View allAll Photos Tagged Contingency

Kelly thanks the troops.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – Kelly, a member of the Denver Broncos cheerleading squad, thanks deployed troops for their service and sacrifices during her squad’s performance at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, June 5, 2011. “We may be the Broncos cheerleaders, but before every game we pray for the safety of all of our troops serving overseas,” Kelly said. “So we are your cheerleaders, too.”

(U.S. Army photo by Spc. Andrew Ingram, USD-N PAO)

 

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Airman 1st Class Michael Studley, 818th Global Mobility Readiness Squadron close precision engagement course candidate, takes aim during a stalking exercise on a training range here Oct. 9. Studley and six other candidates were participating in a 621st Contingency Response Wing run, 10-day CPEC indoctrination course to prepare them for the more rigorous 19-day U.S. Air Force CPEC course at Fort Bliss, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres)

As part of Operation United Assistance, the international effort to battle the Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa, the Airmen of the 123rd Contingency Response Group set up and operated a cargo processing hub that ensured the safe and efficient distribution of supplies to battle the disease that ravaged that area of the world.

A U.S. Air Force Airman, part of the Joint Task Force-Port Opening team of the 621st Contingency Response Wing assigned to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., helps to augment airport security along with local security personnel during Operation United Assistance, Oct. 16. The JTF-PO is supporting a comprehensive U.S. government effort led by the U.S Agency for International Development, to support the World Health Organization and other international partners to help the Governments of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone respond to and contain the outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa. (U.S. Army Africa photo by Air Force Staff Sgt. Gustavo Gonzalez/ Released)

U.S. Soldiers, assigned to 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, load tracked vehicles on rail cars at the 7th Army Joint Multinational Training Command's Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany railhead station as part of Combined Resolve III, Oct. 16, 2014. The equipment is part of the European Activity Set (EAS), a battalion-sized set of equipment prepositioned on the Grafenwoehr Training Area to outfit and support U.S. Army forces rotating to Europe for training and contingency missions in support of the U.S. European Command. Combined Resolve III is a U.S. Army Europe-led, multinational exercise at the Joint Multinational Training Command's Hohenfels and Grafenwoehr training areas in Germany. The exercise focuses on maintaining and enhancing interoperability during unified land operations in a decisive action training environment. More at www.eur.army.mil/JMTC/CombinedResolveIII.html. (U.S. Army photo by Visual Information Specialist Gertrud Zach/released)

U.S. Soldiers, assigned to 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, get equipment issued during Exercise Combined Resolve III at Grafenwoehr, Germany, Oct. 6, 2014. The equipment is part of the European Activity Set (EAS), a battalion-sized set of equipment pre-positioned on the Grafenwoehr Training Area to outfit and support U.S. Army forces rotating to Europe for training and contingency missions in support of the U.S. European Command. Combined Resolve III is a U.S. Army Europe-led, multi-national exercise at the Joint Multinational Training Command's Hohenfels and Grafenwoehr training areas in Germany. The exercise focuses on maintaining and enhancing interoperability during unified land operations in a decisive action training environment. More at www.eur.army.mil/JMTC/CombinedResolveIII.html. (U.S. Army photo by Visual Information Specialist Gertrud Zach/released)

Pictured: A quick map check.

 

Ten Tors is one of the biggest multi-agency, tri service civil contingency exercises in Britain. It is run by more than nine hundred military personnel - almost all of them Reservists - from all three branches of the Armed Forces, led by the Army’s 43 (Wessex) Brigade with its HQ in Tidworth, Wiltshire.

 

The 54th running of the event this year comes just months after military personnel, including Reservists from the South West , assisted local authorities, the Environment Agency and blue-light services during the floods, carrying out a range of tasks from sandbagging to engineering.

 

As a military exercise Ten Tors provides the Armed Forces with an invaluable opportunity to practice these life-saving civil contingency responsibilities, to enable the military - assisted by the emergency services, including The British Red Cross and the Dartmoor Search and Rescue Group - to be ready to help when they are called upon during a national emergency.

 

Brigadier Piers Hankinson MBE, Director of Ten Tors, is the Commander of 43 (Wessex) Brigade and was the Joint Military Commander for the South West during the flooding.

 

“The severe flooding across parts of the South West earlier this year clearly demonstrates the importance of such training and the ability to react to fast changing conditions and working in a multi-agency tri-service team. It also highlights the way that Reservists, who have wide ranging civilian experience and employment (from plumbers to accountants), train to operate with their regular counterparts under a One-Army ethos.”

 

Ten Tors:

 

As well as a vital high-level military exercise, The Ten Tors Challenge is also one of the biggest outdoors adventure events for young people in Britain today. In all, 2400 youngsters aged between 14 and 19 will take part in Ten Tors, with a further 300 youngsters with physical or educational needs taking part in the Jubilee Challenge.

 

The majority of the teams who enter Ten Tors are from schools and youth groups from Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire. As usual, scores of scout groups, sports and ramblers teams and Armed Forces cadet units have accepted the challenge and are taking part.

 

Those teenagers taking on the Ten Tors Challenge will trek unaided over 35, 45 or 55 miles of some of the toughest terrain and highest peaks in Southern England relying on their navigational skills and carrying all their food, water, bedding, tents and other essentials as they go.

 

It is a feat they must complete as a team and without any help from adults and they’ll remain entirely self-sufficient during their arduous expeditions, including camping out overnight on the moor.

