A U.S. Army Soldier from Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), shows Djiboutian service members how to reconfigure a handheld radio at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Nov. 12, 2021. CJTF-HOA regularly trains with and works alongside allied and partner nations, coalition forces and interagency/intergovernmental organizations to achieve a unified effort in East Africa. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Gauret Stearns)
U.S. Army Spc. Samuel Okeng, radio shop specialist, Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), shows Djiboutian service members how to reconfigure a handheld radio at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Nov. 12, 2021. CJTF-HOA regularly trains with and works alongside allied and partner nations, coalition forces and interagency/intergovernmental organizations to achieve a unified effort in East Africa. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Gauret Stearns)
U.S. Army Spc. Samuel Okeng, radio shop specialist, Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), shows Djiboutian service members how to reconfigure a handheld radio at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Nov. 12, 2021. CJTF-HOA regularly trains with and works alongside allied and partner nations, coalition forces and interagency/intergovernmental organizations to achieve a unified effort in East Africa. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Gauret Stearns)
A U.S. Air Force pararescueman, assigned to the 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron signals a Spanish AB-212 helicopter for extraction during Exercise Bull Shark over the Gulf of Aden near Djibouti, Dec. 3, 2021. Exercise Bull Shark was a combined training between U.S. and Spanish Forces to strengthen personnel recovery capabilities in support of the Warfighter Recovery Network initiative throughout Africa. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Jordan)
A U.S. Air Force pararescueman, assigned to the 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron and a simulated rescued individual are hoisted into a Spanish AB-212 helicopter during Exercise Bull Shark over the Gulf of Aden near Djibouti, Dec. 3, 2021. Exercise Bull Shark was a combined training between U.S. and Spanish Forces to strengthen personnel recovery capabilities in support of the Warfighter Recovery Network initiative throughout Africa. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Jordan)
A U.S. Air Force pararescueman, assigned to the 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron and a simulated rescued individual are hoisted into a Spanish AB-212 helicopter during Exercise Bull Shark over the Gulf of Aden near Djibouti, Dec. 3, 2021. Exercise Bull Shark was a combined training between U.S. and Spanish Forces to strengthen personnel recovery capabilities in support of the Warfighter Recovery Network initiative throughout Africa. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Jordan)
A U.S. Air Force pararescueman, assigned to the with 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron parachutes into open waters during Exercise Bull Shark over the Gulf of Aden near Djibouti, Dec. 3, 2021. Exercise Bull Shark was a combined training between U.S. and Spanish Forces to strengthen personnel recovery capabilities in support of the Warfighter Recovery Network initiative throughout Africa. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Jordan)
U.S. Air Force pararescuemen, assigned to the 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron jump from of a KC-130J Super Hercules during Exercise Bull Shark over the Gulf of Aden near Djibouti, Dec. 3, 2021. Exercise Bull Shark was a combined training between U.S. and Spanish Forces to strengthen personnel recovery capabilities in support of the Warfighter Recovery Network initiative throughout Africa. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Jordan)
U.S. and Spanish join forces in African Warfighter Recovery Network
5:59 AM12/10/2021
On Dec. 3, 2021, U.S. and Spanish forces conducted exercise Bull Shark, a water rescue training that strengthened their combined ability to operate as highly-effective teams and demonstrated their current operational capabilities. During the exercise, several personnel were stranded off the coast of Djibouti in the Gulf of Aden, calling the Warfighter Recovery Network into action.
Maj. Jeffrey Leversedge, U.S. Personnel Recovery Coordination Center (PRCC) director, takes notes during a validation exercise at the Reintegration Facility at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Oct. 31, 2021. Camp Lemonnier is home to the only Phase 1 Reintegration Facility in Africa. After a recovery, rescued personnel are debriefed during the reintegration process to provide time sensitive information. The PRCC, in support of Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), conducts personnel recovery and casualty evacuation for U.S. and joint partners in East Africa. The exercise displayed PRCC’s capabilities and tested their personnel recovery and casualty evacuation system for deficiencies. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Dwane R. Young)
CJTF-HOA strengthens personnel recovery mission in East Africa
1:31 PM11/22/2021
The PRCC at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, in support of Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), conducts personnel recovery and casualty evacuation for U.S. and joint partners in East Africa.
To test their response time and demonstrate their capabilities, the PRCC conducted a full casualty evacuation exercise from start to finish. More importantly, the exercise served to examine their system for deficiencies.
