NOVO SELO TRAINING AREA, Bulgaria – U.S. Army Europe's Contingency Command Post Company Commander Capt. William Shakespeare Jackson Jr. and Detachment Sergeant Sgt. 1st Class James Irwin, hold a Saber Guardian 2014 banner as the unit poses for a photo during this year's exercise. The CCP 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)

Photographer - Cpl Wes Calder RLC

Pictured - A General Purpose Machine Gunner(GPMG) from The 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (1PWRR).

Exercise BAVARIAN CHARGER is the first of three large contingency operation exercises being undertaken by 20th Armoured Brigade between May – October 2013. Contingency Operations training is known as Hybrid Foundation Training or HFT.

The aim of this exercise is to train the 5 Rifles, The Queens Dragoon Guards (QDG) Battle Groups and 1 Logistic Support Regiment in combined arms manoeuvre.

The exercise is split into 3 main phases. The first phase consists of a two week live firing exercise in Grafenwoer, Southern Germany, that enables the units and soldiers to refine their skills with their equipment and weapons. Training is constructed to develop skills from the individual level through to the Battlegroup level and culminates in a final attack that sees the use of helicopters, tanks, artillery and infantry combined.

The second phase will see all the exercising units transition from Grafenwoer to Hohnfels, some 100 km further south and simulates the kind of movements that are undertaken when moving an Armed force into hostile territory.

The third, and final phase is designed to test the planning and execution of combined arms manoeuvre operations in a hostile environment. The units will execute orders based on the delivery of Brigade Orders to defeat the enemy within the scenario.

2100 personnel with upto 768 vehicles ranging from Landrover, to Tanks to Apache helicopters are being exercised from 20th Armoured Brigade whose Headquarters are based in Sennelager, Germany. Approximately 500 personnel are required to support those training to ensure that supplies are maintained, vehicles are fixed and soldiers fed.

NOTE TO DESKS:

MoD release authorised handout images.

All images remain crown copyright.

Photo credit to read - Cpl Wes Calder RLC

Email: wescalder@mediaops.army.mod.uk

richardwatt@mediaops.army.mod.uk

shanewilkinson@mediaops.army.mod.uk

Richard Watt - 07836 515306

Shane Wilkinson - 07901 590723

Technical Sgt. Rebecca Diloreto (r) gets assistance with her gas mask from Staff Sgt. Robert Uyematsu, during MOPP level training March 4, 2001, in preparation for an upcoming Operational Readiness Inspection. Both are assigned to the 571st Global Mobility Readiness Squadron. (U.S. Air Force Photo/MSgt. Stan Parker)

Airmen from the Kentucky Air National Guard's 123rd Contingency Response Group offload cargo from a Kentucky Air Guard C-130 Hercules during Capstone '14, a homeland earthquake-response exercise at Fort Campbell, Ky., on June 18, 2014. The 123rd CRG joined forces with the U.S. Army's 688th Rapid Port Opening Element to operate a Joint Task Force-Port Opening here from June 16 to 19, 2014. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Phil Speck)

Royal Marines from 42 Commando Boarding RFA Mounts Bay

Members of 42 Commando Fleet Contingency conducting high vertical assaults on RFA Mounts Bay as part of the Autonomous Advance Force 4.0 trials. 42 Commando Royal Marine’s Fleet Contingency Troop have been conducting high vertical assault drills onto RFA Mounts Bay in Portland Harbour, supported by Offshore Raiding Craft and Coxswains from 47 Commando RM.

The training forms part of the Autonomous Advance Force 4.0 trials, utilising modern communication systems and autonomous capabilities, including mobile ad hoc networking radios MPU5, Ghost drone, which provides a live feed to ground commanders and the MADFOX unmanned surface vessel, used to provide deception and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).

Photos: LPhot Joe Cater

Djiboutian Army 1st Rapid Action Regiment Squad Leader, Abou Bakr Housein, draws a sand table for his fellow squad members during a break from instruction on basic infantry movements, as part of a training course held in Ali Oune, Djibouti, Feb 2, 2011.

Photo by Master Sgt. Dawn M. Price

ALI OUNE, Djibouti– Under an overcast sky, nearly 200 members of the Djiboutian Army’s elite 1st Rapid Action Regiment honed their infantry skills, mentored by members of the U.S. Army National Guard’s 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 137th Infantry Regiment.

The training included instruction on squad movements, convoy operations, contact drills, camp security and marksmanship, and was part of a one-month course which began Jan. 16 and culminated with a graduation Feb. 10. The instruction included mortar crew training and a combat engineering course, according to U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Nelson Perkins, mission commander and member of Charlie Company.

“Our mission here is to mentor the Djiboutian military as they prepare for upcoming missions. We’re trying to help them so they are capable of preventing conflict, establishing regional stability, and protecting coalition interests here,” said Staff Sgt. Travis Elder, an infantry squad leader with the 137th, who is a sheriff’s deputy in his hometown located near Topeka, Kan.

“My team and I are out here mentoring the soldiers and helping them along, basically giving them more tools for their toolbox. We’re showing them things that have helped us get through certain operations, and we want to help them so they can get through their future missions without any problem,” he said.

One of the biggest challenges the instructors faced was the language barrier due to few Djiboutian soldiers speaking English, according to Sgt. Jonathan Moyer, a team member with Echo Company. Instructors relied heavily on 2nd Lt. Omar Ali, Djibouti Army 2nd Company commander, who is fluent in four languages, and Mohamed Said, a Somali-born U.S. Army interpreter.

Throughout the morning, the small groups practiced team movements, and communicated contact and direction of fire. Loud whistle bursts signified enemy contact, and the Djiboutian soldiers moved succinctly, went into the prone position and assumed their staggered firing positions.

The regiment, which was established in 1991 and is comprised of a number of 20-year combat veterans, is the first unit in the Djiboutian Army called to deploy during a contingency, according to Ali. The regiment also provides border security on the Somaliland border located approximately seven miles from the camp.

“The goal for my soldiers is to prepare them for their mission and especially for a deployment under the United Nations, like they did in Haiti and Central Africa,” Ali said, who has been in the army since 2001. He attended an officer’s course with Germany’s mountain troops from 2004-2008 and will soon attend the Infantry Career Captain’s Course at Fort Benning, Ga.

According to Ali, the training is part of a continuation of training that began in September 2010 that included effective methods of instruction, commander operation skills course, a command post exercise, and company grade and noncommissioned officer courses.

Just one month ago, the newly-formed training camp consisted of just six concrete pads. Today the camp consists of about 12 tents, a mosque and a large covered classroom area.

“Camp Ali Oune is actually the first of its kind. The Djiboutians don’t have any bases here on the Somali border, and this camp is supposed to be here for quite a while. They will be utilizing the camp as a training area and for continuing operations to keep this region safe,” he said.