 

They do it for the challenge; to test themselves against one of the last remaining wildernesses in Britain. What they get in return for their months of hard training and commitment, as well as determination and bravery during the event itself, is an experience they’ll remember forever and the chance to learn a set of skills and values which will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

 

It’s a rite of passage which has played a positive and formative role in shaping the lives of more than a quarter of a million people.

 

NOTE TO DESKS:

MoD release authorised handout images.

All images remain Crown Copyright 2013.

Photo credit to read - Cpl Si Longworth RLC (Phot)

 

Email: simonlongworth@mediaops.army.mod.uk

richardwatt@mediaops.army.mod.uk

shanewilkinson@mediaops.army.mod.uk

 

Si Longworth - 07414 191994

Richard Watt - 07836 515306

Shane Wilkinson - 07901 590723

Spc. Sirlen Arriaza, non-rolling stock clerk, 227th Quartermaster Company, from Indianapolis, Ind., secures a pallet of equipment with metal binding strips at the redistribution property assistance team yard on Contingency Operating Base Adder, Nov. 27.

Transportation and Traffic Management Plan and Program Contingency Engineers during the operation of the Hollywood - Los Angeles Pride for the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Parade Route followed by Do Not Block Intersection signages at Wilcox Avenue, Whitley Avenue, Cherokee Avenue, Las Palmas Avenue, McCadden Place and State Highway Junction Route CA-170 Highland Avenue, Metro Red Line Hollywood Blvd. and Highland Avenue Underground Heavy Rail Subway Station Pedestrian Crosswalk Crossing Mid-Block traffic signal go straight green arrow lights, Orange Drive, Sycamore Avenue and La Brea Avenue intersections traffic signal green yellow red lights, left turn permissive and protected green yellow red arrow lights, pedestrian crosswalk crossing white walking lights and don't walk orange hand lights located at Hollywood in Los Angeles, California 90028.

 

This is the continuous Los Angeles Marathon Stadium to the Sea Route mile number 11.2 (km 18.02) water station drinking booth area and Starting Point of LA Pride LGBT Parade Route Mile 0 - km 0 located at Hollywood Blvd. and Cahuenga Blvd.

 

(Los Angeles Police Department Hollywood Division Patrol Station Number 6, LAPD West Traffic Division Station Number 27, LADOT - Los Angeles Department of Transportation's Parking Enforcement Hollywood Division Agency 54 on 411 North Vermont Avenue in Los Angeles, California 90004-3512, Los Angeles City Council District 13 Office of Councilmember Mitchell O'Farrell transitioning into Hugo Soto-Martinez and Council District 4 Office of Councilwoman Nithya Raman)

BOULDER CITY, NEV. – The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation and representatives from all seven Colorado River Basin states gathered today and signed completed drought contingency plans for the Upper and Lower Colorado River basins at Hoover Dam. These completed plans are designed to reduce risks from ongoing drought and protect the single most important water resource in the western United States.

Pictured: A Royal Marine crewman observes Okehampton Camp from the air.

 

Ten Tors is one of the biggest multi-agency, tri service civil contingency exercises in Britain. It is run by more than nine hundred military personnel - almost all of them Reservists - from all three branches of the Armed Forces, led by the Army’s 43 (Wessex) Brigade with its HQ in Tidworth, Wiltshire.

 

The 54th running of the event this year comes just months after military personnel, including Reservists from the South West , assisted local authorities, the Environment Agency and blue-light services during the floods, carrying out a range of tasks from sandbagging to engineering.

 

As a military exercise Ten Tors provides the Armed Forces with an invaluable opportunity to practice these life-saving civil contingency responsibilities, to enable the military - assisted by the emergency services, including The British Red Cross and the Dartmoor Search and Rescue Group - to be ready to help when they are called upon during a national emergency.

 

Brigadier Piers Hankinson MBE, Director of Ten Tors, is the Commander of 43 (Wessex) Brigade and was the Joint Military Commander for the South West during the flooding.

 

“The severe flooding across parts of the South West earlier this year clearly demonstrates the importance of such training and the ability to react to fast changing conditions and working in a multi-agency tri-service team. It also highlights the way that Reservists, who have wide ranging civilian experience and employment (from plumbers to accountants), train to operate with their regular counterparts under a One-Army ethos.”

 

Ten Tors:

 

As well as a vital high-level military exercise, The Ten Tors Challenge is also one of the biggest outdoors adventure events for young people in Britain today. In all, 2400 youngsters aged between 14 and 19 will take part in Ten Tors, with a further 300 youngsters with physical or educational needs taking part in the Jubilee Challenge.

 

The majority of the teams who enter Ten Tors are from schools and youth groups from Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire. As usual, scores of scout groups, sports and ramblers teams and Armed Forces cadet units have accepted the challenge and are taking part.

 

Those teenagers taking on the Ten Tors Challenge will trek unaided over 35, 45 or 55 miles of some of the toughest terrain and highest peaks in Southern England relying on their navigational skills and carrying all their food, water, bedding, tents and other essentials as they go.

 

It is a feat they must complete as a team and without any help from adults and they’ll remain entirely self-sufficient during their arduous expeditions, including camping out overnight on the moor.

 

They do it for the challenge; to test themselves against one of the last remaining wildernesses in Britain. What they get in return for their months of hard training and commitment, as well as determination and bravery during the event itself, is an experience they’ll remember forever and the chance to learn a set of skills and values which will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

 

It’s a rite of passage which has played a positive and formative role in shaping the lives of more than a quarter of a million people.

 

NOTE TO DESKS:

MoD release authorised handout images.

All images remain Crown Copyright 2013.

