan Gall and An Sean Chaisteal, and a stone circle at Lochbuie along with numerous burial cairns. Two crannogs there have been dated to the Iron Age.
In the 6th century AD, Irish migrants invaded Mull and the surrounding coast and established the Gaelic kingdom of Dál Riata. The kingdom was divided into a number of regions, each controlled by a different kinship group one of these, the Cenél Loairn, controlled Mull and the adjacent mainland to the east.
Dál Riata was a springboard for the Christianisation of the mainland; the pivotal point was in AD 563, when Columba, an Irish missionary, arrived on the island of Iona – just off the southwest point of Mull – and founded a monastery there from which to start evangelising the local population.
In the 9th century, Viking invasions led to the destruction of Dál Riata and its replacement by the Norse Kingdom of the Isles, which became part of the kingdom of Norway following Norwegian unification around 872. The Kingdom of the Isles was much more extensive than Dál Riata, encompassing also the Outer Hebrides and Skye. The island kingdom became known as the Suðreyjar, meaning southern isles in Old Norse. The former lands of Dál Riata acquired the geographic description "Argyle" (now "Argyll"): the Gaelic coast.
In the late 11th century, Magnus Barefoot, the Norwegian king, launched a military campaign which in 1098 led the king of Scotland to quitclaim to Magnus all claim of sovereign authority over the territory of the Kingdom of the Isles. However, a coup some 60 years later, led by a Norse-Gael named Somerled, detached the whole of the Suðreyjar from Norway and transformed it into an independent kingdom. After Somerled's death in 1164, nominal Norwegian authority was established, but practical control of the realm was divided between Somerled's sons and the heirs of Somerled's brother-in-law, the Crovan Dynasty. His son Dougall received the former territory of the Cenél Loairn, now known as Lorn, of which Mull formed part.
Meanwhile, the Crovan dynasty had retained the title "king of the Isles" and control of Lewis, Harris, and the Isle of Man. After a few decades, they acknowledged the English kings as their overlords, so Dougall's heirs (the MacDougalls) complained to Haakon, the Norwegian king, and in 1237 were rewarded by the kingship being split; rule of the Hebrides was transferred to the MacDougall line, and they were made the "kings of the Hebrides". They established the twin castles of Aros (in Mull) and Ardtornish (on the mainland, opposite), which together controlled the Sound of Mull.
Throughout the early 13th century, the king of Scots, Alexander II, had aggressively tried to expand his realm into the Suðreyjar, despite Edgar's earlier quitclaim. This led to hostility between Norway and Scotland, which continued under Alexander III. King Haakon IV of Norway died shortly after the indecisive Battle of Largs. In 1266, his more peaceable successor ceded his nominal authority over the Suðreyjar to Alexander III by the Treaty of Perth in return for a very large sum of money. Alexander generally acknowledged the semi-independent authority of Somerled's heirs; the former Suðreyjar had become Scottish crown dependencies rather than parts of Scotland.
At the end of the 13th century, a violent dispute arose over the Scottish kingship between King John Balliol and Robert de Bruys. By then, Somerled's descendants had formed into three families: as well as Dougall's heirs (the MacDougalls), there were also the heirs of his nephew Donald (the MacDonalds) and those of Donald's brother (the MacRory or MacRuairi); the MacDougalls backed Balliol, while the MacDonalds and MacRory backed de Bruys. When Robert I defeated his Scots enemies, including the Comyns and MacDougalls, he declared their lands forfeit, dividing them between his friend, Angus Og Macdonald, Lord of the Isles, and Christina MacRory, King Robert's kinswoman. The latter acquired Lorn and some of the smaller Isles, but Angus Og, who fought beside King Robert at Bannockburn, was given the lion's share: The Isles of Islay, Jura, Gigha, Colonsay and Mull, and the mainland territories of Duror, Glencoe, Ardnamurchan, Lochaber, Morvern and Kintyre. After Bannockburn, Alexander Macdonald, Angus Og’s eldest son, then still alive, was granted Mull and Tiree. Angus Og's younger son John of Islay, became Lord of the Isles after his father's and his elder brother's deaths. He first married Amy MacRuairi of Garmoran, the heiress of the MacRory family, thereby consolidating the remains of Somerled's realm.
In 1354, though in exile and without control of his ancestral lands, John, the MacDougall heir, quitclaimed any rights he had over Mull to the Lord of the Isles. When Robert's son David II became king, he spent some time in English captivity; after his release, in 1357, he restored MacDougall authority over Lorn, effectively cancelling Robert's grant to the MacRory. The 1354 quitclaim, which seems to have been an attempt to ensure peace in just such an eventuality, took automatic effect, splitting Mull from Lorn and making it subject to the Lordship of the Isles.
In 1437, the Lordship was substantially expanded when Alexander, the Lord of the Isles, inherited the rule of Ross maternally. The expansion led the MacDonalds to move their centre of power from Islay to the twin castles of Aros and Ardtornish.
In 1462, the most ambitious of the Lords of the Isles, John MacDonald, struck an alliance with Edward IV of England to conquer Scotland. Civil war in England prevented this from taking effect and from being discovered until 1475, when the English court voluntarily revealed its existence. Calls for forfeiture of the Lordship naturally followed, but they were calmed when John quitclaimed most of his mainland territories. However, John's nephew launched a severe raid on Ross, but it ultimately failed. Within two years of the raid, in 1493, James IV of Scotland declared the Lordship of the Isles forfeit, transforming the realm into an intrinsic part of Scotland rather than a dependency.
Throughout this time, the descendants of the Cenél Loairn retained their identity; they were now the MacLeans. Now that John MacDonald was exiled, James IV restored the authority of the MacLeans over Mull. An earlier chief of the MacLeans had married the daughter of the first Lord of the Isles and received Duart Castle as the dowry; this now became the stronghold of MacLean control of Mull. The cadet branch of the family constructed a tower house at Moy on the southern side of Mull, while the senior branch retained Duart Castle.