About two miles away in the shadow of a steep hill, other members of the Rapid Action Regiment sharpened their marksmanship skills using the Russian PKM 7.62-mm machine gun, which is the equivalent of the M-249 Squad Automatic Weapon. Automatic gunfire and the ricochet of rounds echoed from the large rock-covered hill as each two-man team practiced firing in staccato bursts of three and five rounds.

“Very well done,” one of the instructors exclaimed after seeing a bullseye on the target of one team.

Ali said the training and mentoring provided by the 137th is beneficial because the cadre of instructors bring real-world operational experience.

“We already had a good relationship with the U.S. Army, and I have to say it’s a good thing and we have a good image of the U.S. Army,” Ali said.

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

Royal Marines from M Coy hone their skills during Royal Marine Boarding Course

:

The Marines of M Coy, 42 Commando RM, have been consolidating their tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP) on the final exercise of the RM Boarding Course at Bovington Training Area, Dorset.

:

The arduous 8-week course will qualify the Commandos to take the mantle as the Fleet Contingency Troop (FCT) and will see them being held at a high state of readiness for potential deployments to key areas of national interest.

:

Image: POPhot Paul Hall

:

Tanks maneuver into position.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – Two M1A2 Abrams tanks maneuver to their firing positions on Memorial Range near Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, July 27, 2011. Tank crews from Company D, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, zeroed their 120mm main guns and machine guns during the exercise in support of Operation New Dawn.

(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Quentin Johnson, 2nd AAB PAO, 1st Cav. Div., USD – N)

U.S. Army interpreter, Mohamed Said, instructs soldier of the Djiboutian Army’s 1st Quick Reaction Regiment his sector of fire during a training scenario at Camp Ali Oune, Djibouti, Feb. 2, 2011.

Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Lindsey

ALI OUNE, Djibouti– Under an overcast sky, nearly 200 members of the Djiboutian Army’s elite 1st Rapid Action Regiment honed their infantry skills, mentored by members of the U.S. Army National Guard’s 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 137th Infantry Regiment.

The training included instruction on squad movements, convoy operations, contact drills, camp security and marksmanship, and was part of a one-month course which began Jan. 16 and culminated with a graduation Feb. 10. The instruction included mortar crew training and a combat engineering course, according to U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Nelson Perkins, mission commander and member of Charlie Company.

“Our mission here is to mentor the Djiboutian military as they prepare for upcoming missions. We’re trying to help them so they are capable of preventing conflict, establishing regional stability, and protecting coalition interests here,” said Staff Sgt. Travis Elder, an infantry squad leader with the 137th, who is a sheriff’s deputy in his hometown located near Topeka, Kan.

“My team and I are out here mentoring the soldiers and helping them along, basically giving them more tools for their toolbox. We’re showing them things that have helped us get through certain operations, and we want to help them so they can get through their future missions without any problem,” he said.

One of the biggest challenges the instructors faced was the language barrier due to few Djiboutian soldiers speaking English, according to Sgt. Jonathan Moyer, a team member with Echo Company. Instructors relied heavily on 2nd Lt. Omar Ali, Djibouti Army 2nd Company commander, who is fluent in four languages, and Mohamed Said, a Somali-born U.S. Army interpreter.

Throughout the morning, the small groups practiced team movements, and communicated contact and direction of fire. Loud whistle bursts signified enemy contact, and the Djiboutian soldiers moved succinctly, went into the prone position and assumed their staggered firing positions.

The regiment, which was established in 1991 and is comprised of a number of 20-year combat veterans, is the first unit in the Djiboutian Army called to deploy during a contingency, according to Ali. The regiment also provides border security on the Somaliland border located approximately seven miles from the camp.

“The goal for my soldiers is to prepare them for their mission and especially for a deployment under the United Nations, like they did in Haiti and Central Africa,” Ali said, who has been in the army since 2001. He attended an officer’s course with Germany’s mountain troops from 2004-2008 and will soon attend the Infantry Career Captain’s Course at Fort Benning, Ga.

According to Ali, the training is part of a continuation of training that began in September 2010 that included effective methods of instruction, commander operation skills course, a command post exercise, and company grade and noncommissioned officer courses.

Just one month ago, the newly-formed training camp consisted of just six concrete pads. Today the camp consists of about 12 tents, a mosque and a large covered classroom area.

“Camp Ali Oune is actually the first of its kind. The Djiboutians don’t have any bases here on the Somali border, and this camp is supposed to be here for quite a while. They will be utilizing the camp as a training area and for continuing operations to keep this region safe,” he said.

About two miles away in the shadow of a steep hill, other members of the Rapid Action Regiment sharpened their marksmanship skills using the Russian PKM 7.62-mm machine gun, which is the equivalent of the M-249 Squad Automatic Weapon. Automatic gunfire and the ricochet of rounds echoed from the large rock-covered hill as each two-man team practiced firing in staccato bursts of three and five rounds.

“Very well done,” one of the instructors exclaimed after seeing a bullseye on the target of one team.

Ali said the training and mentoring provided by the 137th is beneficial because the cadre of instructors bring real-world operational experience.

“We already had a good relationship with the U.S. Army, and I have to say it’s a good thing and we have a good image of the U.S. Army,” Ali said.

To learn more about U.S. Army Africa visit our official website at www.usaraf.army.mil

Official Vimeo video channel: www.vimeo.com/usarmyafrica

Staff Sgt. Daniel Guy, 736th Security Forces Squadron fire team leader, collects his parachute Aug. 21, 2013 after a static line jump over the Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, flight line. As the integrated force protection element of the 36th Contingency Response Group, members of the 736th SFS provide a quick-response airborne capability that serves as an advance echelon team for contingency and humanitarian missions all over the Asia-Pacific region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Marianique Santos)

Royal Marines from 42 Commando Boarding RFA Mounts Bay

Members of 42 Commando Fleet Contingency conducting high vertical assaults on RFA Mounts Bay as part of the Autonomous Advance Force 4.0 trials. 42 Commando Royal Marine’s Fleet Contingency Troop have been conducting high vertical assault drills onto RFA Mounts Bay in Portland Harbour, supported by Offshore Raiding Craft and Coxswains from 47 Commando RM.

The training forms part of the Autonomous Advance Force 4.0 trials, utilising modern communication systems and autonomous capabilities, including mobile ad hoc networking radios MPU5, Ghost drone, which provides a live feed to ground commanders and the MADFOX unmanned surface vessel, used to provide deception and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).

Photos: LPhot Joe Cater

Master Sgt. Stephen Nelson, 435th Contingency Response Group contingency air traffic controller, instructs Bulgarian paratroopers on the correct way to use a standard U.S. parachute during a flying training deployment, July 17, 2013, in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. American and Bulgarian paratroopers exchanged parachutes for the opportunity to conduct a wing exchange at the end of FTD Thracian Summer. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Trevor Rhynes)

Photographer - Cpl Wes Calder RLC

Pictured - Soldiers from B Company 2 Riles conduct house clearing through a village.

