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CJTF-HOA Commander visits Uganda, attends historic UPDF graduation
Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa commander U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. David Furness gives remarks to a crowd including Uganda People’s Defense Force leadership, staff, as well as students who graduated July 7, 2017, from a two-month engineering course in Jinja, Uganda. The Class 17.2 graduation was historic because it marked the conclusion of the first class where UPDF instructors both ran and taught the entire course, advised by U.S. Marine Corps partners from the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa. The course covered three subjects, including civil engineering, heavy equipment operations and utilities management. (Courtesy photo by Uganda Army Lt. Col. Nelson Aheebwa)
Photo by: Ugandan Army Lt. Col. Nelson Aheebwa
Photo 2 of 6
CJTF-HOA Commander visits Uganda, attends historic UPDF graduation
Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa commander U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. David Furness (left) helps to plant a mango tree during a tour of the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Center, based in Jinja, Uganda, July 7, 2017. This took place on the same day same day as an historic graduation of 60 UPDF engineers from Class 17.2, which was the first class where UPDF instructors both ran and taught the entire course. Class 17.2’s training took place at the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Center. (Courtesy photo by Uganda Army Lt. Col. Nelson Aheebwa)
Photo by: Ugandan Army Lt. Col. Nelson Aheebwa
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CJTF-HOA Commander visits Uganda, attends historic UPDF graduation
Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa commander U.S. Marine Brig. Gen. David Furness (left) stands side-by-side with Uganda People’s Defense Force leadership July 7, 2017, to cut a ribbon marking the grand opening of a training complex at the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Center, based in Jinja, Uganda. This took place preceding an historic graduation of 60 UPDF engineers from Class 17.2, which was the first class where UPDF instructors both ran and taught the entire course. Class 17.2’s training took place at the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Center. (Courtesy photo by Uganda Army Lt. Col. Nelson Aheebwa)
Photo by: Ugandan Army Lt. Col. Nelson Aheebwa
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CJTF-HOA Commander visits Uganda, attends historic UPDF graduation
Lt. Gen. Wilson Mbadi, the Deputy Chief of Uganda People’s Defense Force (middle) greets Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa commander U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. David Furness (right) for an office call during a recent visit to an historic UPDF engineering course graduation at the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Center, based in Jinja, Uganda. The two military leaders, along with Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Center commandant Maj. Gen. James Nnkibus Lakara (far left) discussed shared interests, including partnership opportunities for future courses. In the latest iteration of the engineering course, UPDF trainers were advised by U.S. Marine Corps partners from the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa. (Courtesy photo by Uganda Army Lt. Col. Nelson Aheebwa)
Photo by: Ugandan Army Lt. Col. Nelson Aheebwa
Photo 5 of 6
CJTF-HOA Commander visits Uganda, attends historic UPDF graduation
Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa commander U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. David Furness (seated, second from left) takes part in a group photo in a training center in Jinja, Uganda, with Uganda People’s Defense Force leadership, staff and students, some of whom graduated July 7, 2017, from a two-month engineering course. The Class 17.2 graduation was historic because it marked the conclusion of the first class where UPDF instructors both ran and taught the entire course. (Courtesy photo by Uganda Army Lt. Col. Nelson Aheebwa)
Photo by: Ugandan Army Lt. Col. Nelson Aheebwa
Photo 6 of 6
CJTF-HOA Commander visits Uganda, attends historic UPDF graduation
Lt. General Wilson Mbadi, the Deputy Chief of Uganda People’s Defense Force (far right), gives Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa commander U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen David Furness (far left) a tour of the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Center training location, based in Jinja, Uganda, July 7. The tour took place on the same day as an historic graduation of 60 UPDF engineers from Class 17.2, which marked the conclusion of the first class where UPDF instructors both ran and taught the entire course. Class 17.2’s training took place at the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Center. (Courtesy photo by Uganda Army Lt. Col. Nelson Aheebwa)
Photo by: Ugandan Army Lt. Col. Nelson Aheebwa
Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa commander Brig. Gen. David Furness attended the graduation ceremony for 60 engineers from Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF) on July 7, at a Marine base in Jinja, Uganda.
The historic graduation of Class 17.2 marked the conclusion of the first class where UPDF instructors both ran and taught the entire course. The two-month training, advised by U.S. Marine Corps partners from the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa, covered three subjects, including civil engineering, heavy equipment operations, and utilities management.
Lt. Gen. Wilson Mbadi, the Deputy Chief of Defense Forces for Uganda, presided over the graduation ceremony that took place at the headquarters of Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Center, based in Jinja, Uganda.
In addition to theoretical training, skills development was achieved through practical application, and as such, several projects were undertaken by students during the course. Those projects included constructing 3,500 meters of improved road surface and a four-acre, two-tier motor pool, a range renovation, and installation of external wiring in addition to a 610 meter chain-link security fence around the Jinja base.
The United States supports the work of African peacekeepers serving with the African Union (AU) and United Nations (UN) in Africa through the African Peacekeeping Rapid Response Partnership (APRRP). This support has largely been delivered through training and equipping African troops and police for service in UN and AU peacekeeping operations as a means of strengthening the capacity of African troop-contributing countries to rapidly respond to emerging crises in Africa.
This is a realistic approach because it enhances effective response to emerging crises before they threaten regional stability requires sustainable, rapid-response peacekeeping capabilities in Africa. APRRP seeks to build the key military enablers: transportation, engineering, logistics, communications, and medical capabilities, to establish, operate, and sustain bases of operations in a deployed environment.
Uganda has been among the partnership countries working under this program. And, along with several training and other capacity-building activities, these countries have strengthened the capabilities of their professional military and police forces to protect their borders, work more efficiently with partner nations, and ultimately work towards peace and stability throughout the continent.