Photo credit to read - Cpl Si Longworth RLC (Phot)

 

Email: simonlongworth@mediaops.army.mod.uk

richardwatt@mediaops.army.mod.uk

shanewilkinson@mediaops.army.mod.uk

 

Si Longworth - 07414 191994

Richard Watt - 07836 515306

Shane Wilkinson - 07901 590723

NOVO SELO TRAINING AREA, Bulgaria – Spc. Luke Wilson assist Spc. Mario Cardona with fueling during Contingency Command Post operations. Saber Guardian 2014, hosted by U.S. Army Europe and the Bulgarian Land Forces, is a multinational military exercise involving approximately 700 military personnel from twelve participating nations including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine, Turkey and the U.S., as well as representatives from NATO. The exercise, which runs until April 4, 2014, is designed to strengthen international agency and military partnering while fostering trust and improving interoperability between NATO and partner nations involved in foreign consequence management and peace support operations with U.S. forces. Saber Guardian 2014 is part of the U.S. Army Europe annual training and exercise program and has been planned for since 2013. Last year’s iteration of the training exercise was conducted at the Romanian Land Forces Combat Training Center in Cincu, Romania. The training at Saber Guardian 2014 will reinforce USAREUR commitment to increasing regional flexibility, preserving and enhancing NATO interoperability, and facilitating multinational training. (Photo by Sgt. Brooks Fletcher, U.S. Army Europe Public Affairs)

The ExoMars/TGO mission control team seen in simulation training at ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany, on 15 September. The team were rehearsing reactions to contingency situations that could occur prior to Mars orbit entry, set for 19 October. Credit: ESA

www.usaraf.army.mil

 

U.S. Army Africa supports Burundi's peacekeeping efforts in Somalia

 

By Rick Scavetta, U.S. Army Africa

 

BUJUMBURA, Burundi – When U.S. Army Col. Steve Smith recently joined discussions with Burundian generals about how Burundi conducts peacekeeping efforts in Somalia, he was leading the way for U.S. Army Africa partnerships on the continent.

 

In mid-January, Smith led a team to work with Burundian officers on ways to enhance Burundi’s leadership capacity as their military prepares to deploy its next rotation of peacekeepers to Mogadishu. Smith, of the U.S. Army’s Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute and Lt. Col. Ronald Miller, an Africa expert from U.S. Army Africa headquarters, held discussions with senior Burundian military officers at the Ministry of Defense in Bujumbura.

 

“We discussed the U.S. military’s way of planning for operations at the brigade level, using what we call MDMP, the military decision making process,” Smith said. “We also talked about how U.S. Army officers run a brigade-level command post.”

 

Burundi and Uganda share peacekeeping duties under the African Union Mission in Somalia, an operation designed to stabilize Somalia’s security situation following decades of war and chaos. African peacekeepers in Somalia face daily challenges as they mentor Somalis in security operations and work to counter extremist groups like al-Shabaab.

 

The U.S. Army effort is part of a larger effort by the U.S. government to support Burundi in its peacekeeping efforts, said Brig. Gen. Cyprien Ndikuryio, chief of Burundi’s land forces. The U.S. has helped with training and equipment, followed by these senior leader discussions, he said.

 

“My colleagues and I are senior officers. One of them, or I, could be appointed to higher responsibilities in Somalia’s peacekeeping mission and use what we have learned,” Ndikuryio said.

 

Until now, Burundi’s military planned missions similar to the way Belgian and French militaries work. The Ugandan People’s Defense Force, Burundi’s partner in AMISOM, already employs a planning system that is similar to the U.S. military, Smith said.

 

“It’s incredibly important for Burundi, as they are working alongside other armies using the U.S.-based model, to promote interoperability and overall efficiency,” Smith said.

 

In 2006, Burundi ended its 12-year civil war. Since then, Burundi has made strides toward partnering with its East African neighbors and the United States.

 

In October 2009, Burundian troops took part in Natural Fire 10, a U.S. Army Africa-led humanitarian and civil assistance exercise held in Uganda. During that time, Maj. Gen. William B. Garrett III, commander of U.S. Army Africa, visited Bujumbura to watch Burundian troops undergoing training with the U.S. State Department-led African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance program.

 

Burundian senior leaders then asked U.S. Army Africa to help with a familiarization event on brigade-level peacekeeping operations. Leaders from PKSOI at Carlisle Barracks in Pennsylvania offered their expertise for the event.

 

“This effort in Burundi has been a great opportunity for the U.S. Army to engage with a partner nation’s land forces on the continent,” Smith said. “There’s a tremendous potential here, a great thirst for knowledge.”

 

Smith’s Burundi assignment also benefits PKSOI in their efforts, he said.

 

“I’m taking back with me a better understanding of U.S. Army Africa operations and what’s happening on the ground in Africa,” Smith said. “That knowledge will help PKSOI plan to support future missions.”

 

The talks came at a key time for the Burundian military, as they prepare to deploy a new rotation of peacekeepers to Somali.

 

“This support was very important and effective,” Ndikuryio said. “We appreciate this cooperation with U.S. Army Africa. We hope to interact with the command in the future.”

 

Cleared for public release.

 

Photos by Rick Scavetta, U.S. Army Africa

 

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

 

Ms. Karen Durham-Aguilera, P.E., SES, Director of Contingency Operations and Office of Homeland Security, Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers talks with Eric Williams, Natural Resources Planner with the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District about the new high water mark signs that will be posted in areas such as Omaha, Lincoln, Blair, Plattsmouth, Grand Island, Lewisville, Dannebrog, and Scottsbluff. go.usa.gov/cUx7P

Illinois Department of Natural Resources Chief of Fisheries, Dan Stephenson, viewing sampling efforts in the Chicago Area Waterway System on June 27, 2017. The efforts are part of the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee's Contingency Response Plan triggered by the find of a silver carp 9 miles from Lake Michigan on June 22, 2017.