Exercise BAVARIAN CHARGER is the first of three large contingency operation exercises being undertaken by 20th Armoured Brigade between May ñ October 2013. Contingency Operations training is known as Hybrid Foundation Training or HFT.

The aim of this exercise is to train the 5 Rifles, The Queens Dragoon Guards (QDG) Battle Groups and 1 Logistic Support Regiment in combined arms manoeuvre.

The exercise is split into 3 main phases. The first phase consists of a two week live firing exercise in Grafenwoer, Southern Germany, that enables the units and soldiers to refine their skills with their equipment and weapons. Training is constructed to develop skills from the individual level through to the Battlegroup level and culminates in a final attack that sees the use of helicopters, tanks, artillery and infantry combined.

The second phase will see all the exercising units transition from Grafenwoer to Hohnfels, some 100 km further south and simulates the kind of movements that are undertaken when moving an Armed force into hostile territory.

The third, and final phase is designed to test the planning and execution of combined arms manoeuvre operations in a hostile environment. The units will execute orders based on the delivery of Brigade Orders to defeat the enemy within the scenario.

2100 personnel with upto 768 vehicles ranging from Landrover, to Tanks to Apache helicopters are being exercised from 20th Armoured Brigade whose Headquarters are based in Sennelager, Germany. Approximately 500 personnel are required to support those training to ensure that supplies are maintained, vehicles are fixed and soldiers fed.

NOTE TO DESKS:

MoD release authorised handout images.

All images remain crown copyright.

Photo credit to read - Cpl Wes Calder RLC

Email: wescalder@mediaops.army.mod.uk

richardwatt@mediaops.army.mod.uk

shanewilkinson@mediaops.army.mod.uk

Richard Watt - 07836 515306

Shane Wilkinson - 07901 590723

KATHMANDU, Nepal (May 9, 2015) - Nepalese army soldiers and U.S. Air Force 36th Contingency Response Group Airmen work with Republic of Singapore Air Force members to unload relief supplies from an RSAF C-130 Hercules at the Tribhuvan International. The Nepalese army and Airmen worked together to process 537,816 pounds of cargo in a 24-hour period from 13 aircraft delivering relief supplies delivered in response to a magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck the nation April 25, 2015. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Melissa B. White/Released) 150509-F-XN788-053

** Interested in following U.S. Pacific Command? Engage and connect with us at www.facebook.com/pacific.command and twitter.com/PacificCommand and www.pacom.mil/

Airmen assigned to the 621st Contingency Response Wing at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., tear down their air mobility forward support base at the edge of the Geronimo Landing Zone at Fort Polk, La., at the end of their Joint Readiness Training Center rotation 13-09, Aug. 24, 2013. The CRW specializes in rapidly establishing air mobility support operations in disaster-stricken, austere or hostile environments in response to natural disasters or combat operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres/Released)

Tech. Sgt. Brian Angell, 435th Contingency Response Group senior jumpmaster, watches as two Bulgarian paratroopers strap into a standard U.S. parachute during a flying training deployment July 17, 2013. American and Bulgarian paratroopers exchanged parachutes for the opportunity to conduct a wing exchange at the end of FTD Thracian Summer. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Trevor Rhynes)

Airmen assigned to the 621st Contingency Response Wing at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., tear down their air mobility forward support base at the edge of the Geronimo Landing Zone at Fort Polk, La., at the end of their Joint Readiness Training Center rotation 13-09, Aug. 24, 2013. The CRW specializes in rapidly establishing air mobility support operations in disaster-stricken, austere or hostile environments in response to natural disasters or combat operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres/Released)

www.usaraf.army.mil

U.S. Army Africa command team visit peacekeeping training sites in Rwanda, Burundi

Story and photo by Sgt. Maj. Kimberly Williams

U.S. Army Africa

ENTEBBE, Uganda – Capacity building is a top priority for U.S. Army Africa. Therefore, during a visit to Rwanda and Burundi Oct. 19-20, Maj. Gen. William B. Garrett III and Command Sgt. Maj. Gary Bronson, the command team for U.S. Army Africa, seized the opportunity to see Africa Contingency Operations Training and Assistance sites in both countries.

“I was very impressed by the ACOTA programs in Rwanda and Burundi, where we are working closely with our partners to increase their capacity to support peacekeeping operations,” said Garrett.

Managed and funded by the Department of State, ACOTA is an initiative designed to improve African ability to respond quickly to crises by providing selected militaries with the training and equipment required to execute humanitarian or peace support operations.

At each site, civilian facilitators work closely with U.S. military noncommissioned officers, sent to the countries as mentors, in order to provide the most up-to-date and realistic learning experience possible.

Bronson, as U.S. Army Africa’s senior NCO, took the opportunity to meet with the U.S. facilitators and mentors in both countries to determine the road ahead. In the future, said Bronson, U.S. Army Africa needs to develop a process to prepare U.S. Army mentors for their role and to match up the right individuals with the skills needed.

But, Bronson said he is very impressed with what he has seen so far in both Rwanda and Burundi.

The ACOTA program is Rwanda is focused on preparing soldiers for peacekeeping operations while deployed in Darfur, Sudan. The site in Rwanda also has a computer simulation lab, which is the only simulation center for peacekeeping support operations in Africa.

“The partnership is doing great,” said Col. Aloys Muganga, commandant of the Rwanda Military Academy at Gako, which hosts the ACOTA in Rwanda. “They have trained my people so well that we can now train ourselves.”

Similar to Rwanda, the ACOTA program in Burundi focuses on preparing soldiers for peacekeeping operations, but in this case, to Mogadishu, Somalia.

This is the seventh iteration of ACOTA in Burundi.

The four-week program in Burundi includes individual skills, collective skills, lane evaluations, weapons familiarization and live fire ranges.

The 1st Battalion of the Burundi Land Forces took part in the first ACOTA rotation in 2007 and just recently returned from deployment to Mogadishu. Now, the Burundi Land Forces are bringing in these experienced soldiers to train the next rotations.

Sgt. Norberto Ramos, from the U.S. Army National Guard’s Co. B, 165th Infantry Battalion from Puerto Rice, is in Burundi along with two other NCOs to provide mentorship during the four-week program. Ramos said he believes the ACOTA program is successful.

“This has been great,” he said. “You can see the Burundi soldiers’ eagerness to learn in their eyes. “They are a beautiful people.”

“I’m happier and more satisfied with what I’m doing here than any time before,” Ramos said. “It builds me up as a leader and a person. It is a pleasure and an honor to be here.”

