On 1/4/2011 9:01:33 AM Rear Admiral Brian Losey, commander, and Captain John Dixon, chief of staff, Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa wrote

This commentary was written by Rear Admiral Brian Losey, commander, and Captain John Dixon, chief of staff, Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa about their travels to visit units and troops who are forward-deployed throughout the operating area.

Dinner Recognition During Holiday Dinner
Camp Lemmonier, Djibouti
December 22, 2010

Rear Admiral Losey: U.S. Africa Commands Command Sergeant Major, Mark Ripka, joined us at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, for a holiday get together and meal with Sailors from Navy Mobile Construction Battalion 74 (Seabees) and Soldiers from Charlie Company, 402nd Civil Affairs Battalion. It was a pleasure to spend an evening with our hard working Sailors and Soldiers who are engaged in a number of school, medical clinic and water projects in key areas of need - coordinated with the government of Djibouti by the U.S. Ambassador to Djibouti, Ambassador James Swan, and his team. The evening was highlighted by CSM Ripkas presence and discussion on leadership and collaborative engagements in Africa. We also noted the solid progression in military-to-military engagements with our Djiboutian partners to support their participation in African regional security initiatives and peace support operations. Specialist Alexis Fontan, U.S. Army, Specialist David Matias, U.S. Army, Sergeant Gabriel Flores, U.S. Army, Constructionman Justin Rose, U.S. Navy and Constructionman Robert Cox, U.S. Navy, were singled out by their unit leadership as up-and-coming leaders with a high level of commitment to the mission and getting the job done right. For me personally, having the opportunity to recognize and thank these performers at a holiday dinner was the best part of the evening.

Well Received During Visit with the Troops
Dira Dawa, Ethiopia
December 24, 2010

Captain Dixon: Rear Admiral Losey and I have the distinct pleasure of traveling throughout the Horn of Africa region to visit our troops who have been working through the holidays in support of their respective missions. Our first stop was Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. We were very well received by the local populace, as we had children coming up to greet us. Had an opportunity to tour the Harar Coffee Warehouse and plant before heading out to the Civil Affairs (CA) team house where we visited with members of the CA team working in the region, soldiers of the 2-137th, and some of the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Seabees. The Seabees are doing great work connecting with the population and by continuing to drill much needed water wells in the region. The CA team is also very involved with the population on a more personal level. It was very obvious from the reception they received as we traveled throughout Dira Dawa that they have been able to gain their trust and confidence.

The thing that struck me the most was how friendly and receptive the people here are to uniformed military folks; an accurate reflection of the strong partner-nation relationships we share with Ethiopia in this region. We closed the day out with a Christmas Eve dinner where the Commander was able to publicly recognize several of the CA team's outstanding performers.

Christmas Visit with Our Team at Local Orphanage
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
December 25, 2010

Captain Dixon: The Commander continued his around the Horn of Africa holiday visit by meeting the Awasa Civil Affairs team in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for a holiday dinner at the local Country Coordination Element house. Prior to the team's arrival, we had the honor to meet with the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Abuna Paulos. Specifically, we discussed how CJTF-HOA carries out U.S. AFRICOM's mission in the region by building partner-nation capacity in order to increase regional stability and security. Patriarch Paulos was very encouraged and interested in the employment of the military as it teams with African nations to strive for a secure and stable environment. Following the visit with the patriarch, our party, the Embassy team and the Ambassador's executive assistant's family were able to spend time at the Sisters of Charity Orphanage -- probably the most memorable part of the trip thus far. The orphanage only takes HIV-positive children whose parents have passed away. We spent time talking to and interacting with the children. We toured their school, quarters, living areas and medical clinics. The children are not allowed in schools out in town, so the orphanage gives them a place to go and be treated with some success. Our group handed out 280 school supply packs for children at the orphanage headed up by Sister Mary Lamc. Her brother, Kassu Fantya, was head of the Saint John Baptist de la Salle Catholic School, which is also associated with the orphanage. They were extremely pleased to have the U.S. military involved in donating much needed supplies for all the children.

After the visit at the orphanage we went back to the CCE house to prepare for Christmas dinner with the Awasa CA team. We were also able to meet with all of their interpreters and other embassy friends. We traded lots of good stories where we were encouraged by the CA efforts in Awasa and their advances in building trust and confidence with the local population.

Our next stop is Manda Bay, Kenya. Rear Admiral Losey will cover this stop in his blog.

Troops in Kenya Build Maritime Strength Through Partnerships
Manda Bay, Ethiopia
December 26 28, 2010

Rear Admiral Losey: After visiting our Navy Seabees and Army CA Soldiers in Ethiopia 24-25 December (See CAPT JD Dixons blog post on this exciting visit) we flew into Kenyan Naval Base, Manda Bay, where Camp Simba and approximately 120 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and civilians are nested inside the Kenyan Naval Base.

This is not any ordinary Navy base. Running around loose inside the base are baboons, monkeys, warthogs, monster centipedes and a multitude of snakes one only reads about. A hippopotamus pond is close by.