 

Photo courtesy of Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

BOULDER CITY, NEV. – The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation and representatives from all seven Colorado River Basin states gathered today and signed completed drought contingency plans for the Upper and Lower Colorado River basins at Hoover Dam. These completed plans are designed to reduce risks from ongoing drought and protect the single most important water resource in the western United States.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's paupier net was deployed to the Chicago Area Waterway System in response to the silver carp found 9 miles from Lake Michigan on June 22, 2017. Here it is pictured in Calumet River on June 27, 2017.

 

Image courtesy of Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE WARRIOR, Iraq – Specialist Luz Natalia Gonzalez, a military police Soldier from Providence, R.I., assigned to “Punishers” Provincial Police Transition Team, 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division, conducts security watch on the second floor of the Domies Police Station during a meeting between PPTT leadership and the Domies Police chief in Kirkuk City, Iraq, July 31, 2011.

(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Robert DeDeaux, 1st AATF PAO, 1st Inf. Div., USD – N)

 

Using a medical mannequin, an Army combat medic teaches an Airman to perform a chest needle decompression to treat a chest wound injury July 7, 2011, during a tactical field care exercise at Contingency Operating Site Marez, Iraq. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Terence Ewings)

U.S. Army soldiers scan their sector in search of simulated opposing forces enemies during a Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission rehearsal exercise (MRE) at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) in Hohenfels, Germany, Oct. 1, 2014. The KFOR MRE is based on the current operational environment and is designed to prepare the unit for peace support, stability, and contingency operations in Kosovo in support of civil authorities to maintain a safe and secure environment. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Shardesia Washington/Released)

36th Contingency Response Group Airmen move relief supplies delivered by the Pakistan air force May 8, 2015, at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal. The Nepalese Army and Airmen worked with military members from the Pakistan air force to process cargo from their aircraft arriving in Nepal to provide disaster relief following a magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck the nation April 25. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Melissa White/Released)

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jarrod Blanford, an aerial porter from the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group, removes whole blood from a refrigerated storage unit outside the Joint Operations Center for Joint Task Force-Port Opening Senegal at Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport in Dakar, Senegal, Oct. 22. The blood is being sent to Liberia to support U.S. troops deployed for Operation United Assistance, the U.S. Agency for International Development-led, whole-of-government effort to respond to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Dale Greer)

 

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 Vimeo video channel: www.vimeo.com/usarmyafrica

 

Join the U.S. Army Africa conversation on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ArmyAfrica

Airmen with the 108th Contingency Response Group of the New Jersey Air National Guard train for technical rescue situations at the PATRIOT 2014 exercise at Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center, Wis. July 20, 2014. Several units of the Air National Guard, Army National Guard and Reserve units from various states are working with local, state and national organizations to train on, perform and assess their ability to respond to multiple emergencies. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Jenna V. Lenski/Released)

BOULDER CITY, NEV. – The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation and representatives from all seven Colorado River Basin states gathered today and signed completed drought contingency plans for the Upper and Lower Colorado River basins at Hoover Dam. These completed plans are designed to reduce risks from ongoing drought and protect the single most important water resource in the western United States.

www.usaraf.army.mil

 

U.S. Army Africa supports Burundi's peacekeeping efforts in Somalia

 

By Rick Scavetta, U.S. Army Africa

 

BUJUMBURA, Burundi – When U.S. Army Col. Steve Smith recently joined discussions with Burundian generals about how Burundi conducts peacekeeping efforts in Somalia, he was leading the way for U.S. Army Africa partnerships on the continent.

 

In mid-January, Smith led a team to work with Burundian officers on ways to enhance Burundi’s leadership capacity as their military prepares to deploy its next rotation of peacekeepers to Mogadishu. Smith, of the U.S. Army’s Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute and Lt. Col. Ronald Miller, an Africa expert from U.S. Army Africa headquarters, held discussions with senior Burundian military officers at the Ministry of Defense in Bujumbura.

 

“We discussed the U.S. military’s way of planning for operations at the brigade level, using what we call MDMP, the military decision making process,” Smith said. “We also talked about how U.S. Army officers run a brigade-level command post.”

 

Burundi and Uganda share peacekeeping duties under the African Union Mission in Somalia, an operation designed to stabilize Somalia’s security situation following decades of war and chaos. African peacekeepers in Somalia face daily challenges as they mentor Somalis in security operations and work to counter extremist groups like al-Shabaab.

 

The U.S. Army effort is part of a larger effort by the U.S. government to support Burundi in its peacekeeping efforts, said Brig. Gen. Cyprien Ndikuryio, chief of Burundi’s land forces. The U.S. has helped with training and equipment, followed by these senior leader discussions, he said.

 

“My colleagues and I are senior officers. One of them, or I, could be appointed to higher responsibilities in Somalia’s peacekeeping mission and use what we have learned,” Ndikuryio said.

 

Until now, Burundi’s military planned missions similar to the way Belgian and French militaries work. The Ugandan People’s Defense Force, Burundi’s partner in AMISOM, already employs a planning system that is similar to the U.S. military, Smith said.

 

“It’s incredibly important for Burundi, as they are working alongside other armies using the U.S.-based model, to promote interoperability and overall efficiency,” Smith said.

