Peering through wire-framed spectacles sitting firmly on his round face, the chaplain smiled broadly and spoke to the congregation at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Dec. 18.
"If you have faith greater than that of a mustard seed, you can speak to mountains and command them to move," , Kenyan Ministry of State for Defense Chaplain Lt. Col. Harry Ndirangu, Anglican minister and Protestant chaplain, said, referencing the Christian New Testament.
Ndirangu visited for three weeks a
Editor's Note: During a recent trip to Ethiopia, U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jarad A. Denton experienced rural areas outside the country's capitol as he travelled to Negele Borena by car. Negele Borena is the site of the only bridge in Ethiopia built by Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa. It spans a dangerous river, which claims the lives of roughly three people every year. The completed bridge will allow the local people and livestock to cross the river without fea
Editor's Note: During a recent trip to Ethiopia, U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jarad A. Denton experienced rural areas outside the country's capitol as he travelled to Negele Borena by car. Negele Borena is the site of the only bridge in Ethiopia built by Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa. It spans a dangerous river, which claims the lives of roughly three people every year. The completed bridge will allow the local people and livestock to cross the river without fear of be
The 14th Sergeant Major of the Army made his first trip to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, visiting soldiers with Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa and other units on camp, December 16.
His visit afforded him the opportunity to discuss various important topics with soldiers stationed here.
"I want to talk to you about what's going on in the Army and where it's going in the future," said Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond F. Chandler III. "We've been working an idea
"I wanted to make my dad proud."
The pen struck the parchment leaving her signature - Michelle C. Lawrence - above her father's, she recalled.
Weeks later on her seventeenth birthday, she became the third generation of her family to raise her right hand and recite the Oath of Enlistment, said U.S. Army Specialist Michelle Lawrence, 35th Military Police Company combat medic currently serving as a unit public affairs representative for the 1st Battalion 161st Field Artillery
For a small contingent of U.S. Marines assigned to the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard the USS Bataan (LHD 5), a respite from the metal confines of the ship allowed for an exchange of warrior skills and tactics with members of Djibouti's premier reactionary force, the Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale, at Cheik Moussa, Djibouti, November 13 to December 2.
The exchange designated U.S. Marines from the Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regime
The sound of thunderous applause from more than 500 service members welcomed the Honorable Leon Panetta, U.S. Secretary of Defense, to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, December 13.
Panetta extended his best wishes and heartfelt gratitude to all service members deployed to the Horn of Africa and discussed the impact troops' efforts have had in the region, as well as Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan.
"I can't tell you how proud I am as the Secretary of Defense to be able to visit with y
The U.S. Army 4902nd Civil Affairs Team put its teaching skills to work, using artwork and colorful flip charts to encourage students to pitch in for their school and community.
Pitch in trash, that is.
The team, which is part of the 490th Civil Affairs Battalion from the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, launched a trash awareness program at Ecole de Quartier 5 School for the students in coordination with Djibouti City officials and the loc
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Rick D. West visited U.S. Navy sailors at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, December 9-10, during a stop on his tour of U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Central Command areas of responsibility to interact with sailors and discuss opportunities and policies affecting them.
"What a great group we have down here," West said. "I am very, very impressed."
West, along with Navy Expeditionary Combat Command Force Master Chief Farris Foresman, 5th Fleet Command
GRAND BARA DESERT, Djibouti (Dec. 09, 2011) - The French general stood pridefully amongst the hundreds of troops standing before him just as the sun started to peek over the horizon. His voice resonated with pride and determination as he motivated the troops before the battle they were about to enter. Each and every person - no matter their rank, nationality or service - knew what had to be done. As three fighter jets providing close air support flew overhead, the men and women broke ranks a
Local villagers, Djiboutian service members and soldiers from the U.S. Army Civil Affairs Team 4902, 490th Civil Affairs Battalion, assigned to Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, worked side by side on an eco-dome in Karatbi San, Djibouti, November 29 through December 2.
The project is a part of an ongoing effort between CJTF-HOA, the Djiboutian military, villagers, non-government organizations and international organizations to provide Karatbi San, a remote village in the Tad
"This is the Kennedy," said U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Albert "Boats" Perret, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa small boat tactics instructor, as he pointed to the schematics of a small boat, which were displayed on the far wall of a conference room overlooking the pier at Djibouti, Djibouti, November 23. "Its name has changed six times (to confuse the authorities) since it left Somalia on its way to this harbor."
Perret paused and scanned the class of Djiboutian Navy se
More than 35 service members and civilians representing several nations including the U.K., France, and United States, participated in a ceremony on Remembrance Sunday, November 13, at the Djibouti New European Cemetery here to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty.