From this camp, our teams work with our Kenyan military counterparts and the State Department to build maritime security capacity (a Kenyan Special Boat Unit was recently commissioned here) and within local communities on schools, clinics, and essential services that build civil-military cooperation, capacity and trust. The Maritime Civil Affairs Team (Navy MCAT) led by Lieutenant Andrew Moyer and Chief Petty Officer Stephan Eckert and accompanied that day by Sergeant First Class Richard Ingram, NCOIC of the Civil Affairs Team in Garissa, took us by water over to Lamu, a nearby coastal town and destination for adventurous world travelers. We were honored to meet with the Principal Director of Lamu, Mr. Jamal Fankupy, and had a fruitful discussion on the best ways to build on the teams ongoing civil-military efforts. I was struck not just by the professionalism of the team, but also by the growth they are experiencing in their partnering mission. Their appreciation for the friendship of local Kenyans and understanding of the rich and complex environment was evident.

The Seabees and CA Team, along with Camp Simba leadership, Commander Elvis Mikel, and Senior Chief Petty Officer Wade Tandberg hosted the Kenya Naval Base Manda Bay Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Kilungya and his Adjutant, Major Mwangi for dinner. We enjoyed well prepared camp chow and discussed the history of the Kenyan Navy (KNAV) Base and Camp Simba, near term initiatives, the partnering mission, the many people we knew in common, and the truly unique opportunity for our Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen to experience life on the Swahili Coast.

Visiting Our First Joint Civil Affairs Team in Comoros
Comoros Islands
December 28 29, 2010

Captain Dixon: Continuing the "around-the-Horn" trip, we arrived from Kenya to the Comoros Islands, where we were met by U.S. Army Captain Ivan Hong, Joint Civil Affairs Team (JCAT-101) leader. We went to the team house for a walk-around and brief on their work and had a good discussion on team challenges and their mission. Unlike previous civil affairs teams, this team captures the best from both Army and Navy civil affairs teams by being composed of members from both services. Petty Officer 1st Class Albert Brown and Petty Officer 1st Class James Jones were very involved with mentoring the Comorian Coast Guard personnel in upkeep, training and employment of their Archangel patrol boat. The team is working to further develop the Comoros Coast Guard's maritime capacity. The team has formed good ties with the Comorian defense forces by joining them on a weekly group physical training sessions, where they do warm-ups together followed by a formation run.

The team is also involved in local English discussion groups, which help connect them to the local civilian and military population. The team is tracking numerous school projects around the three Comoros islands and is meeting with school leaders as they distribute "talking" books promoting malaria prevention practices. Geared for the most vulnerable part of the population, the children, these educational books support Comorian government efforts to increase malaria awareness. The team engages with the local fishing community by assessing the results of past collaborative activities focused on enhancing basic seamanship, navigation, and survival skills. Early indications point to a definite decrease in the number of fishing deaths in the Comoros.

The evening ended with a great team holiday dinner at the Itsandra Hotel. Joining Rear Admiral Losey and the team was the CJTF-HOA country coordination element officer-in-charge to the Comoros, Captain Jon Roby, as well as the U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission to Madagascar and current Charge d'Affaires, Mr. John Carrao. Mr. Carrao complimented the JCAT's work in Comoros and elaborated on his close observation of the ongoing Comoros elections. The civil affairs team is excited to continue its efforts to do its part to foster stability in this important maritime region.

HOA Civil Affairs Teams Working Toward Stability in Tanzania
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
December 29 30, 2010

Captain Dixon: We arrived mid-morning in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from the Comoros. We were met by our liaison officers, or country coordination element, to the U.S. embassy, Air Force Major Adam Lauridsen and Master Sergeant Christie, the Maritime Civil Affairs Team (MCAT 101) leader, Lieutenant Franz Fuchs, and the team medic, Hospital Corpsman Petty Officer 2nd Class Cheryl Parker. After clearing customs, we flew with Lieutenant Fuchs and Petty Officer Parker to Pemba Island and were met by the team interpreter, Siaf, and Navy Chief Petty Officer Stephensen.

Situated in the northeast region of Tanzania as part of semiautonomous Zanzibar, Pemba Island has historically been an area prone to violence and political instability. Working in concert with the Tanzanian authorities, the MCAT has been conducting activities to foster stability and peace. Examples include building schools which promote local and government cooperation and collaboration, and provide a tangible benefit to the community. The Pemba Island school projects hold the promise of effecting a better connection between the local people and their government; thereby, building the bonds of a population that strengthens peace and security in the region.

Additionally, the increased frequency and quality of our military-to-military interactions, such as with the Tanzania People's Defense Force liaison officer who travels with the MCAT, continue to strengthen our military partnership and open doors for further cooperation.

The rest of the five-person MCAT 101 team, the engineer and communicator, Petty Officer 1st Class Dean Harro and Petty Officer 2nd Class Timothy Gosney met us for lunch at the Pemba village where they are currently living.

