A Task Force Tomahawk platoon maneuvers across the desert during Exercise Wakri near Dikhill, Djibouti on Dec. 6, 2023. Land navigation was one of multiple practical skill sets that Soldiers applied throughout the exercise. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

Task Force Tomahawk Soldiers return fire during a simulated ambush on a mountainside during Exercise Wakri near Ali Sabieh, Djibouti, Dec. 5, 2023. The ambush took place as Soldiers left their bed-down location to head to a waypoint. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

Maj. Gen. Jami Shawley stops to speak to Soldiers during Exercise Wakri near Ali Sabieh, Djibouti, Dec. 5, 2023. Shawley spoke with the service members about the exercise and the multinational training environment. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

A Task Force Tomahawk platoon maneuvers across the desert during Exercise Wakri near Dikhill, Djibouti on Dec. 4, 2023. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

Task Force Tomahawk Soldiers return fire on a mountainside during Exercise Wakri near Ali Sabieh, Djibouti, Dec. 5, 2023. The French soldiers ambushed the Americans as they passed through a narrow mountain valley on their way towards their next waypoint. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

Task Force Tomahawk Soldiers decide on which direction to take towards a checkpoint during Exercise Wakri, Djibouti, Dec. 4, 2023. The Soldiers took on the oppositional role as they evaded French forces across the landscape of rural Djibouti. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

A Soldier assigned to Task Force Tomahawk kneels while providing security to a defensive position near Ali Sabieh, Djibouti, Dec. 5, 2023. The Soldiers would cease fire when informed of changes to the exercise scenario. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

An American troop carrier drives through the dusty terrain while hauling a water buffalo during Exercise Wakri near Ali Sabieh, Djibouti, Dec. 4, 2023. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

A soldier with Task Force Tomahawk aims over the crest of a hill while holding a defensive position during Exercise Wakri near Dikhill, Djibouti, Dec. 4, 2023. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

Task Force Tomahawk soldiers perch on a hilltop and hold a defensive position during Exercise Wakri near Dikhill, Djibouti, Dec. 4, 2023. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

Task Force Tomahawk Soldiers stay ready in position behind the crest of a hill waiting to be found by French forces during Exercise Wakri near Dikhill, Djibouti, Dec. 4, 2023. Soldiers held the position on the hill for more than an hour before finding their way to the next checkpoint. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

A Soldier with Task Force Tomahawk aims over the crest of a hill during Exercise Wakri while a teammate taps him on the shoulder near Dikhill, Djibouti, Dec. 4, 2023. The platoon of American Soldiers played the role of oppositional forces while the French defended the region. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

Taskforce Tomahawk soldiers return fire during an ambush on a mountainside during Exercise Wakri near Ali Sabieh, Djibouti, Dec. 5, 2023. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

A Task Force Tomahawk platoon maneuvers across the desert during Exercise Wakri near Dikhill, Djibouti on Dec. 4, 2023. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

Task Force Tomahawk Soldiers stay ready in position behind the crest of a hill waiting to be found by French forces during Exercise Wakri near Dikhill, Djibouti, Dec. 4, 2023. Soldiers held the position on the hill for more than an hour before finding their way to the next checkpoint. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

A convoy of American troop carriers drives through the dusty terrain during Exercise Wakri near Ali Sabieh, Djibouti, Dec. 5, 2023. The convoy went between locations in rural Djibouti to set up temporary camps for members in the exercise. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

U.S. Army SGT Liliana Munday, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa liaison officer, practices combative movements during the French Desert Commando Course in Djibouti, Nov. 29, 2023. Munday was one of 40 U.S. service members to participate in the FDCC, a rigorous course designed to teach desert survival skills and tactics. (U.S. Army photo by SGT Haden Tolbert)

U.S. Army Sgt. Liliana Munday, a Soldier with 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, South Carolina National Guard, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, practices grappling techniques with the assistance of another Soldieras a part of combative training during the French Desert Commando Course Nov. 29, at the Centre Dentrainment Au Combat Djibouti. Participants who successfully completed the training, which was hosted by the hosted by the French 5th Overseas Interarms Regiment, received the prestigious desert commando badge (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Haden Tolbert)