Legend has it that the wreck of a Spanish galleon, laden with gold, lies somewhere in the mud at the bottom of Tobermory Bay. By some accounts, the Florencia (or Florida or San Francisco), a ship of the defeated Spanish Armada fleeing the English fleet in 1588, anchored in Tobermory to take on provisions. After a dispute over payment, the ship caught fire and the gunpowder magazine exploded, sinking the vessel. In her hold, reputedly, was £300,000 in gold bullion. Other sources claim the vessel was the San Juan de Sicilia (or San Juan de Baptista), which carried troops, not treasure. According to that account, the island's chief, Lachlan Mor Maclean, struck a deal with the Spanish commander to re-provision and refit the ship in return for military intervention on the side of the MacLeans in their feud with enemies on nearby islands. There have been numerous searches for the wreck and its rumoured treasure from the mid-17th century to the end of the 20th century. No significant treasure has been recovered in Tobermory Bay.
Following the Scottish Reformation, the MacLeans became supporters of Protestantism. By the mid-17th century, they had become promoters of conventicles, opposed to king Charles II's repudiation of the Solemn League and Covenant and supporting acts of civil disobedience. Though personally opposed to persecution of such people, Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll, was specifically ordered by the Scottish privy council to suppress conventicles within his lands, which included Lorn. The atmosphere of hostility soon spread to Mull, where opponents of the conventicles felt emboldened, leading to outbreaks of violence between the two religious factions.
In 1678, Campbell was specifically instructed to seize Mull and suppress both the violence and conventicles. It took Clan Campbell until 1681 to gain possession of the whole island. Campbell took charge of Duart Castle and ejected the MacLean leadership from Mull; they moved to Cairnburgh Castle in the Treshnish Islands off the north-west of Mull. Campbell's own position was somewhat undermined when he instigated Argyll's Rising against the reign of James VII. The loyalty of subsequent Campbell leaders ensured the Campbells retained possession of Duart (it was only after the Campbells sold it, and it had spent a century under other owners, that the MacLeans were able to recover it by purchase). Under Campbell pressure, shrieval authority was established under the sheriff of Argyll, which they controlled.
Following Jacobite insurrections, the Heritable Jurisdictions Act abolished comital authority in Mull and Campbell control of the Argyll sheriffdom; the Campbells could now only assert influence as landlords. Many castles that had been in the hands of the MacLeans (such as Moy) had been slighted by the Campbells or fallen into disrepair, but more comfortable homes were built nearby.
During the 18th century, the island was home to a Gaelic Bard, whom Father Charles MacDonald describes only as "The Mull Satirist." The Satirist is said to have been a vocal enemy of the Jacobite Bard Alasdair Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair and to have attacked the latter in many poems that have survived. When the Jacobite poet converted from the Calvinist Church of Scotland to the Roman Catholic Church, the Mull Satirist accused him of doing so, not out of serious conviction, but to curry favour with the exiled House of Stuart.
In 1773 the island was visited by Samuel Johnson and James Boswell during their tour of the Western Islands. Farming, fishing, and burning seaweed for kelp ash (used in the manufacture of soap and glass) were the main economic activities on the island until the 19th century. Tobermory was built by the British Fisheries Society in 1788 as a planned settlement to support the fishing industry.
The Highland Clearances in the 18th and 19th centuries resulted in people being evicted to make space for sheep and the Highland Potato Famine (1846–1847) encouraged mass emigration. These factors caused the population to decline from 10,000 to less than 4,000 and then to 3,000 by the 20th Century; this had a serious impact on the economy. Despite this, several grand houses were built on Mull in the period, including Torosay Castle.
In 1889, counties were formally created in Scotland on shrieval boundaries by a dedicated Local Government Act; Mull therefore became part of the newly created County of Argyll.
The whole island became a Restricted Area during World War II. The bay at Tobermory became a naval base commanded from HMS Western Isles. The base and the Restricted Area were under Commodore (later Vice Admiral) Sir Gilbert Stephenson, whose strict discipline and ferocious temper earned him the nickname "The Terror of Tobermory". The base was used to train Escort Groups in anti-submarine warfare. 911 ships passed through the base between 1940 and 1945. Following late 20th century reforms, Mull is now part of the wider area of Argyll and Bute.
According to a July 2020 article in Country Life, "The Benmore Estate occupies 32,000 acres of the Isle of Mull" and includes Knock House, a Victorian hunting lodge where tourists can stay. Guests can book rides on the estate boat, the Benmore Lady. Much of the lodge was built by the ninth Duke of Argyll for his wife, one of the daughters of Queen Victoria; they married in 1871. Reports indicate that the Queen stayed there, as did others including Wordsworth, Keats, JM Barrie and Sir Walter Scott.
According to the 2011 Scottish census, the Isle of Mull had a usual residents population of 2,800 with 1,271 households. Including the offshore islands, the population of Mull was 2,996.
In Mull and the adjacent islands Gaelic had been the traditional language since the early Middle Ages. However, the 20th century in particular saw a reduction in the number of speakers, with a significant fall (20%) in Mull after the Second World War. This was associated with strong emigration and abandonment of the language by the younger generation. In the 1951 census only 10 people said they could not speak English.
The following decades saw the beginnings of a revival. Gaelic medium education was introduced in 1996 after a long dispute with the authorities. A Gaelic-medium unit was introduced in Salen Primary School, followed by a second unit at Bunessan Primary School; the language began to be taught in the first two years of secondary school; and Gaelic playgroups were introduced. By 2006 it was found that, though only 10% of the working-age cohort spoke or understood Gaelic, language ability at school age was much higher. There was great local variation in the number of speakers, from around 25% in Craignure (Creag an Iubhair) to 4% in Aros. It has been argued, however, that in terms of language survival, there is reason for optimism in Mull.
There is a small amount of farming, aquaculture, and fishing, and Forestry and Land Scotland has several plantations on the island. Tobermory also has one whisky distillery (Tobermory distillery) and from 2005 to 2009 had a brewery (Isle of Mull Brewing Company). Tiroran is home to the island's other distillery (Whitetail Gin) which was established as the isle's first new distillery in over 220 years in 2019.