 

In 2006, Burundi ended its 12-year civil war. Since then, Burundi has made strides toward partnering with its East African neighbors and the United States.

 

In October 2009, Burundian troops took part in Natural Fire 10, a U.S. Army Africa-led humanitarian and civil assistance exercise held in Uganda. During that time, Maj. Gen. William B. Garrett III, commander of U.S. Army Africa, visited Bujumbura to watch Burundian troops undergoing training with the U.S. State Department-led African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance program.

 

Burundian senior leaders then asked U.S. Army Africa to help with a familiarization event on brigade-level peacekeeping operations. Leaders from PKSOI at Carlisle Barracks in Pennsylvania offered their expertise for the event.

 

“This effort in Burundi has been a great opportunity for the U.S. Army to engage with a partner nation’s land forces on the continent,” Smith said. “There’s a tremendous potential here, a great thirst for knowledge.”

 

Smith’s Burundi assignment also benefits PKSOI in their efforts, he said.

 

“I’m taking back with me a better understanding of U.S. Army Africa operations and what’s happening on the ground in Africa,” Smith said. “That knowledge will help PKSOI plan to support future missions.”

 

The talks came at a key time for the Burundian military, as they prepare to deploy a new rotation of peacekeepers to Somali.

 

“This support was very important and effective,” Ndikuryio said. “We appreciate this cooperation with U.S. Army Africa. We hope to interact with the command in the future.”

 

Cleared for public release.

 

Photos by Rick Scavetta, U.S. Army Africa

 

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

 

Capt. Alisha Harvey (right), physical therapy clinic chief, 47th Combat Support Hospital, from Richmond, Va., uses a muscular system diagram as a visual for a soldier after his physical therapy treatment on Contingency Operating Base Adder.

FORT IRWIN, Calif. - U.S. Army Soldiers from 3rd Stryker Cavalry Regiment "Brave Rifles" practice Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC) procedures during Security Forces Assistance Brigade (SFAB) Rotation 14-05 at the National Training Center, March 16, 2014. The live, virtual, and constructive training environment of the NTC produces adaptive leaders and agile forces for the current fight, who are responsive to the unforeseen contingencies of the 21st Century. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Natasha Mackenzie, Operations Group, National Training Center)

The 1919th Contingency Contracting Team leadership Maj. Michael Lowe and Sgt. 1st Class Heidi Sigl address unit and family members as well as senior and state leadership at their send-off ceremony held Nov. 3, 2012, at Bohn Armory in Bismarck, N.D. The 1919th Contingency Contracting Team is scheduled to leave for a year-long deployment to Afghanistan and Qatar next month. (Photo by Spc. Jennifer Joyce, 116th Public Affairs Detachment)

 

For more on the North Dakota National Guard, check out:

Website: www.ndguard.ngb.army.mil

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NDNationalGuard

YouTube: www.youtube.com/NDNationalGuard

Twitter: www.twitter.com/NDNationalGuard

 

Copyright information: www.ndguard.ngb.army.mil/news/pressroom/Pages/Copyright.aspx

 

Artillery aiming for the future with training for Afghanistan and beyond

Regular and Reserve Army units preparing for Afghanistan and for future contingency operations working alongside French military teams.

 

With the restructuring of the Army and a new strategic alliance with the French, training with Regular and Reserves operating alongside French military units will be increasingly important to prepare our troops for future operations. Around 1500 personnel are taking part in the exercise over two weeks, and media will be able to see live firing and the team working between fire support teams and artillery firepower.

 

The Artillery already integrates Reservists into Regular units on operations, and this will become increasingly important as the contribution of the Reserves to our fighting force increases. French Fire Support Teams, who work alongside their infantry units calling in artillery support, will be learning to work with the Royal Artillery to call in heavy firepower from their British allies. Female personnel already work in all areas of the Royal Artillery, and media will be able to meet women playing their part in this vital frontline combat support capability.

 

Units taking part include:

 

7 (Para) RHA based Colchester. Equipped with 105mm Light Gun.

26 Regt RA based Germany. Equipped with AS90.

29 (Cdo) Regt RA based Plymouth. Equipped with 105mm Light Gun.

39 Regt RA based Newcastle. Equipped with MLRS.

47 Regt RA based Thorney Island (Hants). Equipped with Mini UAV.

101 Regt RA(V) based Newcastle. Equipped with 105mm Light Gun.

104 Regt RA based Newport (Wales). Equipped with Desert Hawk 3.

105 Regt RA based Edinburgh. Equipped with 105mm Light Gun.

Pictured: A Royal Marine crewman from 845 Naval Air Squadron calculates essential fuel and weight information during a flight.

 

Ten Tors is one of the biggest multi-agency, tri service civil contingency exercises in Britain. It is run by more than nine hundred military personnel - almost all of them Reservists - from all three branches of the Armed Forces, led by the Army’s 43 (Wessex) Brigade with its HQ in Tidworth, Wiltshire.

 

The 54th running of the event this year comes just months after military personnel, including Reservists from the South West , assisted local authorities, the Environment Agency and blue-light services during the floods, carrying out a range of tasks from sandbagging to engineering.

 

As a military exercise Ten Tors provides the Armed Forces with an invaluable opportunity to practice these life-saving civil contingency responsibilities, to enable the military - assisted by the emergency services, including The British Red Cross and the Dartmoor Search and Rescue Group - to be ready to help when they are called upon during a national emergency.

 

Brigadier Piers Hankinson MBE, Director of Ten Tors, is the Commander of 43 (Wessex) Brigade and was the Joint Military Commander for the South West during the flooding.