CAPTION: Brig. Gen. Cyprien Ndikuriyo (left), Burundi Land Forces commander, describes the outstanding efforts of Capt. Nicolas Bashizimpaka (right), who recently returned from peacekeeping operations in Mogadishu, Somalia, as Maj. Gen. William B. Garrett III, U.S. Army Africa commanding general, presents a coin to Bashizimpaka. Bashizimpaka attended the first Africa Contingency Operations Training and Assistance program in Burundi and will now pass on his first-hand knowledge to train battalions before they deploy.

Djiboutian Army 2nd Company 1st Rapid Action Regiment, 2nd Lt. Omar Ali (center), 2nd Company commander, properly positions his soldiers during a soldier techniques class as part of a training course held in Ali Oune, Djibouti, Feb 2, 2011.

Photo by Master Sgt. Dawn M. Price

ALI OUNE, Djibouti– Under an overcast sky, nearly 200 members of the Djiboutian Army’s elite 1st Rapid Action Regiment honed their infantry skills, mentored by members of the U.S. Army National Guard’s 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 137th Infantry Regiment.

The training included instruction on squad movements, convoy operations, contact drills, camp security and marksmanship, and was part of a one-month course which began Jan. 16 and culminated with a graduation Feb. 10. The instruction included mortar crew training and a combat engineering course, according to U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Nelson Perkins, mission commander and member of Charlie Company.

“Our mission here is to mentor the Djiboutian military as they prepare for upcoming missions. We’re trying to help them so they are capable of preventing conflict, establishing regional stability, and protecting coalition interests here,” said Staff Sgt. Travis Elder, an infantry squad leader with the 137th, who is a sheriff’s deputy in his hometown located near Topeka, Kan.

“My team and I are out here mentoring the soldiers and helping them along, basically giving them more tools for their toolbox. We’re showing them things that have helped us get through certain operations, and we want to help them so they can get through their future missions without any problem,” he said.

One of the biggest challenges the instructors faced was the language barrier due to few Djiboutian soldiers speaking English, according to Sgt. Jonathan Moyer, a team member with Echo Company. Instructors relied heavily on 2nd Lt. Omar Ali, Djibouti Army 2nd Company commander, who is fluent in four languages, and Mohamed Said, a Somali-born U.S. Army interpreter.

Throughout the morning, the small groups practiced team movements, and communicated contact and direction of fire. Loud whistle bursts signified enemy contact, and the Djiboutian soldiers moved succinctly, went into the prone position and assumed their staggered firing positions.

The regiment, which was established in 1991 and is comprised of a number of 20-year combat veterans, is the first unit in the Djiboutian Army called to deploy during a contingency, according to Ali. The regiment also provides border security on the Somaliland border located approximately seven miles from the camp.

“The goal for my soldiers is to prepare them for their mission and especially for a deployment under the United Nations, like they did in Haiti and Central Africa,” Ali said, who has been in the army since 2001. He attended an officer’s course with Germany’s mountain troops from 2004-2008 and will soon attend the Infantry Career Captain’s Course at Fort Benning, Ga.

According to Ali, the training is part of a continuation of training that began in September 2010 that included effective methods of instruction, commander operation skills course, a command post exercise, and company grade and noncommissioned officer courses.

Just one month ago, the newly-formed training camp consisted of just six concrete pads. Today the camp consists of about 12 tents, a mosque and a large covered classroom area.

“Camp Ali Oune is actually the first of its kind. The Djiboutians don’t have any bases here on the Somali border, and this camp is supposed to be here for quite a while. They will be utilizing the camp as a training area and for continuing operations to keep this region safe,” he said.

About two miles away in the shadow of a steep hill, other members of the Rapid Action Regiment sharpened their marksmanship skills using the Russian PKM 7.62-mm machine gun, which is the equivalent of the M-249 Squad Automatic Weapon. Automatic gunfire and the ricochet of rounds echoed from the large rock-covered hill as each two-man team practiced firing in staccato bursts of three and five rounds.

“Very well done,” one of the instructors exclaimed after seeing a bullseye on the target of one team.

Ali said the training and mentoring provided by the 137th is beneficial because the cadre of instructors bring real-world operational experience.

“We already had a good relationship with the U.S. Army, and I have to say it’s a good thing and we have a good image of the U.S. Army,” Ali said.

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

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Feb. 26, 2022) - Airmen of the 123rd Contingency Response Group, Kentucky Air National Guard, prepare to offload materiel from a U.S. Air Force C-130J from the California Air National Guard during Exercise Arctic Eagle-Patriot 2022. Joint Exercise Arctic Eagle-Patriot 2022 increases the National Guard’s capacity to operate in austere, extreme cold-weather environments across Alaska and the Arctic region. AEP22 enhances the ability of military and civilian inter-agency partners to respond to a variety of emergency and homeland security missions across Alaska and the Arctic. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. LeAnne (Ian) Withrow) 220226-A-VL305-0046

** Interested in following U.S. Indo-Pacific Command? Engage and connect with us at www.facebook.com/indopacom | twitter.com/INDOPACOM |

www.instagram.com/indopacom | www.flickr.com/photos/us-pacific-command; | www.youtube.com/user/USPacificCommand | www.pacom.mil/ **

Maj. Mike Welch, 621st Contingency Response Wing air mobility liaison officer assigned to the U.S. Army’s 1st Theatre Sustainment Command at Fort Bragg, N.C., sets up a marker for a C-130 Hercules circling over the drop zone at Fort Polk, La., Aug. 17, 2013, during Joint Readiness Training Center rotation 13-09. Air Mobility Command AMLOs are rated pilots or navigators assigned to U.S. Army and Marine units who coordinate with joint and coalition partners for Air Force air mobility services. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres/Released)

A convoy of vehicles from 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade 1st Cavalry Division, arrives on Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq, Oct. 7. The unit, which is the first self-redeploying unit to leave Iraq, passed through COB Adder to allow soldiers to rest and refuel before heading on to Kuwait.

Sgt. Victor Aguirre, 509th Signal Battalion (rear), observes Spc. James Lagerstrom adjust cables on a satellite dish on communications gear associated with the U.S. Army Africa Forward Command Element.

Photo by Rich Bartell, U.S. Army Africa Public Affairs Office

To learn more about U.S. Army Africa visit our official website at www.usaraf.army.mil

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

When the U.S. Army Africa Forward Command Element rolls onto a C-130 to head to Ghana in August, it will be with state of the art electronics allowing worldwide communications.

The USARAF FCE, similar to a tactical operations center with sophisticated internet and video teleconference capabilities, is a flexible command post that responds to deployment requests through U.S. Africa Command.

“The USARAF FCE can move out and be in any given African country in less than 72 hours,” said Sgt. Maj. Aaron Miller, non-commissioned officer in charge of the USARAF Contingency Command Post.