Tourism is definitely significant. The economy began to revive when the construction of Craignure Pier in 1964 started to bring tourists. Tourism is now the mainstay of the island's economy. Ecotourism became popular from the 1990s, and the reintroduction of white-tailed eagles in 2005 became a particular ecotourist attraction. The island is one of the few places to see sea eagles; there were at least 22 pairs as of April 2020.
Isle of Mull cheese is Scottish cheddar cheese made from raw cow milk produced on the Isle of Mull.
Apart from traversing the Ross of Mull on the way to Iona, visitors typically spend time in Tobermory, visit Glengorm Castle[citation needed] and then enjoy one of the beaches. One report states that "the south-west holds more white beaches, famous for their pink granite skerries and stunning sunsets, that are also perfect for kayaking". Accommodations for tourists include self-catering holiday cottages, a few hotels, and some campsites.
Tourism was negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020 and into 2021. A September 2020 report stated that "The Highlands and Islands region has been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to date, when compared to Scotland and the UK as a whole". The industry required short-term support for "business survival and recovery" and that was expected to continue as the sector was "severely impacted for as long as physical distancing and travel restrictions". A scheme called Island Equivalent was introduced by the Scottish government in early 2021 to financially assist hospitality and retail businesses "affected by Level 3 coronavirus restrictions". Previous schemes in 2020 included the Strategic Framework Business Fund and the Coronavirus Business Support Fund.
Tobermory – with just over a thousand people, the largest settlement on Mull – is home to the only whisky distillery on the island.
Ferry links to Mull from the mainland include:
The most-used ferry, from Oban to Craignure (approx. 45 minutes),
Kilchoan to Tobermory (approx. 35 minutes)
Lochaline to Fishnish (approx. 15 minutes).
Advance bookings are not required for the Kilchoan or Fishnish ferries; access to those two ferry terminals on the mainland side is via single-track roads.
There are also ferry links from Fionnphort on Mull to the neighbouring island of Iona and from Oskamull to Ulva. In past years there were direct sailings to Oban (calling at Drimnin, Salen, Lochaline, and Craignure), and to Barra, Coll, and Tiree from Tobermory. During the summer there was also a sailing to Staffa and Iona from Oban that called at Tobermory.
Buses
Buses are operated by West Coast Motors Ltd. There are routes from Tobermory to Calgary via Dervaig (Service 494), Tobermory to Craignure via Salen (Service 495), and Craignure to Fionnphort via Bunessan (Service 496). Limited services operate to Lochbuie and Gruline. West Coast Motors also provide guided tours around Mull, Iona, and Staffa, including boat transfers from Oban.
A minibus service also operates seasonally from Craignure to Duart Castle.
There is also a community-run service from Calgary to Salen via Ulva Ferry.
There is a landing strip for private light aircraft near Salen. There was a seaplane that linked Tobermory with Glasgow and Oban. The regular scheduled service terminated in 2009. Loganair operated a scheduled service to Glasgow in the 1960s from Glenforsa airfield, a 780-metre-long (2,560 ft) grass airstrip constructed by the Royal Engineers in 1965 near Salen. The airstrip has been operated since 2014 by Brendan and Allison Walsh, owners of the adjacent Glenforsa Hotel.
Tourist railway
The Isle of Mull Railway ran from Craignure to Torosay Castle but closed in 2011.
There is one secondary school on the island (Tobermory High School) and six primary schools. Salen Primary School has a Gaelic medium education unit. Secondary pupils (age 11–18) from Iona, Bunessan and Fionnphort in the south-west attend Oban High School, staying in an Oban hostel from Monday to Thursday.
Mull was connected to the mainland by a submarine telegraph cable between Oban and Grass Point in 1871. There were telegraph offices at Tobermory, Dervaig, Calgary, Craignure, Pennyghael, Tiroran, Fionnphort, Bunessan, and Iona.
The Post Office built an experimental wireless telegraph station on Meall an Inbhire near Tobermory in 1892.
In 2014, fibre optic cables for support of high speed internet were laid between Kilchoan (in Ardnamurchan) and Tobermory and between Dunstaffnage (near Oban) and Torosay. In February 2015 additional cables were laid underground between Tobermory and Torosay to complete the link.
AM radio, broadcast from Oban, came to the island in 1930 and television in 1954. New AM radio and UHF television transmitters were constructed on Druim Mòr, one mile (1.6 km) west of Torosay Castle, in 1978. Digital transmissions commenced on 15 November 1998 and analogue transmissions ceased on 27 October 2010. The digital transmitters have 22 relays on Mull, surrounding islands, and parts of the mainland, collectively the Torosay Transmitter Group.
Mull Theatre is a professional theatre company based in a 2008 theatre production centre on the outskirts of Tobermory. The company commissions plays, tours throughout Scotland and beyond, and runs an education and outreach programme. It started at the "Mull Little Theatre" at Dervaig in 1966 and was the "Smallest Professional Theatre in the World" according to the Guinness World Records. The National Theatre of Scotland were in residence at the Mull Theatre in April 2009.
An Tobar ("The Well"), based in Tobermory, is the only publicly funded multidisciplinary arts centre in Argyll. Established in 1997, it is a centre for visual arts, crafts and music. With effect from 1 April 2013, An Tobar and the Mull Theatre were brought together as Comar.
The Isle of Mull is a popular destination for naturalists and photographers for seeing some of Britain's more elusive species.
Mull has over 800 species of vascular plant (684 native and 171 naturalised) including 33 species of fern, at least 18 species of orchid and 22 native species of tree. There are about 700 species of lichen, 571 liverworts and mosses, and 247 marine algae (seaweeds), making a total of 2,388 species of plant recorded from the island. In addition, more than 2,000 species of fungi have been recorded on Mull: Dennis and Watling write, "When one speaks of the Inner Hebridean fungi one is referring to the floras of Mull and Rhum".
