CJTF-HOA Commanding General visits Rwanda

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Timothy M. Ahearn
U.S. Navy

CJTF-HOA, October 9, 2018

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. James Craig, commanding general of Combined Joint Task Force- Horn of Africa, pays his respects after laying a wreath at a tomb of 250,000 Rwandans killed during the Rwandan genocide at the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Kigali, Rwanda, Aug. 29, 2018. Craig visited Rwanda to conduct key leader engagements, meeting with both U.S. and Rwandan top leaders. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Timothy M. Ahearn)

CJTF-HOA Commanding General visits Rwanda U.S. Army Maj. Gen. James Craig, commanding general of Combined Joint Task Force- Horn of Africa, pays his respects after laying a wreath at a tomb of 250,000 Rwandans killed during the Rwandan genocide at the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Kigali, Rwanda, Aug. 29, 2018. Craig visited Rwanda to conduct key leader engagements, meeting with both U.S. and Rwandan top leaders. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Timothy M. Ahearn)

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. James Craig, commanding general of Combined Joint Task Force- Horn of Africa, places a wreath at a tomb of 250,000 Rwandans at the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Kigali, Rwanda, Aug. 29, 2018. Craig visited Rwanda to conduct key leader engagements, meeting with both U.S. and Rwandan top leaders. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Timothy M. Ahearn)

CJTF-HOA Commanding General visits Rwanda U.S. Army Maj. Gen. James Craig, commanding general of Combined Joint Task Force- Horn of Africa, places a wreath at a tomb of 250,000 Rwandans at the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Kigali, Rwanda, Aug. 29, 2018. Craig visited Rwanda to conduct key leader engagements, meeting with both U.S. and Rwandan top leaders. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Timothy M. Ahearn)

From left, U.S. Ambassador to Rwanda, the honorable Peter Vrooman, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. James Craig, commanding general of Combined Joint Task Force- Horn of Africa, Brig. Gen. Lapthe Flora, deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Africa, and Rwanda Defense Force Lt. Gen. Jacques Musemkaweli, Rwanda chief of defense, attend the closing ceremony of Shared Accord 2018, in Gako, Rwanda, Aug. 28, 2018. Craig visited Rwanda to conduct key leader engagements, meeting with both U.S. and Rwandan top leaders. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Timothy M. Ahearn)

CJTF-HOA Commanding General visits Rwanda From left, U.S. Ambassador to Rwanda, the honorable Peter Vrooman, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. James Craig, commanding general of Combined Joint Task Force- Horn of Africa, Brig. Gen. Lapthe Flora, deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Africa, and Rwanda Defense Force Lt. Gen. Jacques Musemkaweli, Rwanda chief of defense, attend the closing ceremony of Shared Accord 2018, in Gako, Rwanda, Aug. 28, 2018. Craig visited Rwanda to conduct key leader engagements, meeting with both U.S. and Rwandan top leaders. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Timothy M. Ahearn)

1 2 3 hide caption

KIGALI, Rwanda— U.S. Army Maj. Gen. James Craig, commanding general of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), visited Rwanda to conduct country familiarization and key leader engagements, August 28-29.

Craig kicked off his visit by attending the closing ceremony of Shared Accord 2018, a U.S. Army Africa exercise intended to enhance the capabilities of U.S. and African Forces in performance of peacekeeping operations.

While in Kigali, Craig laid a wreath on the tomb of 250,000 victims of the 1994 genocide at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre. Following the laying of the wreath, he was given a tour of the centre by a survivor of the Rwandan genocide. During the genocide, more than 800,000 people died. Twenty-four years later, the people of Rwanda promote a culture of unity.

“The Kigali Genocide Memorial was an incredibly sobering reminder of what mankind can do to each other,” said Craig, “It is a learning point not just for the Rwandans but for everyone to work to ensure that an event like that is prevented from ever happening again.”

Following the tour, Craig paid a visit to the U.S. Embassy for a meeting with the U.S. Ambassador to Rwanda, the Honorable Peter Vrooman.

Craig’s final visit was to the Rwanda Ministry of Defense for a meeting with Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) Lt. Gen. Jacques Musemkaweli, Rwanda chief of defense, to familiarize Rwandan military leaders with CJTF-HOA.

A prime component of the CJTF-HOA mission is to help improve the defense capability and capacity among its East African partners.

The command conducts military-to-military engagements, key leader engagements, and civil-military operations to promote security and stability and to counter violent extremism in the region.

