A clearinghouse of the U.S. Africa Command's senior leader's updates on issues important at AFRICOM.
We encourage your comments and feedback.
Click here to see our public feedback
On 2/7/2011 12:08:39 PM Max Blumenfeld, JSOTF-TS Public Affairs
wrote
The 86th Airlift Wing C-130 Hercules streamed through the early February skies en route to Dakar, Senegal. The crew of the 37th Airlift Squadron was flying a special mission. Aboard were nearly 30 seasoned Special Operations Command Africa, or SOCAFRICA, and Joint Special Operations Task Force-Trans Sahara, or JSOTF-TS, enlisted and officers forming the advanced (ADVON) party for a very unique mission. Months of multi-national planning, coordination and preparation, as well as several years of consistent and persistent engagements, enabled this group to this threshold of capacity development: Flintlock 11, AFRICOM's premier Special Operations exercise designed to enhance counter-terrorism skills, would be completely African led.
Since 2005, Flintlock has been conducted annually under the auspices of the State Department initiated Trans-Sahara Counter Terrorism Partnership as one of the Department of Defense activities focused on enabling African partner nations to better address the destabilizing effects of terrorist cells operating in the vast and barren lands in the Trans-Saharan region.
Over the years, each iteration of the exercise capitalized on the previous one so as to gradually integrate information sharing and capacity development to the next higher level. One of the benchmarks was the establishment and development of a Multi-national Coordination Center, or MCC, to coordinate tactical operations in simulated scenarios for African specialized units.
This year, Flintlock will have a smaller scaled but very focused Multi-national Tactical Operations Center which would additionally capitalize on planning and conducting civil-military operations. Not only would tactical units hone specific CT battle drills but the African units and European counterparts would also plan and execute a Medical Civic Action Program (MEDCAP) for the benefit of isolated communities area, populations in very similar situations and conditions to those they encounter within the areas they patrol in their home countries.
Glancing at these team members aboard this Hercules making its long flight from Stuttgart and across the ocean to the African continent, there is the unmistakable sense of purpose and confidence. Each one has a specific role to accomplish once this plane lands in Dakar. Some will begin in Dakar to work with the Senegalese military and civilian authorities to facilitate the arrival of African units from throughout the Trans-Saharan region. For many, this will be the first opportunity to work with African partner units, along with a Canadian team arriving from across the Atlantic to participate for the first time in the Flintlock partnership with our regular European and African partners. All will converge in Senegal, then launch forward to the exercise training camp.
Other SOCAFRICA and JSOTF-TS members will land and head directly north to This and its large training area to help finalize details with the Senegalese military. And, it will be there in This, in hot field conditions and a harsh environment where brothers-in-arms will hone their skills, that Flintlock 11 will debut with its opening ceremony on February 21.
This C-130, the "work horse" for so much that has been accomplished in the past and still remains to be done, is nearing Senegalese airspace. Once the pallets are off-loaded, this small contingent from SOCAFRICA will embark to ensure a new and very promising endeavor -- a counter-terrorism exercise where Africans lead the way to help make Africa a better place for all Africans. I am glad to be part of this worthwhile endeavor.
PA mission to Ethiopia 1/8/2011 · By Airman 1st Class Jevon Smith
Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa strategic communication combat camera videographer
VETCAP in Negele 1/8/2011 · Captain David Creech
402nd Civil Affairs Battalion functional specialty team veterinarian
Visiting Our Teams over the Holidays 1/4/2011 · Rear Admiral Brian Losey, commander, and Captain John Dixon, chief of staff, Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa
From LTC David Knellinger on 9/10/2012 2:02:03 PM "The Central Africa Region Environmental Security Symposium, hosted by the United States Africa Command Environmental Security Program and the United Nations Environmental Programme..." (Read Full Entry)
From Brigadier General Stayce Harris on 7/19/2012 8:54:32 AM "The following blog is by Brigadier General Stayce Harris, U.S. Africa Command's mobilization reserve assistant to the commander.
Over the past 2 years, I have had the..." (Read Full Entry)
Hamza in Gabes, Tunisia wrote on 10/2/2012 11:09:13 AM "I LOVE US ARMY I DREAM TO BE SOME ONE FROM MARINS ITS JUST DREAM..." (Read Full Entry)
Pamela in Virginia wrote on 10/2/2012 10:28:15 AM "This command much needed not only to ustain African governments ,but to also be an aide to our United States stability and protection. Many hostile in that area ,especially on East..." (Read Full Entry)
Herman in Pretoria wrote on 9/23/2012 5:46:33 PM "Awesome aircraft, thank you for the display! It is most appreciated...." (Read Full Entry)
Paul in UK wrote on 8/22/2012 9:16:10 AM "I was also involved in the communications training at Kisangani and share Michel Beya's comments I'm sure we met. What I saw was a very well trained battalion and hope that..." (Read Full Entry)
Mark in Fort Leavenworth wrote on 8/21/2012 10:25:29 PM "False allegations against Commander USAFRICOM appear to be in fashion. It is shameful that someone felt the need to assassinate the character of the previous commander — one ..." (Read Full Entry)