Djibouti Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, left, and U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, U.S. Africa Command commander, right, discuss joint operations in Djibouti, Nov. 22, 2023. The Department of Defense has maintained a consistent presence in Djibouti and worked together as partners to ensure safety and stability in the region. (Department of State photo)

Djibouti Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, left, meets with U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, U.S. Africa Command commander, and U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Jami Shawley, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa commanding general, in Djibouti Nov. 22, 2023. The leaders discussed the enduring partnership between the two nations and their joint mission to ensure safety and stability in the region. (Department of State photo)

Corporals Course students engage in simulated hand-to-hand combat between checkpoints at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Nov. 3, 2023. Service members going through the Corporals Course encountered a number of obstacles they had to overcome as a team, building cohesion and enhancing problem-solving abilities. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

Simulated casualties are scattered around Marines attempting to locate their next checkpoint and make contact with other students during the Corporals Course at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Nov. 3, 2023. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt.. Dylan Gentile)

A Marine going through the Corporals Course sits in the cockpit of a C-130H Hercules during a simulated aerial evacuation at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Nov. 3, 2023. One of the most important skills members learn from the course is how to lead others and manage people effectively while maintaining Marine Corps Values. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

Marines and Soldiers sit onboard a C-130H Hercules during a simulated aerial evacuation as part of the Corporals Course at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Nov. 3, 2023. A previous iteration of the course hosted members from the Djiboutian Armed Forces. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

A Marine instructs a Task Force Tomahawk soldier on techniques for carrying a fellow student using a backpack during the Corporals Course at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Nov. 3, 2023. During the course, students revisit fundamental skills such as land navigation, drill techniques, and physical fitness, as well as Marine Corps standards and traditions. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

Two Marines going through the Corporals Course look over a map to determine their next checkpoint during a land navigation exercise at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Nov. 3, 2023. A Corporal in the Marine Corps is the first tier in the non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank structure. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

Marines taking part in the Corporals Course set up a radio antenna at a checkpoint Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Nov. 3, 2023. Students were tested on a variety of skills in practical exercises throughout the course. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

Soldiers and Marines participating in the Corporals Course run toward an aircraft for a simulated evacuation at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Nov. 3, 2023. While deployed to Africa, it is common that members from across the U.S. military, regardless of branch, work together to complete the requirements of the complex mission within the joint environment. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Gentile)

Members of the East Africa Response Force (EARF), in plainclothes in order to blend in with Department of State personnel, man a security observation position at the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania during an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise Oct. 10, 2023, at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The EARF, assigned to Combined Joint Task Force Ð Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), is a U.S. Army National Guard infantry company tasked with providing rapid security augmentation, humanitarian aid and disaster response assistance, and military-assisted departure of Department of State personnel at U.S. embassies during crises throughout the African continent. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ridge Shan)

Members of the East Africa Response Force (EARF), assigned to Combined Joint Task Force Ð Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), detain an intruder role-player during an intruder response scenario at the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania during an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise Oct. 11, 2023, at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The EARF is a U.S. Army National Guard infantry company tasked with providing rapid security augmentation, humanitarian aid and disaster response assistance, and military-assisted departure of Department of State personnel at U.S. embassies during crises throughout the African continent. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ridge Shan)

Members of the East Africa Response Force (EARF), assigned to Combined Joint Task Force Ð Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), sit aboard a U.S. Air Force C-130 while awaiting transport to the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania in order to practice embassy security augmentation during an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise Oct. 10, 2023, at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti. The EARF is a U.S. Army National Guard infantry company tasked with providing rapid security augmentation, humanitarian aid and disaster response assistance, and military-assisted departure of Department of State personnel at U.S. embassies during crises throughout the African continent. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ridge Shan)