The island has 261 different bird species, including the white-tailed eagle, which was reintroduced to the nearby island of Rùm and migrated to Mull, where it now has a stronghold. Basking sharks, minke whales, porpoises, and dolphins are among the sea life nearby.
The island is home to a population of otters that live in coastal habitat, hunting during the day. The Mull Otter Group was established for the conservation needs of otters on the Isle of Mull.
The island also has several birds of prey, such as hen harriers, golden eagles, and short eared owls, all difficult species to see throughout the rest of the UK. Pine martens have also recently become established on Mull; based on sighting records and from resulting modelling exercises, it is believed the species arrived in 2004 through accidental transportation on timber boats from the mainland. It is unlikely that pine martens have ever been native to the Isle of Mull.
The Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust was established in 1994 and is a marine conservation charity that takes action through community based research and education. The Trust carries out long-term monitoring programmes on cetaceans in the Hebrides, by collating sightings reported by the public and running live-aboard research expeditions on their sailing yacht, Silurian. The Trust covers the west coast of Scotland, and is based in Tobermory, where it has its main office, Discovery Centre and the mooring of their research vessel.
There are also a number of invasive species on the island, including plant species such as Japanese knotweed and animals such as feral cats and American mink that are believed to be causing damage to the indigenous species populations through competition and predation.
Lochdon Free Church, built in 1852
The Tour of Mull is a road-closing rally around the island every October. It has been sponsored since 2005 by Tunnock's, the Lanarkshire teacake and biscuit manufacturer. A five-year sponsorship deal with Beatson's Building Supplies started in 2015.
There are several shipwrecks around the shores that offer scuba diving.
There is an Isle of Mull Cycling Club.
The Cross at the Castle cyclocross event is held annually at Glengorm Castle near Tobermory and features the World Santacross Championships and the Scottish Singlespeed Cylocross Championships.
Mull Runners organise a half marathon and 10K run each August between Craignure and Salen.
Rugby is played at Garmony (beside the Craignure to Salen road 6+1⁄2 mi or 10.5 km north of Craignure). The Mull Rugby 7s Competition takes place annually in May at The Isle of Mull R.F.C's rugby club.
There are golf courses at Tobermory (Erray Park), Craignure (beside the Craignure to Salen road 1 mi or 1.5 km north of Craignure) and on Iona.
Mull Highland Games are held each July in the grounds of Tobermory Golf Club (Erray Park). Events include Heavy Weights, Light Field, and Highland Dance.
The swimming pool at the Isle of Mull Hotel, Craignure is open to the paying public.
Tobermory has some free tennis courts.
Football is played, mainly in the south end. Bunessan F.C. play a number of games during the summer, most notably against arch rivals Iona FC, the island just off the south west end. Bunessan F.C. also hold an annual 5-a-side tournament in July.
Following research and community consultation in 1996/97, a development trust was created to identify key goals for the communities of Mull and Iona. Mull & Iona Community Trust was formed in 1997 and published a "Community Regeneration Strategy" for the islands. They purchased the only butcher's shop on the island (closed February 2010), created a community-run Countryside Ranger service, instigated various recycling initiatives, and provide a fundraising and training consultancy.
Martyn Bennett (1971–2005), Canadian-Scottish musician, lived on Mull, buried in Calgary Bay cemetery
Peter Bonetti, (1941–2020), English footballer (goalkeeper)
Major General Colin Gubbins, head of Special Operations Executive during World War II
Duncan Livingstone (1877–1964) Scottish Gaelic Bard, born at Torloisk, emigrated to South Africa in 1903. Continued to write Gaelic verse in Pretoria until his death.
Agnes Maxwell MacLeod (1783–1879) poet and minister's wife
Colin MacIntyre (b. 1971), Scottish musician who frequently goes under the name "Mull Historical Society"
Margaret McKellar (1861–1941), medical missionary
John McLean (1799–1890), Canadian-Scottish explorer and one of the chief traders of the Hudson's Bay Company
Norman Maclean (1902–1990), acclaimed Scottish-American author from Missoula, Montana, who explored the alcoholism and gambling addictions of his ancestors, Scottish Gaelic-speaking Presbyterians on the Isle, in the 1976 novella A River Runs Through It and Other Stories
Mary Macleod, 17th-century poet said to have been banished to Mull
Lachlan Macquarie, (1762–1824), Governor of New South Wales, born on the nearby island of Ulva[
The Commander of the 2nd Canadian Division (2nd Div CA), Brigadier-General Jean-Marc Lanthier presents the new badge to the representatives of the Command Team of the 2 Div CA ceremony presenting the new divisional patch held at the Montreal Garrison Friday, May 16, 2014.
The symbolic handover of the blue patch results from the Canadian Government decision in 2013 to restore the historical aspects of the Canadian Army, and the reintroduction of the Divisional nomenclature and division badges. The restoration of the historical identity of the Canadian Army strengthens the link between today's military and generations of fighters who came before them.
Photo par: Caporal Louis Brunet, Section d'imagerie St-Jean/Montréal
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Le Commandant de la 2e Division du Canada (2 Div CA), le Brigadier général Jean-Marc Lanthier remet le nouvel écusson aux représentants de l'équipe de commandement de la 2e Div CA lors de la cérémonie de remise de l’écusson qui s’est tenue à la garnison de Montréal le vendredi 16 mai 2014.
Cette remise symbolique de l’écusson de couleur bleue découle de la décision du gouvernement du Canada en 2013 de rétablir des aspects historiques de l’Armée canadienne, ainsi que la réinstauration de la nomenclature divisionnaire et des écussons de division. Le rétablissement de l’identité historique de l’Armée canadienne renforce le lien qui existe entre les militaires d’aujourd’hui et les générations de combattants qui les ont précédés.