 

“The severe flooding across parts of the South West earlier this year clearly demonstrates the importance of such training and the ability to react to fast changing conditions and working in a multi-agency tri-service team. It also highlights the way that Reservists, who have wide ranging civilian experience and employment (from plumbers to accountants), train to operate with their regular counterparts under a One-Army ethos.”

 

Ten Tors:

 

As well as a vital high-level military exercise, The Ten Tors Challenge is also one of the biggest outdoors adventure events for young people in Britain today. In all, 2400 youngsters aged between 14 and 19 will take part in Ten Tors, with a further 300 youngsters with physical or educational needs taking part in the Jubilee Challenge.

 

The majority of the teams who enter Ten Tors are from schools and youth groups from Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire. As usual, scores of scout groups, sports and ramblers teams and Armed Forces cadet units have accepted the challenge and are taking part.

 

Those teenagers taking on the Ten Tors Challenge will trek unaided over 35, 45 or 55 miles of some of the toughest terrain and highest peaks in Southern England relying on their navigational skills and carrying all their food, water, bedding, tents and other essentials as they go.

 

It is a feat they must complete as a team and without any help from adults and they’ll remain entirely self-sufficient during their arduous expeditions, including camping out overnight on the moor.

 

They do it for the challenge; to test themselves against one of the last remaining wildernesses in Britain. What they get in return for their months of hard training and commitment, as well as determination and bravery during the event itself, is an experience they’ll remember forever and the chance to learn a set of skills and values which will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

 

It’s a rite of passage which has played a positive and formative role in shaping the lives of more than a quarter of a million people.

 

NOTE TO DESKS:

MoD release authorised handout images.

All images remain Crown Copyright 2013.

Photo credit to read - Cpl Si Longworth RLC (Phot)

 

Email: simonlongworth@mediaops.army.mod.uk

richardwatt@mediaops.army.mod.uk

shanewilkinson@mediaops.army.mod.uk

 

Si Longworth - 07414 191994

Richard Watt - 07836 515306

Shane Wilkinson - 07901 590723

BOULDER CITY, NEV. – The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation and representatives from all seven Colorado River Basin states gathered today and signed completed drought contingency plans for the Upper and Lower Colorado River basins at Hoover Dam. These completed plans are designed to reduce risks from ongoing drought and protect the single most important water resource in the western United States.

U.S. Soldiers, assigned to 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, get equipment issued during Exercise Combined Resolve III at Grafenwoehr, Germany, Oct. 6, 2014. The equipment is part of the European Activity Set (EAS), a battalion-sized set of equipment pre-positioned on the Grafenwoehr Training Area to outfit and support U.S. Army forces rotating to Europe for training and contingency missions in support of the U.S. European Command. Combined Resolve III is a U.S. Army Europe-led, multi-national exercise at the Joint Multinational Training Command's Hohenfels and Grafenwoehr training areas in Germany. The exercise focuses on maintaining and enhancing interoperability during unified land operations in a decisive action training environment. (U.S. Army photo by Visual Information Specialist Gertrud Zach/released)

Armenian soldiers of Armenian Company, Peacekeeping Brigade conduct fire phobia training during a Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission rehearsal exercise (MRE) at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) in Hohenfels, Germany, Oct. 1, 2014. The KFOR MRE is based on the current operational environment and is designed to prepare the unit for peace support, stability, and contingency operations in Kosovo in support of civil authorities to maintain a safe and secure environment. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Lloyd Villanueva/Released)

By Cpl. Tim Oberle

2nd Combat Aviation Brigade

Public Affairs

 

CAMP HUMPHREYS — A wild card is a poker term that refers to cards designated to be any suit or value the player wishes.

Outside the game of poker, a wild card is generally accepted to refer to anything that is unexpected or has a low level of predictability. Unfortunately, the equivalent to a wild card in the gambit of armed conflict is surprise attacks by enemy forces.

In order to combat or mitigate the effects that a wild card poses, the Army often conducts contingency training, where the leadership keeps the mission secret until the last minute to test Soldiers’ reaction skills, said Lt. Col. Erik Gilbert, the commander of the 2nd Assault Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade.

“Surprise missions are about teaching our leaders and flight crews about how to deal with contingencies, those unexpected things that happen, so that they are prepared if they ever face a similar scenario in battle,” Gilbert said. “Soldiers always show the capability to be resilient, and exercises like this help to instill confidence in their ability to assess and deal with unforeseen situations. The more they find themselves involved in surprise scenarios, the more it will seem routine.”

Involved in the surprise mission, executed on a UH-60 Black Hawk, were Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment and from 2-2.

Of all the Black Hawk crews in the air assault, one was given special instructions to land at Bisung Range rather than continue to the Multipurpose Range Complex near Pocheon with the rest of the helicopters.

“I opened the letter and it said that we had experienced a catastrophic failure and that we were to follow some points in our Global Positioning System to the training area, located at Bisung Range,” said 1st Lt. James Keaton, a 2-2 pilot who flew the mission. “Once on the ground we found out that we had to evade a group of enemy forces and make it safely to a pickup point,” Keaton added. “The infantry Soldiers from 2-9 had no clue what was going on when we shut down in the middle of nowhere. Our flight crew had some idea that something was going on, but the Soldiers from 2-9 Infantry had absolutely no idea. The looks on their face was priceless.”

A group of enemy forces played by members of the Tango Security Force tried to capture the Soldiers once the aircraft landed. Crew members had to rely on training they learned in flight school on how to react to the situation.