"These were young men … who gave their lives here," said British Army Colonel Mike Scott, the senior British military liaison officer with the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Afric
Djiboutian and U.S. representatives gathered at the Ecole de Quartier 5 School in Djibouti City for a dedication ceremony, Nov. 9.
The school, which was originally built and further renovated with assistance from the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, provides primary education for 400 children, ages nine through 11.
"This school represents improvement of school conditions, a way to progression and a total education community," said Moussa Ahmed Hassan, Djiboutian
As the morning sun peered through a tangled web of acacia tree branches, service members from France and the U.S. sat on the rocky ground of the Grand Bara Desert near Goubetto, Djibouti, listening to an instructor detail proper caravan troop placement.
The lesson was part of the French military's 10-day Desert Survival Combat Course, November 1-10, which spanned more than 50 miles and included French Marines and U.S. service members.
"The aim of the training is to give the t
A Kenyan Ministry of State for Defense chaplain recently spent three weeks exchanging best practices with Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa and Camp Lemonnier chaplains from multiple faiths to strengthen each other's military chaplaincy programs.
The second of three Kenyan chaplains to visit Camp Lemonnier during a familiarization program was KMoSD Chaplain (Major) Lucas Gatobu, a Catholic priest and Kenyan Air Force chaplain. He witnessed firsthand how his American counter
Djiboutian medical officers and U.S. service members joined French, German and Dutch Coalition forces during a dive-decompression injury drill at the French Naval Base, Djibouti, November 7.
The drill tested the ability of participants to organize medical rescue and respond to a diver suffering from decompression illness. With observers standing by, the diver in the water simulated a decompression injury by demonstrating vague, but typical, neurologic symptoms -which are similar the sy
As the sun slowly descended behind the mountains overlooking Chabelley Airfield, Djibouti, a small group of U.S. Marines quickly prepared their gear to turn a barren stretch of desert into a makeshift runway.
For the Marine Air Traffic Control Mobile Team (MMT), a six-man team from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, homeported at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, setting up an austere landing zone in time for an aircraft to safely land is just part of the job.
"We're marking an
Military medical providers from Kenya and the U.S. partnered with several non-governmental organizations to provide medical care to about 2,000 Kenyans during a Medical Civic Action Program August 24 - 31.
The eight-day MEDCAP was conducted in the villages of Mnazini and Assa in southeast Kenya. The villages lie in the rural Tana River district, which, like most of East Africa, is experiencing significant drought.
“This area has been hard hit by drought and famine,” said U.S. Army
For the first time in Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti's eight-year history, 12 U.S. Navy sailors stationed on camp were certified in the Information Dominance Warfare Specialist program - a branch of the Navy warfare qualification program focused on information dominance, October 21.
The sailors, seven active duty and five reservists, have worked since March 2011 to implement and participate in the IDWS program on camp.
"Regardless of what command (a sailor) is in, he or she needs to
Photo story by U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Renae Saylock
As the hot, African sun beat down on U.S. service members stationed at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, a studious focus was evident as they quietly listened to the history of what is commonly known here as the "Cheetah Refuge."
"The actual name is DECAN Refuge," began Scott Johnson, co-founder of Camp Lemonnier Cheetah Refuge Volunteer Program. "It stands for Discover and Aid Nature; and is part of a larger organization called Association DECAN."
Numerous soldiers from the 1st Battalion
A photo essay by U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Marc I. Lane.
Hundreds of Djiboutian, coalition and U.S. service members, as well as local residents, came together outside the Camp Lemonnier fence line to clean up the area, November 5.
Participants collected and removed trash from the Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport perimeter road as part of a road beautification effort, called the Djibouti Pride Initiative.
Beautifying the area around Camp Lemonnier is just a part of being good neighbors, said U.S. Navy Captain Scott Hurst, Camp Lem
More than 2,200 students celebrated the dedication of two new school dormitories, October 11, in Chwele, Kenya.
The dormitories, located in Mbungoma East District, are for the Teremi Boys and Chwele Girls Secondary schools. The boys’ dormitory will house 1,400 students and the girls’ dormitory will house 840 students.
Representatives from the Kenyan District Commissioner’s Office, U.S. Embassy in Kenya and the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa, as well as the Kenyan dire
A photo essay by Staff Sergeant Jamie Baxter.
5TH COMBINED OVERSEAS MARINES BATTALION, Djibouti - French and U.S. service members participated in the Tin Cat challenge, a physical competition that is unique to French Forces in Djibouti, at the French 5th Combined Overseas Marines Battalion, Djibouti, Oct. 30.
The name Tin Cat refers to a French saying where one achieves a high combination of strength and fitness, according to French Marine Major Thomas Pieau, 5th Combined Overseas Marines Battalion operations officer. "In one of ou
Photo Essay by U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Renae Saylock