During a recent tour of the mobile command center, USARAF Commander, Maj. Gen. David R. Hogg saw firsthand the power and flexibility of the mobile command post.

“Our C-130 version of a crisis command headquarters makes USARAF capable of deploying anywhere in the world if needed, but more specifically, anywhere in Africa. We can roll off the plane and within two hours have a fully operationally command and control system to cover any environment, Army pure, joint or inter-agency. We have tremendous capability now,” Hogg said.

Hogg expressed his gratitude to Soldiers of the USARAF G-6, Communications and Information Services and higher headquarters.

“Colonel Joe Angyal and his G-6 staff have done a wonderful job and none of this would have happened without the support of Headquarters Department of the Army. So we definitely want to thank them,” Hogg added.

NEW COMMUNICATIONS GEAR GIVES WORLDWIDE REACH

Recently, USRAF communications Soldiers with the FCE took on the challenges that new electronics can pose. The new system provides worldwide communications capability along with the added ability to work from a remote location with few amenities.

“We have about two weeks of training to smooth out some of the wrinkles” said Maj. Gary Philman, the USARAF signal operations officer and acting chief of the CCP. “We’ve been fortunate to get the new communications package and we’re integrating it with some of our existing systems.”

Philman said the FCE is the deployable headquarters for USARAF, and can be the first organization to hit the ground in advance of a joint task force.

“The FCE staff size depends on the mission request and can vary from eight to more than 20 personnel,” Philman said. “Our commanding general comes with the FCE when requested by an ambassador, [but] it can be commanded by a USARAF staff colonel or the CCP chief,” Philman said.

USARAF Spc. James Lagerstrom, information technology specialist with the CCP, deploys with FCE as one of the Soldiers ensuring the command element’s communications gear is up and running.

“Wherever we go … we can communicate,” Lagerstrom said. “We have internet and even have video teleconference ability [as well as] highly mobile.”

In August the FCE will get a chance do a live shakedown test of its communications equipment in the Republic of Ghana.

Maj. Mike Welch, 621st Contingency Response Wing air mobility liaison officer assigned to the U.S. Army’s 1st Theatre Sustainment Command at Fort Bragg, N.C., calls in instructions to a C-130 Hercules circling over the drop zone at Fort Polk, La., Aug. 17, 2013, during Joint Readiness Training Center rotation 13-09. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres/Released)

USARAF Contingency Command Post Chief, Lt. Col. Mike Larsen, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

Photo by U.S. Army Africa

A quick response by U.S. Army Africa to a request from U.S. Ambassador to the Ivory Coast, Phillip Carter III, evolved into an evacuation mission April 3.

Conflicting factions in and around the city of Abidjan had created dangerous conditions for civilian State Department employees, resulting in their relocation to safe havens. Within 36 hours of receiving the mission, a six-man USARAF team was on its way to Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

The team was led by Lt. Col. Mike Larsen, USARAF Contingency Command Post Chief, and consisted of Lt. Col. Nicolas Lovelace, Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Drafall, and U.S. Marines Staff Sgt. Pete Schumacher and Sgt. John Tillman, and Paul Levine, a Department of the Army civilian.

“Our team accomplished the mission very rapidly. We received our orders, packed, performed a quick SRP (Soldier Readiness Processing) and flew within a day,” Larsen said.

Traveling to Abidjan, in a C-130J, the team integrated with a joint operations command at Licorne, a French military base under the command of Brig. Gen. Jean-Pierre Palasset.

The political landscape in the Ivory Coast had been unstable since December, in the wake of a national presidential election, losing incumbent Laurent Gbagbo refused to recognize the winner, Alassane Ouattara.

According to Larsen, the streets of Abidjan were in turmoil when the USARAF team arrived. Roadblocks and factional fighting added to the danger and confusion of the situation. The USARAF team was unable to reach the U.S. Embassy through normal ground routes. At Licorne, they set up operations and communications links to home base in Vicenza, Italy.

“Things continued to fester and become more unstable in the Ivory Coast,” Larsen said. “Tensions from a previous civil war and cultural differences added to the general instability of the life in the Ivory Coast since the election.

“When we arrived in Abidjan a lot was occurring and the two factions were on the verge a major engagement. Lines of communication were cut-off. It was difficult to tell who the good guys were at many of the roadblocks that were set up. It was impossible to make it to the embassy from the ground, and several U.S. diplomats were in need of a safe haven,” Larsen said.

The French forces quickly established assembly areas where civilians were picked up and taken to the airport near the French base.

Larsen said Abidjan was rife with a variety of military activity and para-military personnel. In addition to the two combative Ivorian factions and various militia units, there was a large U.N. presence and French forces at Licorne Base. He explained the assistance provided by French troops and their leadership enabled the USARAF team to set up and begin their mission of finding and relocating more than 70 civilians from Abidjan.

“We would have been completely inefficient without the French military. It was refreshing and enlightening to work with the French Army. They were completely transparent and their operation was impressively efficient,” Larsen said.

“At assembly areas the French were balanced and professional. It was balance between lethal action, political pressure and force protection. At roadblocks French forces were careful to not to inject themselves into the confusion. Not one of the displaced embassy civilians were injured and it was amazing that for the amount of violence that surrounded them, only one French soldier was wounded by small-arms fire,” he said.

“It was clear French forces followed the UN’s mandate to protect the civilian population from the warring factions and additionally recognizing the legitimacy of president Ouattara,” Larsen said.

In a letter to Larsen, Drafall was credited by Ambassador Carter for his work during the mission.

“I want you to know how critical Chief Warrant Officer 2 Charles Drafall was to our operations in Abidjan, and how much I appreciated his work in support of the Embassy during an incredibly difficult and dangerous time in Cote d'Ivoire,” Carter said.

“During this time, I received calls from Ambassador Yates, Secretary Clinton, and President Obama, each of whom thanked the team here for loyal and steadfast duty during the crisis. This team includes the chief. His work with U.S. Africa Command and subordinate units and the country team here was critical to the success of the embassy,” Carter said.

For Lovelace, who is with USARAF’s International Military Affairs Division, Security Cooperation Directorate, the success of the mission was a result of prior training and coordination with the French.

“In Paris, Lt. Col. Larsen and I engaged the French joint staff during initial joint operations planning in December,” he said. Later, Lovelace participated in Lion Torch, a deployment to the Ivory Coast where he established critical relationships with key members of the French Joint Task Force at Licorne.

Lovelace echoed Larsen’s assessment of the team’s communications crew.

“Our two JSCE Marine NCOs are expert communicators. They knew the environment and exactly what it took to rapidly establish communications between our team at the French base, our headquarters in Vicenza and the embassy,” Lovelace said.

For JSCE communications NCO Schumacher, the Ivory Coast mission was all about teamwork.