Dr. Michael A. Battle, Sr., U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania, speaks to members of the East Africa Response Force (EARF), assigned to Combined Joint Task Force Ð Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), at the U.S. embassy in Tanzania during an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise Oct. 11, 2023, at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The EARF is a U.S. Army National Guard infantry company tasked with providing rapid security augmentation, humanitarian aid and disaster response assistance, and military-assisted departure of Department of State personnel at U.S. embassies during crises throughout the African continent. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ridge Shan)

A member of the East Africa Response Force (EARF), assigned to Combined Joint Task Force Ð Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), moves into a security position at the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania during an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise Oct. 11, 2023, at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The EARF is a U.S. Army National Guard infantry company tasked with providing rapid security augmentation, humanitarian aid and disaster response assistance, and military-assisted departure of Department of State personnel at U.S. embassies during crises throughout the African continent. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ridge Shan)

Members of Combined Joint Task Force Ð Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), assigned to support the East Africa Response Force (EARF), engage in a knowledge exchange with members of the Tanzanian PeopleÕs Defense Force at the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania during an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise (EDRE) Oct. 11, 2023, at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The EARF is a U.S. Army National Guard infantry company tasked with providing rapid security augmentation, humanitarian aid and disaster response assistance, and military-assisted departure of Department of State personnel at U.S. embassies during crises throughout the African continent. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ridge Shan)

A member of the East Africa Response Force (EARF), in plainclothes in order to blend in with Department of State personnel, mans a security observation position at the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania during an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise Oct. 10, 2023, at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The EARF, assigned to Combined Joint Task Force Ð Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), is a U.S. Army National Guard infantry company tasked with providing rapid security augmentation, humanitarian aid and disaster response assistance, and military-assisted departure of Department of State personnel at U.S. embassies during crises throughout the African continent. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ridge Shan)

Dr. Michael A. Battle, Sr., U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania, speaks to members of the East Africa Response Force (EARF), assigned to Combined Joint Task Force Ð Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), at the U.S. embassy in Tanzania during an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise Oct. 11, 2023, at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The EARF is a U.S. Army National Guard infantry company tasked with providing rapid security augmentation, humanitarian aid and disaster response assistance, and military-assisted departure of Department of State personnel at U.S. embassies during crises throughout the African continent. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ridge Shan)

Members of the East Africa Response Force (EARF), assigned to Combined Joint Task Force Ð Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), practice emergency medical care on volunteers at the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania, while being observed for knowledge exchange by members of the Tanzanian PeopleÕs Defense Force, during an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise Oct. 11, 2023, at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The EARF is a U.S. Army National Guard infantry company tasked with providing rapid security augmentation, humanitarian aid and disaster response assistance, and military-assisted departure of Department of State personnel at U.S. embassies during crises throughout the African continent. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ridge Shan)

A member of Combined Joint Task Force Ð Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), engages in a knowledge exchange with members of the Tanzanian PeopleÕs Defense Force at the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania during an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise (EDRE) Oct. 11, 2023, at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The EDRE maintains readiness for the East Africa Response Force (EARF), which is a U.S. Army National Guard infantry company tasked with providing rapid security augmentation, humanitarian aid and disaster response assistance, and military-assisted departure of Department of State personnel at U.S. embassies during crises throughout the African continent. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ridge Shan)

U.S. Army CPT Jacob McDonough, East Africa Response Force (EARF) commander, shakes hands with Dr. Michael A. Battle, Sr., U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania, during an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise Oct. 11, 2023, at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The EARF, assigned to Combined Joint Task Force Ð Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), is a U.S. Army National Guard infantry company tasked with providing rapid security augmentation, humanitarian aid and disaster response assistance, and military-assisted departure of Department of State personnel at U.S. embassies during crises throughout the African continent. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ridge Shan)

Members of the East Africa Response Force (EARF), assigned to Combined Joint Task Force Ð Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), detain a noncompliant intruder role-player during an intruder response scenario at the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania during an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise Oct. 12, 2023, at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The EARF is a U.S. Army National Guard infantry company tasked with providing rapid security augmentation, humanitarian aid and disaster response assistance, and military-assisted departure of Department of State personnel at U.S. embassies during crises throughout the African continent. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ridge Shan)