"Attention in the JOC, this is an exercise, exercise, exercise emergency ...," began U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Scott Hodge, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, or CJTF-HOA, joint operations center team chief, after his watch officer, U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Randy Neihart, informed him of an exercise emergency phone call he received from someone in the Grand Bara Desert.
French and U.S. service members teamed Sept. 25, 2012, during Mass Casualty, or MASCAL,
Marines and Sailors with India Battery, the artillery attachment for Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, conducted bilateral training with French Marines in Djibouti Aug. 25-27 to integrate and strengthen an allied-nation partnership.
The India Battery Marines used the opportunity to discuss tactics and procedures for the newest addition to the Marine Corps artillery arsenal, the M-327 120 mm Expeditionary Fire Support System, or E
A pair of Georgia Army National Guardsmen from the 110th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion trained more than 30 Burundi Armed Forces personnel during two weeks of instruction on deployment, unit movement planning, September 2012.
Captain Brad Copas of U.S. Army Africa's G-4, Multi-National and Interagency branch, supervised the two-member GARNG team during an Africa Deployment Assistance Partnership Team training known as ADAPT.
ADAPT is a U.S. Department of State sponsor
Photo essay by U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Christopher Ruano.
Fifteen Tanzanian animal healthcare professionals, Soldiers from the U.S. Army 448th Civil Affairs Battalion, and the Joint Civil Affairs Team in Tanzania assigned to Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa came together to participate in a two-week Veterinary Civic Action Program, or VETCAP, training session in Mkinga District, Tanzania Sept. 3-14.
The VETCAP was broken into two stages: three days of classroom training and eight days of field training in eight different villages in
More than 20 military chaplains from U.S. Africa Command, or AFRICOM, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, or CJTF-HOA, and nine East African countries joined together Sept. 19 to 21, 2012, for the third annual AFRICOM-sponsored African Military Chaplain Conference in Djibouti City, Djibouti.
The purpose of the gathering, as the year's theme included, was to partner, collaborate and minister with one another to help improve the chaplain corps' ability to better serve its
I enjoy serving as a volunteer and giving to organizations I feel passionate about. As a Reservist, I am not usually exposed to the Combined Federal Campaign - Overseas, but this year I will have an opportunity to contribute where it will count. Soon I'll search for that special organization to which I will make a donation - and I encourage you to join me in doing so.
The CFC began in the early 1960s so federal employees would only be solicited once in the workplace. Through the CF
Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army Gen. Raymond Odierno, made his first visit to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Sept. 20, 2012, to meet with service members and civilians.
While visiting, Odierno held a Soldier Call to discuss the importance of Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa's mission and each Soldier's place in supporting the mission, but not before taking care of some important business.
"It's an honor to reenlist three great Soldiers," Odierno said. "It's o
The U.S. Army's 448th Civil Affairs Battalion's Team 1, was awarded the Afar Forum Award, Aug. 30, 2012, in Brussels, Belgium, for its community partner efforts aimed at supporting the Afar people, one of the two main ethnic groups in Djibouti.
Team 1 began working together upon their arrival here in June and is one of five civil affairs teams within the battalion currently assigned to support the mission of Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, or CJTF-HOA. The teams wor
U.S. Army Soldiers, assigned to Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, or CJTF-HOA, have partnered with the Djibouti Armed Forces English Language Center, to assist instructors in teaching English to students.
The 490th Civil Affairs Battalion, Team 12, began working with the center in April 2012 to help further the English knowledge of 17 Djiboutian servicemembers enrolled in the English language course at Camp Chiek Osman in Djibouti City, Djibouti.
"My [American] friends
A graduation was held at the Horsed Private School of English, Sept. 10, 2012, in Djibouti City, Djibouti, to honor 17 Djiboutian students who completed the four-year English Language Course.
"Today's ceremony is the well-deserved recognition of years of hard work for these students in completing their English Language Course," said U.S. Navy Lieutenant Colter Menke, English Discussion Group, or EDG, program facilitator for Camp Lemonnier personnel.
The school, whi
To the men and women of Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa,
On this 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on our nation, I would like to take a moment to thank each of you for your dedicated, faithful service to America and our way of life. You represent less than one percent of the American population who has volunteered for uniformed service to protect our homeland and further American interests abroad. When I talk about the one percent versus the 99 percent, it is yo
More than 50 Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa servicemembers partnered with several hundred residents of Dikhil, Djibouti, Sept. 2, 2012, to clean up seven schools within the city.
The joint effort, which included several hours of trash pickup, painting, rearranging desks and light cleaning within five primary schools, one secondary school, and one high school, helped get the schools ready for the first day of school Sept. 3, 2012.
"We're promoting a community clean
Djiboutian Sailors and American Soldiers gathered at the Djibouti Naval Base to share knowledge, best practices, and lessons learned in a session the Djiboutians planned to use to repair electrical systems for two Sea Ark, 55-foot patrol boats.
While the vessels add to the Djiboutian fleet, the American-based, 120-volt electrical systems differ from the 220-volt standard in Djibouti. Since receiving the boats, the Djiboutian Sailors have undertaken much work to make the boats operatio
A photo essay by Staff Sergeant Christopher Ruano.
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa Soldiers, forward-deployed to Ethiopia, delivered care packages to a local orphanage Sept. 2, 2012.
St. Augustine's, a 100-year-old, Catholic, all-girls orphanage in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, has been the recipient of dozens of boxes of personal care items since February, when the 3rd Squadron, 124th Cavalry Regiment, Texas Army National Guard unit arrived to support the CJTF-HOA mission.
"Nine boxes of hygiene items went to the orphanag