“The collaboration between USARAF and JCSE members of the team was top-notch. Our mission went nearly flawlessly, our travel in and out of the country went smoothly,” Schumacher said.

“While on the ground in Abidjan, our equipment came up quickly and supported the team. Our French hosts were extremely accommodating and efficient in carrying out all operations with less technology and older equipment,” he said.

Larsen, who will soon take the helm of 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rdAirborne Brigade Combat Team, summed up the mission.

“This was a team effort and this experience with USARAF had made me a better officer. It’s given me a better appreciation and understanding of how embassies work and component commands work. It’s been a professionally rewarding experience,” Larsen said.

To learn more about U.S. Army Africa visit our official website at www.usaraf.army.mil

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

AIM-9L/M Sidewinder

AIM-7F/M Sparrow

All rights reserved.

www.142fw.ang.af.mil/

The 142nd Fighter Wing's rich history began just prior to World War II as the United States increased its military readiness while war raged across Europe and Asia.

Today, as a vital Air National Guard asset to Air Combat Command and Air Expeditionary Force structures, the 142nd Fighter Wing conducts Air Sovereignty Alert operations 24/7 in the Pacific Northwest. The wing also participates in contingency operations in support of state and federal authorities.

.

The Oregon Air National Guard and the 142nd Fighter Wing's history began just prior to World War II when the United States, monitoring the war raging in Europe and China, began focusing less on neutrality and more on preparedness. Answering the call to arms was Major G. Robert Dodson, an Oregonian serving with the 321st Observation Squadron, U.S. Army Reserve at Pearson Field in Vancouver, Washington. He requested the National Guard Bureau's authorization to form an Oregon flying unit. His short, official request -- "We've got people, we've got a place, and we're ready!" -- launched the 123rd Observation Squadron on April 18, 1941. The newly formed unit began operations with two officers, 108 enlisted men and two aircraft, a North American BC-1A (like the AT-6) and a Douglas O-46A.

Five months later, on September 15, 1941, the squadron was federally activated and deployed to Gray Field at Fort Lewis, Washington from which it conducted coastal patrol and training operations in the Pacific Northwest with the North American O-47. This included one of the first missions flown from a U.S. base on December 7, 1941. In March 1943 the 123rd was redesignated as a Reconnaissance Squadron, and redesignated again in August 1943 as the 35th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron (PRS). From September 1944 to August 1945 the unit flew the F-5 reconnaissance variant of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning in combat operations in the China-Burma-India theatre as part of the Fourteenth Air Force, the famous "Flying Tigers." The squadron received credit for participation in seven campaigns in World War II. Not all 123rd personnel served with the 35th PRS, as some were diverted to other units as early as 1942 and served elsewhere in the Pacific and in Europe. As part of the large drawdown of forces after the war, the 35th PRS inactivated on November 7, 1945 at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey.

Less than a year later, the 35th PRS was revived, redesignated as the 123rd Fighter Squadron (Single Engine, SE) and allocated to the State of Oregon National Guard, effective 26 June, 1946. At a similar time, and as part of a larger ANG reorganization, the 371st Fighter Group was allocated to the State of Oregon, and redesignated as the 142nd Fighter Group on May 24, 1946. The 123rd FS (SE) fell under the 142nd Fighter Group at Portland Air Base. The 142nd inherited the lineage and honors of the 371st FG, which flew combat missions with the P-47 Thunderbolt in the European Theater of Operations in World War II and received a Distinguished Unit Citation for exceptional heroism in 1945. Thus the 142nd FG began fighter operations for the first time in the North American P-51D Mustang with 75 officers and 800 enlisted. men.

Beginning in 1950, the group mobilized in response to the Korean War. Individually activated pilots of the 123rd FS flew over 1,000 combat missions with active duty squadrons of the 18th Fighter Bomber Wing in the F-51D Mustang. The 142nd Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron deployed to Alaska to bolster ground radar coverage in remote areas against the growing Soviet bomber threat, while the 142nd Fighter Group performed the air defense mission as part of the Continental Air Command. In 1952 both the group and squadron were redesignated Fighter Interceptor units.

After supporting the Korean conflict the 142nd Fighter Interceptor Group remained very active in air defense matters through the Cold War years. In the summer of 1958, the 142nd began standing 24-hour air defense alert and continues to this day. As an example of the unit's readiness and capability, in 1976, the unit won top honors at a pair of Aerospace Defense Command (ADC) competitions, the Weapons Loading Competition and the famous William Tell Air Defense Competition. SMSgt Alan Kaser, TSgt Lane Hoffman, TSgt Mark Wiebold and TSgt Joe Woodburn won the Weapons Loading Competition with two near perfect loads, a high test score and maximum points on the tools and equipment checks. In William Tell 1976, the 142nd garnered first place in the F-101 category and Lt. Col. Don Tonole and Maj. Brad Newell captured the overall "Top Gun" title flying the McDonnell F-101B Voodoo. Success came again at William Tell 1984 when the unit placed first in the F-4 category flying the McDonnell-Douglas F-4C Phantom II and beat many of its F-15 Eagle and F-106 Delta Dart rivals in the overall competition. Majors Ron Moore and Bill Dejager were the overall F-4 "Top Guns" of the competition. In the 50th Year of William Tell Anniversary Competition held in 2004, the 142nd Fighter Wing was rated first in Maintenance, Element Attack and Gun categories. These William Tell successes demonstrate Oregon's long history of excellent performance and readiness to accomplish the real world mission.

Since the end of the Cold War, the 142nd has served as the principle air defense unit of the Pacific Northwest. In 1992, as part of a large USAF reorganization, both the group and squadron were redesignated yet again as the 142nd Fighter Group and the 123rd Fighter Squadron, respectively. In 1995 the group was elevated to wing status, beginning its current designation as the 142nd Fighter Wing. The wing participated in a wide variety of expeditionary and humanitarian assistance missions in the turbulent post-Cold War environment while providing air defense of the Pacific Northwest. These included major deployments to Turkey in 1998 for Operation NORTHERN WATCH and to Saudi Arabia in 2000 for Operation SOUTHERN WATCH, patrolling the no-fly zones then in place over Iraq. The wing deployed aircraft to Panama in 1998 in support of counterdrug missions, helping stem the flow of the drug trade by air. Wing personnel deployed on various other missions, sending medical troops to Belize, civil engineers to Macedonia, and to such places around the globe as Curacao, Denmark, Germany, Guam, Kuwait, Spain and the United Kingdom.

On September 11, 2001, the wing was one of the first units to respond to the dastardly terrorist attacks on the east coast with increased air defense to enhance security on the west coast, and subsequently participated in Operation NOBLE EAGLE, the national military response to homeland defense. In 2004, unit personnel provided humanitarian aid in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the 2007 floods in Vernonia, Oregon. The wing also supported ongoing contingency operations in Southwest Asia, including Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM, such as in the 2004 deployment of medical personnel to Qatar and the 2009 deployment of Security Forces Squadron personnel to Iraq.