“The main idea behind the training is to evade enemy forces for as long as possible so that you can linkup with a rescue team,” Gilbert said. “These skills are necessary because the worst day of evading enemy forces is much better than the best day in captivity. Overall the Soldiers did really well despite the surprise nature of the event.”

Spc. Samuel Lopez, non-rolling stock clerk, 473rd Quartermaster Company, from Tampa, Fla., secures a pallet of equipment with metal binding strips at the redistribution property assistance team yard on Contingency Operating Base Adder, Nov. 27.

Pvt. 1st Class Jon Wallace, 3rd Platoon, 570th Sapper Company, 14th Engineer Battalion, 555th Engineer Brigade uses a fire extinguisher to put out a tire fire, Feb. 15. The fire department offers classes to Army units to ensure that they are well trained in putting out mine resistant ambush protective vehicle fires during convoy operations.

U.S. Soldiers, assigned to 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, load tracked vehicles on rail cars at the 7th Army Joint Multinational Training Command's Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany railhead station as part of Combined Resolve III, Oct. 16, 2014. The equipment is part of the European Activity Set (EAS), a battalion-sized set of equipment prepositioned on the Grafenwoehr Training Area to outfit and support U.S. Army forces rotating to Europe for training and contingency missions in support of the U.S. European Command. Combined Resolve III is a U.S. Army Europe-led, multinational exercise at the Joint Multinational Training Command's Hohenfels and Grafenwoehr training areas in Germany. The exercise focuses on maintaining and enhancing interoperability during unified land operations in a decisive action training environment. More at www.eur.army.mil/JMTC/CombinedResolveIII.html. (U.S. Army photo by Visual Information Specialist Gertrud Zach/released)

(From left) U.S. Army Africa Commander Maj. Gen. Patrick Donahue II and Lt. Col. Kevin C. Saatkamp, Contingency Command Post executive officer provides Nigerian Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika a brief on the capabilities of the USARAF Expeditionary Command Post and Mission Command Training Center, May 8. During the brief, Saatkamp highlighted the Incident Commander’s Radio Interface, which is a commercial off-the-shelf system allowing users to speak via cell phone by FM radio and provide a communications network in Africa. (U.S. Army Africa photo by Mindy Anderson)

 

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 Vimeo video channel: www.vimeo.com/usarmyafrica

 

Join the U.S. Army Africa conversation on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ArmyAfrica

 

PHILIPPINE SEA (March 18, 2017) Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Julessa Heathe, front, from Kingston, Jamaica, and Airman Jovonte Ross, from Bainbridge, Ga., both assigned to crash and salvage crew, search for hot spots during a simulated aircraft fire on the flight deck of amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6). Bonhomme Richard, flagship of the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group, with embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is on a routine patrol, operating in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region to enhance warfighting readiness and posture forward as a ready-response force for any type of contingency. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jeanette Mullinax/Released)

NOVO SELO TRAINING AREA, Bulgaria – Several antennas provide communications to U.S. Army Europe's Contingency Command Post, established as a rapidly deploying, forward command and control element in support of missions directed by USAREUR, during Saber Guardian 2014. This year's exercise is hosted by USAREUR and the Bulgarian Land Forces, is a multinational military exercise involving approximately 700 military personnel from twelve participating nations including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine, Turkey and the U.S., as well as representatives from NATO. The exercise, which runs until April 4, 2014, is designed to strengthen international agency and military partnering while fostering trust and improving interoperability between NATO and partner nations involved in foreign consequence management and peace support operations with U.S. forces. Saber Guardian 2014 is part of the U.S. Army Europe annual training and exercise program and has been planned for since 2013. Last year’s iteration of the training exercise was conducted at the Romanian Land Forces Combat Training Center in Cincu, Romania. The training at Saber Guardian 2014 will reinforce USAREUR commitment to increasing regional flexibility, preserving and enhancing NATO interoperability, and facilitating multinational training. (Photo by Sgt. Brooks Fletcher, U.S. Army Europe Public Affairs)

BOULDER CITY, NEV. – The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation and representatives from all seven Colorado River Basin states gathered today and signed completed drought contingency plans for the Upper and Lower Colorado River basins at Hoover Dam. These completed plans are designed to reduce risks from ongoing drought and protect the single most important water resource in the western United States.

www.usaraf.army.mil

 

U.S. Army Africa supports Burundi's peacekeeping efforts in Somalia

 

By Rick Scavetta, U.S. Army Africa

 

BUJUMBURA, Burundi – When U.S. Army Col. Steve Smith recently joined discussions with Burundian generals about how Burundi conducts peacekeeping efforts in Somalia, he was leading the way for U.S. Army Africa partnerships on the continent.

 

In mid-January, Smith led a team to work with Burundian officers on ways to enhance Burundi’s leadership capacity as their military prepares to deploy its next rotation of peacekeepers to Mogadishu. Smith, of the U.S. Army’s Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute and Lt. Col. Ronald Miller, an Africa expert from U.S. Army Africa headquarters, held discussions with senior Burundian military officers at the Ministry of Defense in Bujumbura.

 

“We discussed the U.S. military’s way of planning for operations at the brigade level, using what we call MDMP, the military decision making process,” Smith said. “We also talked about how U.S. Army officers run a brigade-level command post.”

 

Burundi and Uganda share peacekeeping duties under the African Union Mission in Somalia, an operation designed to stabilize Somalia’s security situation following decades of war and chaos. African peacekeepers in Somalia face daily challenges as they mentor Somalis in security operations and work to counter extremist groups like al-Shabaab.

