Djiboutian Army Learns Combat Life Saving Skills from U.S. Military

By Petty Officer 2nd Class Kelly Ontiveros
CJTF-HOA Public Affairs

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DJIBOUTI CITY, Djibouti - U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Nik Hook explains first aid procedures to members of the Djiboutian Army during a training exercise at Camp Chekh Osman in Djibouti, August 6, 2009. Soldiers from U.S. Army Central Command (ARCENT) coordinated a combat life saver seminar with Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa to demonstrate life-saving skills with the Djiboutian Army. (U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Kelly Ontiveros)

DJIBOUTI CITY, Djibouti - U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Nik Hook explains the correct way to apply a tourniquet during a training exercise at Camp Chekh Osman, Djibouti on August 6, 2009. Soldiers from U.S. Army Central Command (ARCENT) coordinated a combat life saver seminar with Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa to demonstrate life-saving skills with the Djiboutian Army. (U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Kelly Ontiveros)

DJIBOUTI CITY, Djibouti, Aug 11, 2009 — Thirty-Five Soldiers from the Djiboutian Army completed a Combat Life Saver Seminar coordinated by U.S. soldiers from Army Central Command (ARCENT) and Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) August 6, 2009 at nearby Camp Chekh Osman.

The participants applied what they learned during the five days of classroom instruction to real-life scenarios on the final day of the seminar.

"I think it's a great opportunity and a huge challenge to partner with other nations by demonstrating what we've learned throughout our military careers and to pass that knowledge on to another military," said Sergeant 1st Class Roddy Reiger of the Southern European Task Force (SETAF).

A team of instructors from CJTF-HOA, Pararescuemen from 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron (82nd ERQS), and staff from Camp Lemonnier's Emergency Medical Facility, joined Reiger and Army Private 1st Class Daniel Bateson to demonstrate U.S. Armed Forces emergency medical capabilities to Djiboutian soldiers. Bateson, like Reiger is from SETAF.

During the exercise, the Djiboutian soldiers participated in training scenarios involving close-quarters battle, where students, upon entering a room, found an injured person and treated that casualty's injury. Other scenarios included vehicle extrication, where soldiers found wounded soldiers inside a vehicle and subsequently treated those injuries while taking sniper fire.

The training was conducted in French and English, with five U.S. Embassy translators to assist with communication between the instructors and Djiboutian soldiers.

According to Major Fidelis Agbor, ARCENT's exercise coordinator for this training, "The mil-to-mil training is a very good experience. It gives us a chance to work with foreign nationals, and in this case the Djiboutian Army. It also helps boost morale for the Djiboutians because it breaks the monotony."

Djiboutian Army Sergeant Nagueyeh Djama Moussa said, "The American instructors are very good teachers. I enjoyed all the training. It is important for me to be able to help my brothers who are wounded and still be able to defend against attackers."