Photo par: Caporal Louis Brunet, Section d'imagerie St-Jean/Montréal
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TOKYO BAY (May 8, 2015) - USS Houston (SSN 713) transits Tokyo Bay en route to Fleet Activities Yokosuka for a port visit as part of the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine's Western Pacific deployment. Houston is capable of supporting a multitude of missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, naval special warfare involving special operations forces, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, irregular warfare and mine warfare. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Brian G. Reynolds) 150508-N-ED185-008
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on the 23rd of June 2023, the Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum (JFCBS) celebrated the 70th Anniversary of being a HQ within NATO. Special guest inclueded the Commander of JFCBS, General Guglielmo Luigi Miglietta, the Chief of Staff from NATO's SHAPE, Admiral Joachim Rühle, The Mayor of Brunssum, Ms Wilma van der Rijt and many ambassadors. After the Ceremony the German band gathered at the open air theatre in Brunssum and preformed a small concert for JFCBS and the local community. - Photo: WO Samantha Crowe, CAF Imagery Technician, Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum, Military Public Affairs.
SOUTH CHINA SEA (June 2, 2015) - Sailors assigned to Surface Warfare Mission Package, Detachment 4, currently embarked aboard the littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3), enter the waterborne mission zone in an 11-meter rigid hull inflatable boat after a visit, board, search and seizure drill. Currently on a 16-month rotational deployment in support of the Indo-Asia-Pacific Rebalance, Fort Worth is a fast and agile warship tailor-made to patrol the region's littorals and work hull-to-hull with partner navies, providing 7th Fleet with the flexible capabilities it needs now and in the future. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joe Bishop/Released) 150602-N-MK881-295
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U.S. Marines with Lima Company, Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, compete in an ultimate football game aboard Marine Corps Base, Hawaii, May 19, 2015. The Marines with the 15th MEU are currently on a seven-month deployment through the Pacific and Central Command areas. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Elize McKelvey/Released)
Soldiers, friends, and familiy members attend a retirement ceremony for U.S. Army National Guard Command Sgt. Maj. Bruce E Langenhuizen, 351st Aviation Support Battalion, 59th Aviation Troop Command, on Feb. 7, 2021, at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, South Carolina. Command Sgt. Maj. Langenhuizen will retire on March 3, 2021, after 38 years of military service. (U.S. Army National Guard photo Sgt. 1st Class Roby Di Giovine, South Carolina National Guard)
Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch, commander of the U.S. Army Installation Management Command and Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management, recognized nine Army Civilians for exemplary leadership and performance April 20.
The U.S. Army Installation Management Command Stalwart Awards recognize individuals who distinguish themselves among their peers and supervisors as outstanding IMCOM Soldiers and Civilians.
"You all are the future of IMCOM," said Lynch. "You have been recognized by IMCOM leaders as the best of the best."
Lynch, Katherine Hammack, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and the Environment, and IMCOM Command Sgt. Maj. Neil Ciotola awarded each Stalwart a medallion during a midday general session at the U.S. Army Installation Management Symposium in San Antonio.
Wanda Stover received the Stalwart Award for the IMCOM Europe Region. Stover, supervisor of the alcohol and drug abuse control program for U.S. Army Garrison Grafenwoehr, Germany, was cited for exceeding expectations and striving to improve the quality of life for Soldiers and their Families.
Other nominees from IMCOM-Europe were Ron Joseph, director of human resources, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, and Jan Meert, director, Army Community Service, Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation, Wiesbaden, Germany.
Dawn Jones, administrative officer for the Camp Humphreys Department of Public Works, received the Stalwart Award for the IMCOM Korea Region. The award cited Jones' high standards and commitment to Soldiers, Civilians and Families.
Also nominated from IMCOM-Korea was James North, supervisor and strategic planning specialist in the USAG Yongsan Plans, Analysis and Integration Office.
Martin Venturo, acting Deputy to the Garrison Commander and director of the Resource Management and Plans, Analysis and Integration offices for Fort Monmouth, N.J., took the Stalwart Award for the IMCOM Northeast Region. Venturo received recognition for his ability and leadership while taking on many additional responsibilities.
Also nominated from IMCOM-Northeast was Carrie Mead, chief of the Plans, Analysis and Integration Office for Detroit Arsenal, Mich. Douglas Farrington, fire inspector for Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., received a posthumous nomination.
Dennis Drake, supervisory public affairs specialist for Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, won the Stalwart Award for the IMCOM Pacific Region. Leadership, resourcefullness, skills and attitude made significant contributions to the garrison's public affairs mission, according to the award citation.
Also nominated from IMCOM-Pacific were Brenda Braswell, supervisor and equal opportunity specialist for USAG Japan, and Michael Meeks, director of public works for Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
Leo Stolfi, supervisory emergency services manger for Fort Polk, La., was named Stalwart Award winner for the IMCOM Southeast Region. Stolfi was cited for dedication, perseverance, performance and serving as a role model for others.
Other IMCOM-Southeast nominees were Melinda Jo Berry, budget analyst for the Resource Management Office at Fort Gordon, Ga., and William Leyh, director of plans, training, mobilization and security for Fort Rucker, Ga. Ted Freeman, Army Substance Abuse Program manager for Fort Riley, Kansas, received the Stalwart Award for the IMCOM West Region. Through Freeman's persistence, Fort Riley was the first Army installation to develop a "Save a Soldiers Life" program by installing a computerized DUI simulator. Fort Riley is the only installation to develop a battalion-level breath-testing program.
Also nominated from IMCOM-West were Daniel Dougherty, motor transport officer at Fort Hood, Texas, and Gregory Harrell, supervisor and air traffic control specialist at Fort Huachuca, Ariz.
Shaunya Murrill, chief of the Outreach and Strategic Integration Division, Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command, Alexandria, Va, won the FMWRC Stalwart Award. Murrill made it possible to extend standardized programs and services to Soldiers and Families of the Total Army, both in the communities where they live and to the geographically dispersed.
Pratya Siriwat, operations officer in the U.S. Army Environmental Command Mission Integration Cell won the USAEC Stalwart Award. Siriwat's leadership enabled the successful relocation of the USAEC Headquarters and more than 60 percent of the command's staff from Aberdeen to San Antonio.