The team then took Rear Admiral Losey to the Matale Primary School; a CJTF-HOA building project that was completed in 2007. On follow-up visits, repair needs were identified and the team has been ensuring the proper repair of the school before it opens back up in the first week of January.

We flew back to Dar es Salaam and enjoyed a holiday dinner with Major Laurdisen, Master Sergeant Christie, Lieutenant Fuchs and Petty Officer Parker, capping off the fine meal with a good discussion on the positive future of Tanzania.

Productive Times with our Folks at the UPDF
Entebbe, Uganda
December 30-31, 2010

Rear Admiral Losey: We departed Dar Es Salam, Tanzania, in the morning and arrived at Entebbe, Uganda, at about noon. Entebbe Airport lies on Victoria Lake in the Great Lakes Region, and the views on final approach were a kaleidoscope of hills, lush greenery, red clay earth, and blue water. We were met by Commander Eric Schoenbucher, USN, Master Gunnery Sergeant Arabelle Flores, USMC, and Chief Petty Officer Pamela Twittty, USN, our Command Coordination Element (CCE) - the CJTFs liaison to the US Embassy in Kampala. We made our way to Kampala, about a 40-minute drive, to meet with the U.S. Ambassador to Uganda, Ambassador Jerry Lanier, for lunch.

It was great to hear the work by our Civil Affairs team in the Karamoja Region led by Captain Nate Heller, U.S. Army, and his Team Sergeant, Staff Sergeant Ken Bryant, U.S. Army, was well received by Ambassador Lanier. Their recent efforts have been focused on veterinary civil affairs engagements centered on disease vector control and selective breeding as measures to mitigate endemic cattle rustling and associated violence. Their efforts included Ugandan health care workers and students, the Ugandan People's Defense Force, local governance and the Karamojong people and resulted in better dialogue and interaction in working toward solutions. We also had productive discussions on upcoming initiatives in the civil-military engagement realm as well as more traditional military-to-military engagements, many in direct support to Department of State capacity building efforts. The partnership between the Ugandan People's Defense Force and the U.S. military is strong, as they are key leaders in fostering and supporting African regional security initiatives and cooperation.

Later that afternoon, members of CJTF-HOA met with LTC Richard Karamire of the UPDF, who served with us for more than a year in 2009-2010, and is now assigned to the UPDF general staff. His insights on regional issues and how to advance our partnership continue to be highly valued. That evening, the CCE, CA team, Camp Kasenyi Detachment and support team members met at a local restaurant for dinner. I would like to say we dined on Ugandan fare, but everyone who was living in the field overwhelmingly voted to go Italian. It was great to see team members who were still on hand from my previous visit to Moroto in the Karamoja Region, and a pleasure to get to know our new teammates.

On the morning of the 31st, we headed out to Camp Kasenyi, a military training base where we have a detachment led by Lieutenant Commander John Pazymino, U.S. Navy and Chief Petty Officer Jeff Smith, U.S. Navy. The detachment coordinates a range of military-to-military engagements and sets conditions for productive execution of these events. We surveyed the Camp and training areas and were hosted warmly by Major Birungi, Captian Mugizi, and Captain Ssejemba, Captain Nkojo, and Lieutenant Abitegeya of the UPDF. I look forward to the next visit to Uganda where our members are supporting a wide variety of civil-military and military-to-military capacity building activities.

Holiday Joys at Camp Lemmonier
Camp Lemmonier, Djibouti
January 1, 2011

Rear Admiral Losey: Captain Dixon and I arrived back at home station just in time to bring in the New Year. While we were on the road, Brigadier General Jim Owens, USA, Deputy Commander, and Sergeant Major Scott Mykoo, USMC, Command Sergeant Major, and members of CJTF-HOA were honored to host General William "Kip" Ward, Commander, U.S. Africa Command and his Command Sergeant Major, Mark Ripka, during the Christmas Holiday. Their presence was a powerful boost for the members of CJTF-HOA at Camp Lemonnier. They spent the day visiting the troops who were on duty, handing out candy canes and expressing appreciation for their dedication and service. General Ward also took time during his visit to promote one of our Army soldiers from first lieutenant to captain. In true General Ward "St. Nick" fashion, he culminated his visit at our dining facility, thanking the food services staff for their great work preparing the holiday meal, then serving food to HOA troops eating at the galley. By the way, General Ward and his wife, Joyce, received their own special Christmas present that day with the birth of their first grandchild to his daughter and her husband.

General Ward's and CSM Ripka's visit to Djibouti afforded an opportunity for my Chief of Staff, Captain J.D. Dixon, and I to head out and spend time with many of our teams scattered around the East Africa region. Travel around the region normally includes numerous meetings with senior U.S. Embassy and partner nation military officials, but this round was focused on our teams in the field over the holidays. While every member missed family and loved ones at home, I am happy to reflect that our teams took big steps to be that "missed family" to each other. I am proud of their service and thankful for the opportunity to serve with them - THANK YOU for the support you provide that makes their service possible. Happy New Year!