"Thoughts from the Running Trail" - Partnerships

By Brig. Gen. Wayne Grigsby, Jr and Sgt.Maj. Bonnie Skinner

Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, May 20, 2014

We build on relationships everyday here in East Africa. From different units within CJTF-HOA and Camp Lemonnier to general officer and foreign military leaders, our team builds partnerships to accomplish our mission. Having strong partnerships leads to a strong and trustworthy team that enables our partner nations to build and improve capabilities, combat adversaries and ensure stability in the region.

Building Trust- Partnership building has many forms. You are key to building trust through your relationships, policies and practices. You have done this by welcoming our coalition partners into our Joint Operations Center, participating in English language courses and inviting the Djiboutian Armed Forces to participate in our joint leadership conferences. These efforts foster friendship and common understanding between partner nations.

Being There - Showing respect for each other’s culture shows you value what they can contribute to the team. Having a friendly soccer game, attending a ceremony in our partner’s honor or sharing a traditional meal builds and strengthens our bonds. It shows you’re investing in the relationship. As Ramadan approaches, showing respect for someone who may be fasting means not eating food around them. This is a small gesture but means a great deal.

Share the Burden- Chabelley Airfield, part of our presence here, needed concertina wire. Our service members, showing an outstanding “one team” mentality, stepped up and put together a group to lay the C-Wire. It was a phenomenal effort by all who took part.

The Camp Lemonnier/CJTF-HOA team- The dedicated professionals at Camp Lemonnier provide outstanding support in every aspect. We couldn’t be successful without our great teammates at camp.

Contractors- Contractors bring a wealth of knowledge and experience. They are part of our team supporting the mission and building partnerships on a daily basis.

It’s about full integration of our operations with the inter-agency, through our support of the Country Teams. We are constantly working on how to work better as a team and build the relationships, trust, resources and strategic access to meet our National Security Objectives. These efforts of partnership foster friendship and common understanding between different partner nations.

We remain focused on maintaining freedom of access to conduct operations in the interest of our National Security. CJTF-HOA along with our East African partners is focused on capacity building. Our goal is to build a consistent and sustained presence as we enable the countries in this region to build security, stability and prosperity.

Actively engaging with our partners enables Africans to solve African challenges. What we are trying to accomplish in Somalia is a means to an end. The ultimate goal is a stable Horn of Africa with democratic values, able to address their own issues. This is even more reason why we need to work closely as a team, valuing the knowledge and experience of our local and interagency partners and our superb service members. Ubuntu… We’ll see you on the running trail…

We suggest

U.S. Marines strengthen Djiboutian Army by leading joint bilateral academy course in Africa

U.S. Marine Cpl. Payton Martin of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit helps Abdo-Salam Yacin, a Djibouti Armed Forces (FAD) soldier, observe the use of the guidon during the U.S. Marine Corps Corporals Course held by Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Oct. 7, 2017. FAD participation in the CJTF-HOA Joint Corporals Course denotes the important occasion of an African military taking part in this curriculum. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Andria Allmond)

October 11, 2017

The U.S. Marine Corps is arguably one of the most revered institutions within the U.S. Department of Defense. So, when Combined Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) leadership recently welcomed members of the Djibouti Armed Forces (FAD) into the U.S. Marine Corps Corporals Course, it was a distinct honor.

CJTF-HOA Leaders Recognize Service Members during All Hands

Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa’s Senior Enlisted Leader, Command Master Chief Karl W. Parsons, presents a quarterly award plaque and certificate to U.S. Army Spc. Emmett M. Ryan, communications specialist for CJTF-HOA, on Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Oct. 20, 2018. Ryan was recognized as the CJTF-HOA Junior Service Member of the Quarter during a CJTF-HOA all-hands call. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Scott Jackson)

October 23, 2018

CJTF-HOA’s commanding general, Maj. Gen. James D. Craig, and CJTF-HOA’s Senior Enlisted Leader, Command Master Chief Karl Parsons, presented quarterly awards, thanked galley employees and praised members of the CJTF-HOA staff.

Command Senior Enlisted Leader leads through caring and compassion

U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Claudell Taylor speaks with service members assigned to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti during a relinquishment of authority ceremony when he took over on May 16, 2015. During his six weeks as interim command senior enlisted leader, ending June 19, 2015, he served as the principle advisor to the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa commander, and was responsible for issues affecting health, morale, welfare and professional development for more than 1,800 Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines joint service personnel in 14 African countries. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman)

June 30, 2015

In May, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa service members bid adieu to the command senior enlisted leader, who had served them for two years. Since the new CSEL wasn’t going to arrive until the end of June, U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Claudell Taylor was selected to fill that role temporarily.

Lasting legacies: Command Sgt. Maj. departs CJTF-HOA after two years

U.S. Marine Sgt. Maj. Bonnie Skinner, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, senior enlisted leader shakes hands with a student from the Burundian National Defense Force Non Commissioned Officer’s Academy at Camp Bururi during a two-day visit where she engaged with the academy’s students to share best practices, speak with them one-on-one and answer their questions. (Photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Allison Pittam)

May 13, 2015

U.S. Marine Sgt. Maj. Bonnie Skinner, CJTF-HOA, command senior enlisted leader, her devotion to duty, professionalism and visionary leadership significantly impacted CJTF-HOA. The 30-year U.S. Marine leaves behind a legacy of professionalism and diversity through unity.

Thoughts from the Running Trail - "In Honor of Martin Luther King"

January 16, 2015

SgtMaj and I always say it is a Leadership factory at CJTF-HOA and we build Leaders first. We do so and we are so successful because this command is the most diverse we have seen. It is a melting pot of each of our services; active duty, reserves, and our coalition and civilian partners. We embrace each other’s culture, and, SgtMaj and I challenge each of you to learn from one another’s service culture and service traditions. While being in the countries of our East Africa Partners, share a little of your culture and learn about the culture of the country you are in. In turn, this will make our organization and our mission stronger and more successful.