Kathy Aydt, chief of strategic communications for IMCOM, received the Stalwart Award for headquarters and region staff. Aydt initiated, spearheaded, and implemented an enterprise-wide campaign that resulted in the creation of a new installation management logo. She works to ensure strategic communications staff members embed imcom values in every message transmitted to internal and external customers, key stakeholders, congress, and the army family.
Also nominated were Jerry Bennett, operations specialist in the Northeast Region Operations Division, Jonathan Hunter, chief of the Southeast Region Installation Support Team at Fort McPherson, Ga., Gordon Hurd, chief of the Budget Execution and Integration Branch for Europe Region, Primasita Seery, supervisory logistics management specialist for the Pacific Region, Jerry Vesey, general engineer for IMCOM West Region.
ABOUT the U.S. Army Installation Management Community:
IMCOM handles the day-to-day operations of U.S. Army installations around the globe - We are the Army's Home. Army installations are communities that provide many of the same types of services expected from any small city. Fire, police, public works, housing, and child-care are just some of the things IMCOM does in Army communities every day. We endeavor to provide a quality of life for Soldiers, Civilians and Families commensurate with their service. Our professional workforce strives to deliver on the commitments of the Army Family Covenant, honor the sacrifices of military Families, and enable the Army Force Generation cycle. Our Mission: Our mission is to provide Soldiers, Civilians and their Families with a quality of life commensurate with the quality of their service. Our Vision: Army installations are the Department of Defense standard for infrastructure quality and are the provider of consistent, quality services that are a force multiplier in supported organizations' mission accomplishment, and materially enhance Soldier, Civilian and Family well-being and readiness.
To learn more about IMCOM:
Homepage: www.army.mil/imcom
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USMA receives Colonel (P) Buzzard as the new Commandant for the Corps of Cadets at West Point New York on June 28, 2019. (US Army photo by Tarnish Pride).
Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Spaulding took responsibility of the 2-300th Field Artillery Battalion on April 16, 2021 (U.S. Army National Guard photo by 2nd Lt. Jamie Bridenstine)
Shut off the engine.
Everybody leaves the car.
Line up in front of the car with your hands on your head.
"Any questions on using this sign?"
A colleague of mine raised his hand and asked:
"What if the persons in question are illiterate...?"
The immediate response was:
"That could prove to be unlucky. For them."
PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. -- Col. Rex A. Berggren relinquished command of the California Medical Detachment to Lt. Col. Bill A. Soliz during a ceremony on Presidio’s Soldier Field June 4. The detachment, better known as CALMED, operates the Presidio of Monterey Army Health Clinic for service members assigned to the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language and the Naval Postgraduate School.
The ceremony was officiated by Col. Ramona Fiorey, commander of Madigan Army Medical Center at Joint Base Lewis-McCord, Washington. Madigan is the support organization for the clinic at the Presidio. Prior to the ceremony, Fiorey presented CALMED with a flag for achieving the Safety Occupational Health Star Strong Award, the first one awarded within the Army Western Regional Medical Command.
Official Presidio of Monterey Web site
Official Presidio of Monterey Facebook
PHOTO by Steven L. Shepard, Presidio of Monterey Public Affairs.
SAIPAN HARBOR, Saipan (Aug. 12, 2015) - Marines attached to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (31st MEU) stage vehicles in front of the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) during disaster relief efforts in Saipan after Typhoon Soudelor. The 31st MEU is embarked aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) and are on patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class David A. Cox/Released) 150812-N-KM939-099
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USMA receives Colonel (P) Buzzard as the new Commandant for the Corps of Cadets at West Point New York on June 28, 2019. (US Army photo by Tarnish Pride).
POHANG, South Korea (Mar. 17, 2017) - Republic of Korea Marines (ROK) with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, head down the runway toward the CH-47 Helicopter during Korea Marine Exercise Program (KMEP) 17-6, near Camp Mujuk, ROK. KMEP 17-6 seeks to maximize interoperability between U.S. Marine and Republic of Korea Marine Corps ground forces, to include Tanks, Amphibious Assault Vehicles, and Reconnaissance units. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Anthony Morales) 170317-M-PB788-0041
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PHOTO CAPTION: Installation Management Command-Korea commander Brig. Gen. John Uberti and his senior noncommissioned officer, Command Sgt. Maj. Kevin Witt made a Fire Prevention and Safety public service announcement March 4 that will air on the American Forces Network-Korea to spread the word about fire safety.
YONGSAN GARRISON, Republic of Korea - Installation Management Command-Korea commander Brig. Gen. John Uberti and his senior noncommissioned officer, Command Sgt. Maj. Kevin Witt made a public service announcement March 4 that will air on the American Forces Network-Korea to spread the word about fire safety.
"The purpose of today's public service announcement is to increase community awareness, "Uberti said before the shoot. " We've had several structure fires on Army installations across the peninsula and by sheer luck we haven't lost any lives, but there's been a significant loss of property and damage to equipment."
The segment took stage at a badly damaged local family house to build awareness of the damage that can occur in a fire and emphasize fire safety.
"We just want to make sure that people are doing the things that they need to do to ensure that their environments are safe - Not overloading electrical outlets, making sure meals at home aren't unattended on the stove and making sure we properly extinguish candles when they're not being used."
There have been four fires in the past three months throughout installations across the region and the shoot was at one of the actual sites. A mach scenario was used for the PSA but the situation was real.
"It's very important that we get the word out about fire safety," Witt said. "We've had a rash of fires and we have really got to get the word out."
IMCOM-Korea is responsible for structures across the peninsula and Uberti said fire safety is a key concern. "This includes Soldiers' barracks, Army family housing, all of the office buildings that people work in - So again, we need everybody's help to ensure that the places they live and work in are safe."
