U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Claudell Taylor, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa command senior enlisted leader, passes the sword to Maj. Gen. Mark Stammer, CJTF-HOA commander, during a relinquishment of authority ceremony at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, June 19, 2015. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman)
Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa service members salute the American flag during the playing of the U.S. national anthem at a relinquishment of authority ceremony at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, June 19, 2015. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman)
U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Butler Kendrick Jr. assumed responsibility as the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa command senior enlisted leader, succeeding U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Claudell Taylor, during a Relinquishment of Authority ceremony at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, June 19, 2015.
Fu Huaginag, Chinese Ambassador to Djibouti, congratulates a language class student during a graduation ceremony at the Institute of Diplomatic Studies in Djibouti, June 14, 2015. Some of the graduating students spent the last nine months studying Chinese-Mandarin. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman)
Moktar Mahamoud (middle), an English student, receives his graduation certificate from Tom Kelly (left), U.S. Ambassador to Djibouti and Mahmoud Ali Youssouf (right), Djibouti Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Moktar recently went to the U.S., where he used his new English skills. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman)
A Djiboutian student, Khadija Hassan, gives a speech in English during a graduation ceremony at the Institute of Diplomatic Studies in Djibouti, June 14, 2015. The institute graduates are Djiboutian civil servants who will use their new language skills in their jobs. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman)
A Djiboutian student gives a speech in Mandarin during a graduation ceremony at the Institute of Diplomatic Studies in Djibouti, June 14, 2015. The institute graduates have spent an academic year learning English, Chinese or Amharic. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman)
Fu Huaginag, Chinese Ambassador to Djibouti, addresses honored guests and foreign language students during a graduation ceremony at the Institute of Diplomatic Studies in Djibouti, June 14, 2015. The graduates have spent the last academic year studying English, Chinese or Amharic. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman)
Moussa Ali Meigague, Institute of Diplomatic Studies director, congratulates students on their accomplishments during the IDS graduation ceremony in Djibouti, June 14, 2015. This ceremony marks the first full academic year of foreign languages at the institute. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman)
Tom Kelly, U.S. Ambassador to Djibouti, speaks about the importance of learning multiple languages during a graduation ceremony at the Institute of Diplomatic Studies in Djibouti, June 14, 2015. During the last academic year, the graduates have been studying English, Chinese or Amharic. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman)
Ambassadors, Camp Lemonnier and Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa service members attend a graduation ceremony at the Institute of Diplomatic Studies in Djibouti June 14, 2015. 404th Civil Affairs soldiers taught Djiboutian civil servants English during the past academic year. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman)
Djibouti has a diverse population, filled with people from all over the world who speak different languages. Learning a new language opens up the possibility to talk to someone in their native tongue and bridge the communication gap.
Senior leaders from Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa hosted a delegation of professional working media representatives from the countries of Morocco and Tunisia via video-teleconference June 10.
U.S. Army Sgt. Rawan Abudahrieh receives a National Defense Medal during an award ceremony at a Naval base in Djibouti, June 11, 2015, due to his life-saving medical care to a French service member during a catastrophic motor vehicle accident in February. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman)
The French National Defense Medal is pinned on a soldier at a Naval base in Djibouti, June 11, 2015. The French National Defense Medal, created in 1982, is awarded on three levels—bronze, silver and gold. It is rare for U.S. service members to receive this decoration, and general officers are the usual recipients. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman)
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Geoffrey Bright receives a National Defense Medal during an award ceremony at a Naval base in Djibouti, June 11, 2015, due to his life-saving medical care to a French service member during a catastrophic motor vehicle accident in February. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman)
French Marine Col. Jean-Bruno Despouys, 5th Marines commanding officer, pins a National Defense Medal on U.S. Army Sgt. Robert Hames during an award ceremony at a Naval base in Djibouti, June 11, 2015, due to his life-saving medical care to a French service member during a catastrophic motor vehicle accident in February. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman)
French Marine Col. Jean-Bruno Despouys, 5th Marines commanding officer, addresses French and U.S. troops during an award ceremony at a Naval base in Djibouti, June 11, 2015. Three U.S. Army soldiers received the French National Defense Medal (Silver Level) for saving the life of a French service member during a motor vehicle accident Feb. 27, 2015. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman)
U.S. Army Sgt. Robert Hames, Sgt. Rawan Abudahrieh and Sgt. 1st Class Geoffrey Bright wait to receive a French National Defense Medal (Silver Level) June 11, 2015, for providing life-saving medical care to a French service member during a catastrophic motor vehicle accident in Feb., 2015. The French National Defense Medal, created in 1982, is awarded on three levels—bronze, silver and gold. It is rare for U.S. service members to receive this decoration, and general officers are the usual recipients. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman)