From its creation, the 142nd Fighter Wing has flown the P-51/F-51 Mustang, F-86 Sabre, F-94 Starfire, F-89 Scorpion, F-102 Delta Dagger, F-101 Voodoo, F-4 Phantom II fighter planes and a host of support aircraft.

Today, the fighting "Redhawks" are proud to continue service as a vital part of the Total Force team, defending our nation with the F-15 Eagle, providing both continuous air defense and air superiority capabilities. With more than 1,000 officers and airmen, the 142nd Fighter Wing guards the Pacific Northwest skies from northern California to the Canadian border, on 24-hour Air Sovereignty Alert as part of Air Combat Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). The wing also stands ready to participate in state and federal contingency missions as required.

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. 16The 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)

To learn more about U.S. Army Africa visit our official website at www.usaraf.army.mil

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

Members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Europe District’s Forward Engineer Support Team – Advance participate in Exercise Arctic Edge April 20-30, 2010, where they assisted with aerial route reconnaissance, bridge assessment and contingency gap crossing expertise. Read more about it at www.army.mil/-news/2010/04/07/36961-europe-engineer-suppo... (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo)

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

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.

Royal Marines from 42 Commando Boarding RFA Mounts Bay

Members of 42 Commando Fleet Contingency conducting high vertical assaults on RFA Mounts Bay as part of the Autonomous Advance Force 4.0 trials. 42 Commando Royal Marine’s Fleet Contingency Troop have been conducting high vertical assault drills onto RFA Mounts Bay in Portland Harbour, supported by Offshore Raiding Craft and Coxswains from 47 Commando RM.

The training forms part of the Autonomous Advance Force 4.0 trials, utilising modern communication systems and autonomous capabilities, including mobile ad hoc networking radios MPU5, Ghost drone, which provides a live feed to ground commanders and the MADFOX unmanned surface vessel, used to provide deception and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).

Photos: LPhot Joe Cater

www.usaraf.army.mil

U.S. Army Africa command team visit peacekeeping training sites in Rwanda, Burundi

Story and photo by Sgt. Maj. Kimberly Williams

U.S. Army Africa

ENTEBBE, Uganda – Capacity building is a top priority for U.S. Army Africa. Therefore, during a visit to Rwanda and Burundi Oct. 19-20, Maj. Gen. William B. Garrett III and Command Sgt. Maj. Gary Bronson, the command team for U.S. Army Africa, seized the opportunity to see Africa Contingency Operations Training and Assistance sites in both countries.

“I was very impressed by the ACOTA programs in Rwanda and Burundi, where we are working closely with our partners to increase their capacity to support peacekeeping operations,” said Garrett.

Managed and funded by the Department of State, ACOTA is an initiative designed to improve African ability to respond quickly to crises by providing selected militaries with the training and equipment required to execute humanitarian or peace support operations.

At each site, civilian facilitators work closely with U.S. military noncommissioned officers, sent to the countries as mentors, in order to provide the most up-to-date and realistic learning experience possible.

Bronson, as U.S. Army Africa’s senior NCO, took the opportunity to meet with the U.S. facilitators and mentors in both countries to determine the road ahead. In the future, said Bronson, U.S. Army Africa needs to develop a process to prepare U.S. Army mentors for their role and to match up the right individuals with the skills needed.

But, Bronson said he is very impressed with what he has seen so far in both Rwanda and Burundi.

The ACOTA program is Rwanda is focused on preparing soldiers for peacekeeping operations while deployed in Darfur, Sudan. The site in Rwanda also has a computer simulation lab, which is the only simulation center for peacekeeping support operations in Africa.

“The partnership is doing great,” said Col. Aloys Muganga, commandant of the Rwanda Military Academy at Gako, which hosts the ACOTA in Rwanda. “They have trained my people so well that we can now train ourselves.”

Similar to Rwanda, the ACOTA program in Burundi focuses on preparing soldiers for peacekeeping operations, but in this case, to Mogadishu, Somalia.

This is the seventh iteration of ACOTA in Burundi.

The four-week program in Burundi includes individual skills, collective skills, lane evaluations, weapons familiarization and live fire ranges.

The 1st Battalion of the Burundi Land Forces took part in the first ACOTA rotation in 2007 and just recently returned from deployment to Mogadishu. Now, the Burundi Land Forces are bringing in these experienced soldiers to train the next rotations.

Sgt. Norberto Ramos, from the U.S. Army National Guard’s Co. B, 165th Infantry Battalion from Puerto Rice, is in Burundi along with two other NCOs to provide mentorship during the four-week program. Ramos said he believes the ACOTA program is successful.

“This has been great,” he said. “You can see the Burundi soldiers’ eagerness to learn in their eyes. “They are a beautiful people.”

“I’m happier and more satisfied with what I’m doing here than any time before,” Ramos said. “It builds me up as a leader and a person. It is a pleasure and an honor to be here.”

CAPTION: Maj. Gen. William B. Garrett III (right), U.S. Army Africa commanding general, and Brig. Gen. Cyprien Ndikuriyo, Burundi Land Forces commander, observe training being conducted at the Africa Contingency Operations Training and Assistance program in Burundi. The soldiers are preparing for an upcoming peacekeeping deployment in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Airmen from the Kentucky Air National Guard's 123rd Contingency Response Group remove the transport wheels from a mobile airfield operations center at Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport in Dakar, Senegal, Oct. 17, 2014, in support of Operation United Assistance, the U.S. Agency for International Development-led, whole-of-government effort to respond to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The Airmen are operating an Intermediate Staging Base in Dakar to funnel humanitarian aid and military support equipment into affected areas, working in concert with Soldiers from the U.S. Army's 689th Rapid Port Opening Element to staff a Joint Task Force-Port Opening. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Dale Greer)

Col. Timothy Brown, 435th Contingency Response Group commander, executes an airborne jump out of a C-17 Globemaster III over the drop zone in Alzey, Germany, June 14, 2010. Five NATO countries participated in the annual event to support one of U. S. Air Forces in Europe's top priorities, building partnerships. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Grovert Fuentes-Contreras)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Nelson Perkins draws lines in the dirt to show a soldier of the Djiboutian Army’s 1st Quick Reaction Regiment his sector of fire during a training scenario at Camp Ali Oune, Djibouti, February 2, 2011.

Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Lindsey

ALI OUNE, Djibouti– Under an overcast sky, nearly 200 members of the Djiboutian Army’s elite 1st Rapid Action Regiment honed their infantry skills, mentored by members of the U.S. Army National Guard’s 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 137th Infantry Regiment.

