A Senegalese soldier with 1st Paratrooper Battalion gives movement orders to his team during a squad-level exercise July 14, 2016 in Thies, Senegal as part of Africa Readiness Training 16. ART16 is a U.S. Army Africa exercise designed to increase U.S. and Senegalese readiness and partnership through combined infantry training and live-fire events. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Candace Mundt/Released)

A Senegalese soldier with 1st Paratrooper Battalion gives movement orders to his team during a squad-level exercise July 14, 2016 in Thies, Senegal as part of Africa Readiness Training 16. ART16 is a U.S. Army Africa exercise designed to increase U.S. and Senegalese readiness and partnership through combined infantry training and live-fire events. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Candace Mundt/Released)

A Senegalese soldier with 1st Paratrooper Battalion gives movement orders to his team during a squad-level exercise July 14, 2016 in Thies, Senegal as part of Africa Readiness Training 16. ART16 is a U.S. Army Africa exercise designed to increase U.S. and Senegalese readiness and partnership through combined infantry training and live-fire events. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Candace Mundt/Released)

A Senegalese soldier with 1st Paratrooper Battalion gives movement orders to his team during a squad-level exercise July 14, 2016 in Thies, Senegal as part of Africa Readiness Training 16. ART16 is a U.S. Army Africa exercise designed to increase U.S. and Senegalese readiness and partnership through combined infantry training and live-fire events. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Candace Mundt/Released)

ART is the first in a series of planned annual U.S. Army Africa-led exercises that brings together AFRICOM's Regionally Aligned Force with African partners to increase readiness.

A Senegalese soldier with 1st Paratrooper Battalion gives movement orders to his team during a squad-level exercise July 14, 2016 in Thies, Senegal as part of Africa Readiness Training 16. ART16 is a U.S. Army Africa exercise designed to increase U.S. and Senegalese readiness and partnership through combined infantry training and live-fire events. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Candace Mundt/Released)

A Senegalese soldier with 1st Paratrooper Battalion carries an 81mm mortar tube during a patrol July 22, 2016 in Thies, Senegal as part of Africa Readiness Training 16. ART16 is a U.S. Army Africa exercise designed to increase U.S. and Senegalese readiness and partnership through combined infantry training and live-fire events. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Candace Mundt)

A Senegalese soldier with 1st Paratrooper Battalion carries an 81mm mortar tube during a patrol July 22, 2016 in Thies, Senegal as part of Africa Readiness Training 16. ART16 is a U.S. Army Africa exercise designed to increase U.S. and Senegalese readiness and partnership through combined infantry training and live-fire events. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Candace Mundt)

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania – Eastern Accord 2016 participants attend the Opening Ceremony to commence the command post exercise at the Tanzanian Peacekeeping Training Centre, July 11, 2016, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. EA16 is an annual, combined, joint military exercise that brings together partner nations to practice and demonstrate proficiency in conducting peacekeeping operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tiffany DeNault)

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania – Eastern Accord 2016 participants attend the Opening Ceremony to commence the command post exercise at the Tanzanian Peacekeeping Training Centre, July 11, 2016, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Sponsored by U.S. Africa Command and led by U.S. Army Africa, EA16 is an annual, combined, joint military exercise that brings together partner nations to practice and demonstrate proficiency in conducting peacekeeping operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tiffany DeNault/Released)

Exercise Eastern Accord builds readiness with African partners

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania – Eastern Accord 2016 participants attend the Opening Ceremony to commence the command post exercise at the Tanzanian Peacekeeping Training Centre, July 11, 2016, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. EA16 is an annual, combined, joint military exercise that brings together partner nations to practice and demonstrate proficiency in conducting peacekeeping operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tiffany DeNault/Released)

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania – Senior military leaders from the Tanzanian and U.S. militaries, alongside Hussein Ali Mwinyi, Tanzanian Minister of Defense and National Service, preside over the opening ceremony for exercise Eastern Accord 2016 at the Tanzanian Peacekeeping Training Centre, July 11, 2016, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. EA16 is an annual, combined, joint military exercise that brings together partner nations to practice and demonstrate proficiency in conducting peacekeeping operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tiffany DeNault/Released)

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania – U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Jon Jensen, U.S. Army Africa deputy commanding general and co-exercise director, welcomes participants to the Eastern Accord 2016 command post exercise during the opening ceremony at the Tanzanian Peacekeeping Training Centre on July, 11, 2016, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. EA16 is an annual, combined, joint military exercise that brings together partner nations to practice and demonstrate proficiency in conducting peacekeeping operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tiffany DeNault/Released)

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania – Tanzanian Brig. Gen. Yohana Ocholla Mabongo, Eastern Accord 2016 exercise co-director, welcomes the participants to the Eastern Accord 2016 command post exercise during the Opening Ceremony at the Tanzanian Peacekeeping Training Centre on July, 11, 2016, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. EA16 is an annual, combined, joint military exercise that brings together partner nations to practice and demonstrate proficiency in conducting peacekeeping operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tiffany DeNault/Released)

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania – Eastern Accord 2016 participants attend the command post exercise Opening Ceremony at the Tanzanian Peacekeeping Training Centre on July 11, 2016 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. EA16 is an annual, combined, joint military exercise that brings together partner nations to practice and demonstrate proficiency in conducting peacekeeping operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tiffany DeNault/Released)

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania – Hussein Ali Mwyini, Minister of Defense and National Service, presents the Eastern Accord 2016 flag representing the commencement of the command post exercise the Tanzanian Peacekeeping Training Centre on July 11, 2016, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. EA16 is an annual, combined, joint military exercise that brings together partner nations to practice and demonstrate proficiency in conducting peacekeeping operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tiffany DeNault/Released)

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania – Senior military leaders and Hussein Ali Mwyini, Minister of Defense and National Service, take a group photograph with the U.S. Eastern Accord 2016 participants at the Opening Ceremony at the Tanzanian Peacekeeping Training Centre on July 11, 2016, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. EA16 is an annual, combined, joint military exercise that brings together partner nations to practice and demonstrate proficiency in conducting peacekeeping operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tiffany DeNault/Released)

During a weeklong collaborative event, 1-9 FA leaders and planners participated in the U.S. Army Africa-led final planning event for exercise Eastern Accord 2016 in Dar es Salaam, May 2-6.

Tanzanian People’s Defense Force Lt. Col. Hozza teaches a popular Tanzanian handshake to Capt. Bryan Neal, operations planner for 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, during the exercise Eastern Accord 2016 final planning event site visit to the Tanzanian Peacekeeping Training Center in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, May 3. Soldiers of 1-9 FA are supporting EA 2016 this summer as part of the regionally allocated force for U.S. Army Africa and U.S. Africa Command. (U.S. Army Africa photo by Capt. Jarrod Morris)