Gallery contains 7 images
×
Photo 1 of 7
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa Image
KENYA- Kenya Defense Forces combat engineer soldiers and officers complete a written test at the end of their second week of class during Deliberate Kindle 2016, Sept. 16, at a training center in Kenya. U.S. Navy Task Force Sparta explosive ordnance disposal technicians and a dive independent duty corpsman, assigned to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, provided counter-improvised explosive device, tactical combat medical care, and train-the-trainer skills to approximately 53 KDF soldiers and officers in preparation the KDF’s deployment with the African Union Mission in Somalia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tiffany DeNault)
Photo by: SSgt Tiffany DeNault
Photo 2 of 7
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa Image
KENYA – U.S. Navy Ensign Christina Hammervold and Chief Petty Officer Ryan Waller, Task Force Sparta, speak with Kenya Defense Forces Warrant Officer Athumani, a squadron sergeant major, before resuming the medical portion of Deliberate Kindle 2016, Sept. 13, at a training center in Kenya. U.S. Navy explosive ordnance disposal technicians and a dive independent duty corpsman provided counter-improvised explosive device, tactical combat medical care, and train-the-trainer skills to approximately 53 KDF soldiers and officers in preparation the KDF’s deployment with the African Union Mission in Somalia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tiffany DeNault)
Photo by: SSgt Tiffany DeNault
Photo 3 of 7
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa Image
KENYA- U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Ryan Waller, assigned to Task Force Sparta and senior instructor for Deliberate Kindle 2016, teaches Kenya Defense Forces combat engineer soldiers and officers on the difference between electric and non-electric explosives during Deliberate Kindle 2016, Sept. 16, at a training center in Kenya. Deliberate Kindle is a four-week counter-improvised explosive device course designed to provide C-IED, medical, and train-the-trainer skills to approximately 53 KDF soldiers in preparation for future deployments with the African Union Mission in Somalia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tiffany DeNault)
Photo by: SSgt Tiffany DeNault
Photo 4 of 7
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa Image
KENYA- U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician 3rd Class Nick Mettler of Task Force Sparta, whose unit is currently assigned to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, demonstrates how to set up an electric demolition to Kenya Defense Forces combat engineers during Deliberate Kindle 2016, Sept. 16, at a training center in Kenya. Deliberate Kindle is a four-week counter-improvised explosive device course designed to provide C-IED, medical, and train-the-trainer skills to approximately 53 KDF soldiers in preparation for future deployments with the African Union Mission in Somalia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tiffany DeNault)
Photo by: SSgt Tiffany DeNault
Photo 5 of 7
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa Image
KENYA- Kenya Defense Forces combat engineers practice setting up an electric demolition with mock training aids during Deliberate Kindle 2016, Sept. 16, at a training center in Kenya. U.S. Navy Task Force Sparta explosive ordnance disposal technicians and a dive independent duty corpsman, assigned to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, provided counter-improvised explosive device, tactical combat medical care, and train-the-trainer skills to approximately 53 KDF soldiers and officers in preparation the KDF’s deployment with the African Union Mission in Somalia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tiffany DeNault)
Photo by: SSgt Tiffany DeNault
Photo 6 of 7
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa Image
KENYA- U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Ryan Waller, assigned to Task Force Sparta and senior instructor for Deliberate Kindle 2016, demonstrates to Kenya Defense Forces combat engineers how to work around certain obstacles when an improvised explosive device is detected, as part of training during Deliberate Kindle 2016, Sept. 16, at a training center in Kenya. Deliberate Kindle is a four-week counter-improvised explosive device course designed to provide C-IED, medical, and train-the-trainer skills to approximately 53 KDF soldiers in preparation for future deployments with the African Union Mission in Somalia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tiffany DeNault)
Photo by: SSgt Tiffany DeNault
Photo 7 of 7
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa Image
KENYA- Kenya Defense Forces combat engineer soldiers and officers return from a class break to continue a class on demolitions taught by U.S. Navy Sailors from Task Force Sparta, assigned to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, during Deliberate Kindle 2016, Sept. 16, at a training center in Kenya. U.S. Navy explosive ordnance disposal technicians and a dive independent duty corpsman provided counter-improvised explosive device, tactical combat medical care, and train-the-trainer skills to approximately 53 KDF soldiers and officers in preparation for the KDF’s deployment with the African Union Mission in Somalia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tiffany DeNault)
Photo by: SSgt Tiffany DeNault
A team from Task Force Sparta, assigned to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, is teaching lifesaving skills to Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) combat engineer soldiers and officers during Deliberate Kindle 2016, Sept. 5-30, at a training center in Kenya.
Deliberate Kindle 2016 is a four-week course designed to prepare the KDF soldiers for future deployments in support of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). Approximately 53 KDF soldiers are given various Humanitarian Mine Action lessons focused around countering improvised explosive device (C-IED) tactics, including tactical combat medical skills, demolition training and train-the-trainer skill sets.
The training provides basic skills the KDF can rely and further build upon while deployed with AMISOM by increasing their effectiveness, and thus allowing them to return home safely, said U.S. Navy Ensign Christina Hammervold, Deliberate Kindle 2016 mission commander.
“It’s important to conduct C-IED training for all troop contributing countries (TCCs) because it is the most detrimental threat they are currently experiencing while supporting AMISOM,” Hammervold said. “Creating better trained AMISOM TCCs is vital to our success in obtaining the overall regional stability (CJTF-HOA) is seeking.”
A KDF commanding officer also stressed the importance of the combined training for their future missions.
“It’s very important to come together [for this training],” said KDF Maj. Anthony. “We learned some new tactics and ideas from [the Americans]. We also have different training techniques. Therefore, when we come together in partnership, we learn a lot from each other.”
The course goes into detail on identifying different IEDs, how to effectively use mine detectors, what to do when an IED is found, and also how to treat someone who has been injured from an explosion. At the end of each course portion the soldiers will complete practical applications of the skills learned in each class.
“It’s nice for the partnerships to be together because we are learning from [Task Force Sparta] and their experiences,” said KDF Warrant Officer Athumani, a squadron sergeant major. “That will help us fight the fight.”
During the last week of the course, the soldiers will have the opportunity to train other KDF soldiers on what they have learned in the training environment for effective transmission of skills.
“It’s paying it forward,” said U.S. Navy Hospitalman 1st Class Aaron Christensen, Deliberate Kindle lead medical trainer and a dive independent duty corpsman. “We are trying to make sure they have the skillset to pass it on to other soldiers. So it’s not just these 53 people who were able to take the information, but for them to take it and [further] expand upon it. That way, we are growing the medical and IED awareness knowledge-base to continue the growth of their abilities to respond to emergencies.”
Task Force Sparta utilizes small explosive ordnance disposal teams and maneuver units to conduct partner nation training throughout HOA to build partner capacity, Hammervold said.
“It’s awesome. I like the instructors because they are friendly and they have the knowledge and experience,” said KDF Lance Cpl. Mohamed. “They are not just giving us what is in the books, and we are very much confident that [this] is the kind of gift we will never forget.”