U.S. Army Photo by Debbie Hong
Cleared for Public Release
U.S. Army Africa photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Davis
U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) hosted its second annual C4ISR Senior Leaders Conference Feb. 2-4 at Caserma Ederle, headquarters of U.S. Army Africa, in Vicenza, Italy.
The communications and intelligence community event, hosted by Brig. Gen. Robert Ferrell, AFRICOM C4 director, drew approximately 80 senior leaders from diverse U.S. military and government branches and agencies, as well as representatives of African nations and the African Union.
“The conference is a combination of our U.S. AFRICOM C4 systems and intel directorate,” said Ferrell. “We come together annually to bring the team together to work on common goals to work on throughout the year. The team consists of our coalition partners as well as our inter-agency partners, as well as our components and U.S. AFRICOM staff.”
The conference focused on updates from participants, and on assessing the present state and goals of coalition partners in Africa, he said.
“The theme for our conference is ‘Delivering Capabilities to a Joint Information Environment,’ and we see it as a joint and combined team ... working together, side by side, to promote peace and stability there on the African continent,” Ferrell said.
Three goals of this year’s conference were to strengthen the team, assess priorities across the board, and get a better fix on the impact that the establishment of the U.S. Cyber Command will have on all members’ efforts in the future, he said.
“With the stand-up of U.S. Cyber Command, it brings a lot of unique challenges that we as a team need to talk through to ensure that our information is protected at all times,” Ferrell said.
African Union (AU) representatives from four broad geographic regions of Africa attended, which generated a holistic perspective on needs and requirements from across the continent, he said.
“We have members from the African Union headquarters that is located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; we have members that are from Uganda; from Zambia; from Ghana; and also from the Congo. What are the gaps, what are the things that we kind of need to assist with as we move forward on our engagements on the African continent?” Ferrell said.
U.S. Army Africa Commander, Maj. Gen. David R. Hogg, welcomed participants as the conference got under way.
“We’re absolutely delighted to be the host for this conference, and we hope that this week you get a whole lot out of it,” said Hogg.
He took the opportunity to address the participants not only as their host, but from the perspective of a customer whose missions depend on the results of their efforts to support commanders in the field.
“When we’re talking about this group of folks that are here — from the joint side, from our African partners, from State, all those folks — it’s about partnership and interoperability. And every commander who’s ever had to fight in a combined environment understands that interoperability is the thing that absolutely slaps you upside the head,” Hogg said.
“We’re in the early stages of the process here of working with the African Union and the other partners, and you have an opportunity to design this from the end state, versus just building a bunch of ‘gunkulators.’ And so, the message is: think about what the end state is supposed to look like and construct the strategy to support the end state.
“Look at where we want to be at and design it that way,” Hogg said.
He also admonished participants to consider the second- and third-order effects of their choices in designing networks.
“With that said, over the next four days, I hope this conference works very well for you. If there’s anything we can do to make your stay better, please let us know,” Hogg said.
Over the following three days, participants engaged in a steady stream of briefings and presentations focused on systems, missions and updates from the field.
Col. Joseph W. Angyal, director of U.S. Army Africa G-6, gave an overview of operations and issues that focused on fundamentals, the emergence of regional accords as a way forward, and the evolution of a joint network enterprise that would serve all interested parties.
“What we’re trying to do is to work regionally. That’s frankly a challenge, but as we stand up the capability, really for the U.S. government, and work through that, we hope to become more regionally focused,” he said.
He referred to Africa Endeavor, an annual, multi-nation communications exercise, as a test bed for the current state of affairs on the continent, and an aid in itself to future development.
“In order to conduct those exercises, to conduct those security and cooperation events, and to meet contingency missions, we really, from the C4ISR perspective, have five big challenges,” Angyal said.
“You heard General Hogg this morning talk about ‘think about the customer’ — you’ve got to allow me to be able to get access to our data; I’ve got to be able to get to the data where and when I need it; you’ve got to be able to protect it; I have to be able to share it; and then finally, the systems have to be able to work together in order to build that coalition.
“One of the reasons General Ferrell is setting up this joint information enterprise, this joint network enterprise . . . it’s almost like trying to bring together disparate companies or corporations: everyone has their own system, they’ve paid for their own infrastructure, and they have their own policy, even though they support the same major company.
“Now multiply that when you bring in different services, multiply that when you bring in different U.S. government agencies, and then put a layer on top of that with the international partners, and there are lots of policies that are standing in our way.”
The main issue is not a question of technology, he said.
“The boxes are the same — a Cisco router is a Cisco router; Microsoft Exchange server is the same all over the world — but it’s the way that we employ them, and it’s the policies that we apply to it, that really stops us from interoperating, and that’s the challenge we hope to work through with the joint network enterprise.
“And I think that through things like Africa Endeavor and through the joint enterprise network, we’re looking at knocking down some of those policy walls, but at the end of the day they are ours to knock down. Bill Gates did not design a system to work only for the Army or for the Navy — it works for everyone,” Angyal said.
Brig. Gen. Joseph Searyoh, director general of Defense Information Communication Systems, General Headquarters, Ghana Armed Forces, agreed that coordinating policy is fundamental to improving communications with all its implications for a host of operations and missions.
“One would expect that in these modern times there is some kind of mutual engagement, and to build that engagement to be strong, there must be some kind of element of trust. … We have to build some kind of trust to be able to move forward,” said Searyoh.
“Some people may be living in silos of the past, but in the current engagement we need to tell people that we are there with no hidden agenda, no negative hidden agenda, but for the common good of all of us.
“We say that we are in the information age, and I’ve been saying something: that our response should not be optional, but it must be a must, because if you don’t join now, you are going to be left behind.
“So what do we do? We have to get our house in order.
“Why do I say so? We used to operate like this before the information age; now in the information age, how do we operate?
“So, we have to get our house in order and see whether we are aligning ourselves with way things should work now. So, our challenge is to come up with a strategy, see how best we can reorganize our structures, to be able to deliver communications-information systems support for the Ghana Armed Forces,” he said.
Searyoh related that his organization has already accomplished one part of erecting the necessary foundation by establishing an appropriate policy structure.
