POSTED: Monday, November 20, 2006

Military teaching military tactics for a stronger Horn of Africa

Story by U.S. Air Force Maj. Kelley Thibodeau

CJTF-HOA Public Affairs

BILATE, Ethiopia (October 31, 2006) -- U.S Army Sgt. Leif Quinene, 1st Battalion, 294th Infantry (L), Guam Army National Guard, instructs Ethiopian National Defense Force personnel on proper Enemy Prisoner of War search techniques at Bilate. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Tech. Sgt. Joseph McLean) (Large Image.   Hi-Res Image.)

BILATE, Ethiopia -- More than 80 members of the Ethiopian National Defense Force recently learned military skills while training with U.S. Army Soldiers in Ethiopia.

 More than 20 Soldiers assigned to the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa taught military skills such as standard military squad tactics, enemy prisoner of war searching, reaction to contact and breaking contact. Instructors of the Anti-Terrorism Force Protection training at Contingency Operating Location Bilate, Ethiopia, teach four-month classes that include classroom time and hands-on training.

With these types of military-to-military training, Partner nations can protect their borders and ports and strengthen their nations’ security.  The students in this military-to-military training course are considered the top Ethiopian commando privates and have been in their military for two or three years. 

Instructors from the Guam Army National Guard unit agreed on the character of the students.

“We’re all soldiers, we’re fighting for the same reason trying to rid the world of terrorism and make democracy prevail,” said 2nd Lt. David Afaisen, the officer in charge for military-to-military training and COL Bilate and assigned to the Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 294th Infantry (L).  “The [five] primary sergeant instructors are the spine that makes this training successful and the 20 assistant specialist instructors get the hands-on work.”

Coalition activities such as this training directly support a nation’s capacity to extend their governance, which could result in future business investments and a stronger economy for Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa region.  With this strong economy and government, the citizens of Ethiopia won’t need to accept anything that extremists and terrorists offer. 

The military-to-military training instructors also help Ethiopia to identify people for special-forces or airborne units of the ENDF based upon the private’s skills and ability.  

“The success of the training doesn’t rely solely on great teaching but on several factors such as camaraderie between the Ethiopians and Americans, mutual respect and genuine concern on anti-terrorist efforts continuing the global war on terrorism,” Lt. Afaisen said.

Members of CJTF-HOA help Africans help Africa with cornerstones of military-to-military training, civil-military operations, and engagement activities.  More than 1,500 people from each military branch of the U.S. military, civilian employees, Coalition forces and Partner nations make up CJTF-HOA.  The area of responsibility for CJTF-HOA includes not only Ethiopia but also the countries of Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.  Other areas of interest are Comoros, Mauritius, Tanzania and Uganda.