 

The U.S. Army effort is part of a larger effort by the U.S. government to support Burundi in its peacekeeping efforts, said Brig. Gen. Cyprien Ndikuryio, chief of Burundi’s land forces. The U.S. has helped with training and equipment, followed by these senior leader discussions, he said.

 

“My colleagues and I are senior officers. One of them, or I, could be appointed to higher responsibilities in Somalia’s peacekeeping mission and use what we have learned,” Ndikuryio said.

 

Until now, Burundi’s military planned missions similar to the way Belgian and French militaries work. The Ugandan People’s Defense Force, Burundi’s partner in AMISOM, already employs a planning system that is similar to the U.S. military, Smith said.

 

“It’s incredibly important for Burundi, as they are working alongside other armies using the U.S.-based model, to promote interoperability and overall efficiency,” Smith said.

 

In 2006, Burundi ended its 12-year civil war. Since then, Burundi has made strides toward partnering with its East African neighbors and the United States.

 

In October 2009, Burundian troops took part in Natural Fire 10, a U.S. Army Africa-led humanitarian and civil assistance exercise held in Uganda. During that time, Maj. Gen. William B. Garrett III, commander of U.S. Army Africa, visited Bujumbura to watch Burundian troops undergoing training with the U.S. State Department-led African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance program.

 

Burundian senior leaders then asked U.S. Army Africa to help with a familiarization event on brigade-level peacekeeping operations. Leaders from PKSOI at Carlisle Barracks in Pennsylvania offered their expertise for the event.

 

“This effort in Burundi has been a great opportunity for the U.S. Army to engage with a partner nation’s land forces on the continent,” Smith said. “There’s a tremendous potential here, a great thirst for knowledge.”

 

Smith’s Burundi assignment also benefits PKSOI in their efforts, he said.

 

“I’m taking back with me a better understanding of U.S. Army Africa operations and what’s happening on the ground in Africa,” Smith said. “That knowledge will help PKSOI plan to support future missions.”

 

The talks came at a key time for the Burundian military, as they prepare to deploy a new rotation of peacekeepers to Somali.

 

“This support was very important and effective,” Ndikuryio said. “We appreciate this cooperation with U.S. Army Africa. We hope to interact with the command in the future.”

 

Cleared for public release.

 

Photos by Rick Scavetta, U.S. Army Africa

 

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

 

The Hanukkah Menorah, lit on the final day of the "Festival of Lights." A candle lighting ceremony was held at COB Basra, Dec. 19, 2009, celebrating the holiday.

NOVO SELO TRAINING AREA, Bulgaria – Generators provide power to U.S. Army Europe's Contingency Command Post, established as a rapidly deploying, forward command and control element in support of missions directed by USAREUR, during Saber Guardian 2014. This year's exercise is hosted by USAREUR and the Bulgarian Land Forces, is a multinational military exercise involving approximately 700 military personnel from twelve participating nations including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine, Turkey and the U.S., as well as representatives from NATO. The exercise, which runs until April 4, 2014, is designed to strengthen international agency and military partnering while fostering trust and improving interoperability between NATO and partner nations involved in foreign consequence management and peace support operations with U.S. forces. Saber Guardian 2014 is part of the U.S. Army Europe annual training and exercise program and has been planned for since 2013. Last year’s iteration of the training exercise was conducted at the Romanian Land Forces Combat Training Center in Cincu, Romania. The training at Saber Guardian 2014 will reinforce USAREUR commitment to increasing regional flexibility, preserving and enhancing NATO interoperability, and facilitating multinational training. (Photo by Sgt. Brooks Fletcher, U.S. Army Europe Public Affairs)

An Iraqi Mi-17 helicopter flies in front of the sun over Joint Security Station Salaam, Sept. 7. The Mi-17 is primarily used by the Iraqi air force for transport and security over-watch, according to Capt. Richard Lepine, from Navarre, Fla., assigned to 721st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron.

 

Multi-National Division Baghdad

Photo by Sgt. Joshua Risner

Date: 09.07.2009

Location: Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq

Related Images:http://dvidshub.net/r/54diww

  

NOVO SELO TRAINING AREA, Bulgaria – U.S. Army Europe's Contingency Command Post was established as a rapidly deploying, forward command and control element in support of missions directed by USAREUR. Saber Guardian 2014, hosted by USAREUR and the Bulgarian Land Forces, is a multinational military exercise involving approximately 700 military personnel from twelve participating nations including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine, Turkey and the U.S., as well as representatives from NATO. The exercise, which runs until April 4, 2014, is designed to strengthen international agency and military partnering while fostering trust and improving interoperability between NATO and partner nations involved in foreign consequence management and peace support operations with U.S. forces. Saber Guardian 2014 is part of the U.S. Army Europe annual training and exercise program and has been planned for since 2013. Last year’s iteration of the training exercise was conducted at the Romanian Land Forces Combat Training Center in Cincu, Romania. The training at Saber Guardian 2014 will reinforce USAREUR commitment to increasing regional flexibility, preserving and enhancing NATO interoperability, and facilitating multinational training. (Photo by Sgt. Brooks Fletcher, U.S. Army Europe Public Affairs)

Romanian soldiers of Romanian Company, Intermediate Regional Reserve, 26th Mountain Battalion conduct crowd riot control training during a Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission rehearsal exercise (MRE) at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) in Hohenfels, Germany, Oct. 1, 2014. The KFOR MRE is based on the current operational environment and is designed to prepare the unit for peace support, stability, and contingency operations in Kosovo in support of civil authorities to maintain a safe and secure environment. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Lloyd Villanueva/Released)

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