“What is required now is the implementing level. Currently we have communications on one side, and computers on one side. The lines are blurred — you cannot operate like that, you’ve got to bring them together,” he said.
Building that merged entity to support deployed forces is what he sees as the primary challenge at present.
“Once you get that done you can talk about equipment, you can talk about resources,” Searyoh said. “I look at the current collaboration between the U.S. and the coalition partners taking a new level.”
“The immediate challenges that we have is the interoperability, which I think is one of the things we are also discussing here, interoperability and integration,” said Lt. Col. Kelvin Silomba, African Union-Zambia, Information Technology expert for the Africa Stand-by Force.
“You know that we’ve got five regions in Africa. All these regions, we need to integrate them and bring them together, so the challenge of interoperability in terms of equipment, you know, different tactical equipment that we use, and also in terms of the language barrier — you know, all these regions in Africa you find that they speak different languages — so to bring them together we need to come up with one standard that will make everybody on board and make everybody able to talk to each other,” he said.
“So we have all these challenges. Other than that also, stemming from the background of these African countries, based on the colonization: some of them were French colonized, some of them were British colonized and so on, so you find that when they come up now we’ve adopted some of the procedures based on our former colonial masters, so that is another challenge that is coming on board.”
The partnership with brother African states, with the U.S. government and its military branches, and with other interested collaborators has had a positive influence, said Silomba.
“Oh, it’s great. From the time that I got engaged with U.S. AFRICOM — I started with Africa Endeavor, before I even came to the AU — it is my experience that it is something very, very good.
“I would encourage — I know that there are some member states — I would encourage that all those member states they come on board, all of these regional organizations, that they come on board and support the AFRICOM lead. It is something that is very, very good.
“As for example, the African Union has a lot of support that’s been coming in, technical as well as in terms of knowledge and equipment. So it’s great; it’s good and it’s great,” said Salimba.
Other participant responses to the conference were positive as well.
“The feedback I’ve gotten from every member is that they now know what the red carpet treatment looks like, because USARAF has gone over and above board to make sure the environment, the atmosphere and the actual engagements … are executed to perfection,” said Ferrell. “It’s been very good from a team-building aspect.
“We’ve had very good discussions from members of the African Union, who gave us a very good understanding of the operations that are taking place in the area of Somalia, the challenges with communications, and laid out the gaps and desires of where they see that the U.S. and other coalition partners can kind of improve the capacity there in that area of responsibility.
“We also talked about the AU, as they are expanding their reach to all of the five regions, of how can they have that interoperability and connectivity to each of the regions,” Ferrell said.
“(It’s been) a wealth of knowledge and experts that are here to share in terms of how we can move forward with building capacities and capabilities. Not only for U.S. interests, but more importantly from my perspective, in building capacities and capabilities for our African partners beginning with the Commission at the African Union itself,” said Kevin Warthon, U.S. State Department, peace and security adviser to the African Union.
“I think that General Ferrell has done an absolutely wonderful thing by inviting key African partners to participate in this event so they can share their personal experience from a national, regional and continental perspective,” he said.
Warthon related from his personal experience a vignette of African trust in Providence that he believed carries a pertinent metaphor and message to everyone attending the conference.
“We are not sure what we are going to do tomorrow, but the one thing that I am sure of is that we are able to do something. Don’t know when, don’t know how, but as long as our focus is on our ability to assist and to help to progress a people, that’s really what counts more than anything else,” he said.
“Don’t worry about the timetable; just focus on your ability to make a difference and that’s what that really is all about.
“I see venues such as this as opportunities to make what seems to be the impossible become possible. … This is what this kind of venue does for our African partners.
“We’re doing a wonderful job at building relationships, because that’s where it begins — we have to build relationships to establish trust. That’s why this is so important: building trust through relationships so that we can move forward in the future,” Warthon said.
Conference members took a cultural tour of Venice and visited a traditional winery in the hills above Vicenza before adjourning.
To learn more about U.S. Army Africa visit our official website at www.usaraf.army.mil
Official Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/usarmyafrica
Official YouTube video channel: www.youtube.com/usarmyafrica
SATTAHIP, Thailand (March 28, 2014) Hull Maintenance Technician 2nd Class Brandon Callow, right, shows students from the Mosaic School Program in Thailand, objects produced in the pipe shop onboard the submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40). The students toured various workshops on the ship where Sailors explained more about their occupations and answered any questions. Frank Cable, forward deployed to the island of Guam, conducts maintenance and support of submarines and surface vessels deployed in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility and is currently on a scheduled underway period. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Gabrielle Joyner)
140328-N-WC566-010
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OKINAWA, Japan (Jan. 28, 2022) - U.S. Marines Lance Cpl. Christopher Hartl (left) and Lance Cpl. Austin Hurkmans, both Low Altitude Air Defense gunners with 3d Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, provide surface-to-air defense using the FIM-92 Stinger on Okinawa, Japan, Jan. 28, 2022. The training demonstrates the joint force’s ability to integrate command and control, expand battlefield awareness, and conduct long-range precision strikes as an enduring, stand-in-force. Hartl is a native of Mukilteo, Washington, and Hurkmans is a native of Marquette, Michigan. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Ujian Gosun) 220128-M-TU214-1087
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LAEM CHABANG, Thailand (Feb. 6, 2018) - An amphibious assault vehicle rolls off the ramp of Military Sealift Command's (MSC) large, medium-speed, roll-on/roll-off ship USNS Pililaau (T-AK 304) as Marines of the Offload Preparation Party observe during an offload at the port here in support of Cobra Gold 2018. The USNS Pililaau is part of Maritime Prepositioning Ships Squadron THREE, which consists of a fleet of government-owned ships operated by MSC and is based in the Guam-Saipan area of the Western Pacific Ocean. CG18 is a Thailand and United States co-sponsored exercise conducted annually in the Kingdom of Thailand. (U.S. Navy photo by Grady T. Fontana) 180206-N-IX266-008
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