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July 14, 2011
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia U.S. Commander Rick Mercadante discusses peace support operations during U.S. Africa Command Africa Endeavor 2011 (AE 11) communications exercise July 14, 2011, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with Arthur Kelly (left), South African Lieutenant Colonel (Dr.) Simon Leopeng (center right) and Zambian Lieutenant Colonel Kelvin Silomba (right). Mercadante is a Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) country plans officer; Kelly is U.S. Africa Command's C4 Systems AE 11 site lead; Leopeng is an African Standby Force (ASF) medical planning officer; and Silomba is an ASF information technology expert.
Africa Endeavor is an annual scenario-driven exercise focused on interoperability and information sharing among African partner nations, where African regions simulate the stand up of regional African Standby Forces. The 2011 exercise is being conducted in Banjul, The Gambia, and also at the Economic Community of West African States headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria, and at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. (U.S. AFRICOM photo by Staff Sergeant Amanda McCarty)