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)
U.S. Soldier conquers French Desert Commando Course
12/19/2023
For nearly fifty years, French soldiers stationed in Djibouti have made their way to Arta Mountains for the French Desert Command course, a grueling five-day course designed to test soldiers’ physical, emotional and mental limits. This year 40 U.S. service members signed up for the challenge, among them was U.S. Army SGT Liliana Munday.
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)
AFRICOM, Djibouti leaders continue to strengthen ties
12/4/2023
U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, U.S. Africa Command commander, met with Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ali Youssouf, during a recent visit to Djibouti, Nov. 22, 2023.
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)
Soldiers and Marines come together for Corporals Course
11/24/2023
The Corporals Course is a standard leadership training course for Marines new to the grade of E-4, the first tier in the non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank structure. While every Marine is expected to be able to lead, NCOs are expected to lead the junior enlisted while setting the standard of performance and behavior.
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)