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Michael Matthews, crew chief, 75th Expeditionary Air Squadron, takes in the views as he returns to Kenya for this first time in 20 years as part of the aircrew for a C-130 Hercules that landed at Camp Simba, Oct. 25, 2021. Matthews was born in Kenya and fled to the U.S., with the help of the U.S. Embassy, from an abusive father at the age of 5. As an adult, he joined the U.S. Air Force and was attached to the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa where he has the opportunity to return to Kenya, with a mission to partner with Kenyan’s to bring stability and prosperity to his Homeland. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Kobialka)
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Michael Matthews, crew chief, 75th Expeditionary Air Squadron, takes in the views as he returns to Kenya for this first time in 20 years as part of the aircrew for a C-130 Hercules that landed at Camp Simba, Oct. 25, 2021. Matthews was born in Kenya and fled to the U.S., with the help of the U.S. Embassy, from an abusive father at the age of 5. As an adult, he joined the U.S. Air Force and was attached to the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa where he has the opportunity to return to Kenya, with a mission to partner with Kenyan’s to bring stability and prosperity to his Homeland. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Kobialka)
A U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules, 75th Expeditionary Air Squadron, lands at Camp Simba, Oct. 25, 2021. On the flight was Airman 1st Class Michael Matthews, 75th EAS, who was born in Kenya and fled to the U.S., with the help of the U.S. Embassy, from an abusive father at the age of 5. As an adult, he joined the U.S. Air Force and was attached to the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa where he has the opportunity to return to Kenya, with a mission to partner with Kenyan’s to bring stability and prosperity to his Homeland. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Kobialka)
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Michael Matthews, crew chief, 75th Expeditionary Air Squadron, smiles as he returns to Kenya for this first time in 20 years as part of the aircrew for a C-130 Hercules that landed at Camp Simba, Oct. 25, 2021. Matthews was born in Kenya and fled to the U.S., with the help of the U.S. Embassy, from an abusive father at the age of 5. As an adult, he joined the U.S. Air Force and was attached to the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa where he has the opportunity to return to Kenya, with a mission to partner with Kenyan’s to bring stability and prosperity to his Homeland. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Kobialka)
CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti – The saying; ‘There’s no place like home’ doesn’t mean the same to everyone. Airman 1st Class Michael Matthews was born in Kenya, but had to flee at the age of five with his nine other siblings. Twenty years later, he returned as a C-130 Hercules crew chief in the U.S. Air Force.
U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to Dagger Company, 1-102nd Infantry Regiment (Mountain), Task Force Iron Gray, Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), conduct weapons capabilities training and demonstrations to Japanese service members at the Djiboutian Range Complex, Djibouti, Oct. 23, 2021.
The Dagger Company Soldiers explained the capabilities of the M2 .50 caliber machine gun and M240L machine and demonstrated a mounted gunnery exercise using the Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS) mounted to a mine-resistant ambush protected (MRAP) all-terrain vehicle (M-ATV). The CROWS system allows a Soldier to remotely engage targets without leaving the protection of the vehicle.
CJTF-HOA, operating from Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, regularly trains with and works alongside allied and partner nations, coalition forces and interagency/intergovernmental organizations to achieve a unified effort in East Africa.
(U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Amanda Stock)
Yasushi Noguchi, Director General for International Affairs for Japan, and other Japanese leaders meet with Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) leadership at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Sept. 21, 2021. During the meeting they discussed future plans for combined cooperation in Djibouti. CJTF-HOA, operating from Camp Lemonnier, regularly trains with and works alongside allied and partner nations, coalition forces and interagency/intergovernmental organizations to achieve a unified effort in East Africa. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Pfc. Gauret Stearns)
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. William Zana, Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) commander, addresses Japanese leadership at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Sept. 21, 2021. Yasushi Noguchi, Director General for International Affairs for Japan, and other Japanese leaders met with CJTF-HOA leadership to discuss future plans for combined cooperation in Djibouti. CJTF-HOA, operating from Camp Lemonnier, regularly trains with and works alongside allied and partner nations, coalition forces and interagency/intergovernmental organizations to achieve a unified effort in East Africa. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Pfc. Gauret Stearns)
Japanese Ambassador to Djibouti, Umio Otsuka, is greeted by U.S. Army Maj. Gen. William Zana, Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), commander, at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Sept. 21, 2021. Otsuka was joined by Yasushi Noguchi, Director General for International Affairs for Japan, and other Japanese leaders, to meet with CJTF-HOA leadership to discuss future plans for combined cooperation in Djibouti. CJTF-HOA, operating from Camp Lemonnier, regularly trains with and works alongside allied and partner nations, coalition forces and interagency/intergovernmental organizations to achieve a unified effort in East Africa. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Pfc. Gauret Stearns)