The training included instruction on squad movements, convoy operations, contact drills, camp security and marksmanship, and was part of a one-month course which began Jan. 16 and culminated with a graduation Feb. 10. The instruction included mortar crew training and a combat engineering course, according to U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Nelson Perkins, mission commander and member of Charlie Company.

“Our mission here is to mentor the Djiboutian military as they prepare for upcoming missions. We’re trying to help them so they are capable of preventing conflict, establishing regional stability, and protecting coalition interests here,” said Staff Sgt. Travis Elder, an infantry squad leader with the 137th, who is a sheriff’s deputy in his hometown located near Topeka, Kan.

“My team and I are out here mentoring the soldiers and helping them along, basically giving them more tools for their toolbox. We’re showing them things that have helped us get through certain operations, and we want to help them so they can get through their future missions without any problem,” he said.

One of the biggest challenges the instructors faced was the language barrier due to few Djiboutian soldiers speaking English, according to Sgt. Jonathan Moyer, a team member with Echo Company. Instructors relied heavily on 2nd Lt. Omar Ali, Djibouti Army 2nd Company commander, who is fluent in four languages, and Mohamed Said, a Somali-born U.S. Army interpreter.

Throughout the morning, the small groups practiced team movements, and communicated contact and direction of fire. Loud whistle bursts signified enemy contact, and the Djiboutian soldiers moved succinctly, went into the prone position and assumed their staggered firing positions.

The regiment, which was established in 1991 and is comprised of a number of 20-year combat veterans, is the first unit in the Djiboutian Army called to deploy during a contingency, according to Ali. The regiment also provides border security on the Somaliland border located approximately seven miles from the camp.

“The goal for my soldiers is to prepare them for their mission and especially for a deployment under the United Nations, like they did in Haiti and Central Africa,” Ali said, who has been in the army since 2001. He attended an officer’s course with Germany’s mountain troops from 2004-2008 and will soon attend the Infantry Career Captain’s Course at Fort Benning, Ga.

According to Ali, the training is part of a continuation of training that began in September 2010 that included effective methods of instruction, commander operation skills course, a command post exercise, and company grade and noncommissioned officer courses.

Just one month ago, the newly-formed training camp consisted of just six concrete pads. Today the camp consists of about 12 tents, a mosque and a large covered classroom area.

“Camp Ali Oune is actually the first of its kind. The Djiboutians don’t have any bases here on the Somali border, and this camp is supposed to be here for quite a while. They will be utilizing the camp as a training area and for continuing operations to keep this region safe,” he said.

About two miles away in the shadow of a steep hill, other members of the Rapid Action Regiment sharpened their marksmanship skills using the Russian PKM 7.62-mm machine gun, which is the equivalent of the M-249 Squad Automatic Weapon. Automatic gunfire and the ricochet of rounds echoed from the large rock-covered hill as each two-man team practiced firing in staccato bursts of three and five rounds.

“Very well done,” one of the instructors exclaimed after seeing a bullseye on the target of one team.

Ali said the training and mentoring provided by the 137th is beneficial because the cadre of instructors bring real-world operational experience.

“We already had a good relationship with the U.S. Army, and I have to say it’s a good thing and we have a good image of the U.S. Army,” Ali said.

To learn more about U.S. Army Africa visit our official website at www.usaraf.army.mil

Official Vimeo video channel: www.vimeo.com/usarmyafrica

NOVO SELO TRAINING AREA, Bulgaria – The 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, is staged in the parade field of Novo Selo Training Area for Saber Guardian 2014. 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)

Sgt.1st Class Joey Thomas (right), representing the 3rd Infantry Division accepts congratulations and trophy from Command Sgt. Maj. Charles W. Albertson, XVIII Airborne Corps Command Sgt. Maj., after winning the XVIII Airborne Corps Career Counselor of the Year Competition for the reserve component Nov. 19, 2019, on Fort Bragg, N.C. Thomas will represent the XVIII Abn. Corps' reserve component at the U.S. Army Forces Command Career Counselor of the Year Competition later this year.(U.S. Army photo by Spc. Adam M. Manternach, 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

Contingency X: Custom stippling on Sig Sauer P250/P320 frame.

Bush receives Combat Action Badge.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE WARRIOR, Iraq – Lt. Col. Brandon Grubbs, commander, 101st Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division, from Fort Riley, Kan., presents Spc. Warren Bush, a native of Albany, Ga., a Combat Action Badge at Contingency Operating Site Warrior Jan. 20, 2011. Grubbs also presented CABs to Capt. Taylor Simpson, Spc. Miguel Martinez, Spc. Jason Mekee and Pfc. Juan Vargas; Soldiers assigned to Company A, 101st BSB, 1st AATF, 1st Inf. Div.

(U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Alyxandra McChesney, 1st AATF PAO, 1st Inf. Div., USD-N)

Soldiers competing in the XVIII Airborne Corps Career Counselor of the Year Competition recieve a test brief at Fort Bragg, N.C., Nov. 19, 2019. A field of twelve career counselors competed for the title of XVIII Abn. Corps Career Counselor of the Year and a chance to represent the corps at the U.S. Forces Command COCY Competition later this year. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Adam M. Manternach, 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq –

Specialist Carlos Hernandez, mechanic, 370th Transportation Company, 275th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, from Brownsville, Texas:

“Always be prepared, keep your head on the swivel, even when you’re just walking to chow.”

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

I couldn't help myself and I had to photograph me alongside the foamer contingency from Arkansas. They had been chasing 1943 longer and farther than I had and this was their last stop before returning home. Idk how these A&M guys do it. They run trains for their job and then come out and do stuff like this. What a bunch of weirdos......

An Airman assigned to the 621st Contingency Response Wing guides a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft onto a ramp during a joint operations access exercise (JOAX) Sept. 12, 2011, at Mackall Army Airfield, N.C. JOAX is a joint airdrop exercise designed to enhance service cohesiveness between Army and Air Force personnel, allowing both services an opportunity to properly execute large-scale heavy equipment and troop movement. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Quinton Russ)

Staff Sgt. Ryan Boyles waits during sling load training along with a CH-53E Super Stallion at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurt, N.J. Sling load training enables both air and ground units the opportunity to practice moving large or urgent cargo into areas where aircraft cannot reach. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres/621st Contingency Response Wing Public Affairs)

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)

Airmen from the Kentucky Air National Guard's 123rd Contingency Response Group set up a mobile airfield operations center at Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport in Dakar, Senegal, Oct. 17, 2014, in support of Operation United Assistance, the U.S. Agency for International Development-led, whole-of-government effort to respond to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The Airmen are operating an Intermediate Staging Base in Dakar to funnel humanitarian aid into affected areas, working in concert with Soldiers from the U.S. Armyâs 689th Rapid Port Opening Element to staff a Joint Task Force-Port Opening. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Dale Greer)