We suggest

443rd CA BN hosts Army Field Sanitation Training certification course

U.S. Army Maj. Monica Aruwah, 443rd Civil Affairs Battalion Functional Specialty Team environmental science and preventive medicine officer in charge, talks about the importance of inspecting water buffalos for deterioration during a 40-hour U.S. Army Field Sanitation Training certification course at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti (CLDJ), July 8, 2020. Thirty-five service members from various commands across CLDJ participated in the course, and learned about a range of topics including food service and water supply sanitation, pest control, and heat injuries. Having completed the course, the service members now have the knowledge needed to act as public health personnel during some of the more common scenarios units could face in field conditions. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Matthew Kane)

July 15, 2020

Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti (CLDJ), potentially just became a slightly healthier place with 35 service members from the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force completing the U.S. Army’s 40-hour Field Sanitation Training (FST) certification course July 10, 2020. The Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) 443rd Civil Affairs Battalion (CA BN) led the training, which saw the students learn about a range of topics including food service and water supply sanitation, pest control, and heat injuries. At the end of the week, the students were also required to take a test to earn their certification, which all 35 passed.

CJTF-HOA supports Djibouti’s fight against COVID-19

U.S. Army Capt. Matthew Kirkpatrick, team chief, 411th Civil Affairs Battalion, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA, posts a notice that reads, “Provided by the United States” prior to a ceremony at Bouffard Hospital in Djibouti City, Djibouti, June 25, 2020. CJTF-HOA donated 60 beds valued at $9,400 to the Djiboutian Ministry of Health for its efforts during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Dylan Murakami)

June 27, 2020

Members of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), in coordination with the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), delivered approximately $9,400 worth of hospital beds to the Djibouti Ministry of Health during a ceremony at the Bouffard Hospital in Djibouti City, Djibouti, June 25. At the request of the Djiboutian government and the U.S. Embassy in Djibouti, CJTF-HOA was able to purchase the supplies through Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid Appropriation (OHDACA) funds to assist the country during the global COVID-19 pandemic.

KDF's first female Foreign Liaison Officer strengthens U.S., Kenya partnership

Kenya Air Force Lt. Col. Rodah Mwasigwa, foreign liaison officer (FLO) for Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), works at the CJTF-HOA headquarters building, Jun. 15, 2020, at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti. Mwasigwa serves as the first female FLO from the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF). Since her arrival at CJTF-HOA, Mwasigwa has facilitated training for KDF personnel, coordinated multiple key leader engagements, and assisted CJTF-HOA leaders following the attack on Manda Bay, Kenya, on Jan. 5, 2020. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ashley Nicole Taylor)

June 15, 2020

With mission sets that cover 12 different countries throughout East Africa, the ability to work with various units and nations is key to the success of an organization like the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA). To keep CJTF-HOA running like a well-oiled machine, several partner nations have lent a member of their military to serve as a foreign liaison officer (FLO) and to work directly with CTJF-HOA personnel on Camp Lemonnier. These personnel improve communication between the command and foreign militaries and strengthen the partnership between our African and other allied partners.

CJTF-HOA holds change of command ceremony

U.S. Army Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, commander of U.S. Africa Command, served as presiding officer during a socially distanced change of command ceremony for the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), June 8, 2020, at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti. Townsend presided over the ceremony as U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Michael D. Turello, outgoing commanding general (CG) of CJTF-HOA, relinquished command to U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Lapthe C. Flora, incoming CG of CJTF-HOA. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ashley Nicole Taylor)

June 8, 2020

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Michael D. Turello, the outgoing Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) commanding general, transferred responsibility to U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Lapthe C. Flora during a change of command ceremony at Camp Lemonnier (CLDJ), Djibouti, June 8. U.S. Army Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), presided over the ceremony.

Manda Bay, BMA name facilities for fallen service member

A memorial for U.S. Army Spc. Henry “Mitch” Mayfield, Jr. sits inside the Henry Mayfield Jr. Dining Facility at Baledogle Military Airfield (BMA), Somalia, May 1, 2020. The Henry Mayfield Jr. Dining Facility includes a hand-drawn portrait, as well as information about Mayfield’s military career. The facility, which had its grand opening and dedication ceremony May 1, was named in honor of Mayfield, who was killed in action Jan. 5, 2020, during an attack on Manda Bay Airfield, Kenya, by a terrorist organization. Mayfield, a Chicago native, was deployed to Kenya with the 1st Battalion, 58th Aviation Regiment, 164th Theater Airfield Operations Group, from Fort Rucker, Alabama. (U.S. Navy photo by Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Toniece Lurch)

May 29, 2020

Two contingency locations within Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa’s combined joint operations area recently named facilities in honor of U.S. Army Spc. Henry J. “Mitch” Mayfield Jr., who was killed in action Jan. 5, 2020, during an attack on Manda Bay Airfield, Kenya, by a terrorist organization. On May 1, Baledogle Military Airfield, Somalia (BMA), held a grand opening ceremony for the Henry Mayfield Jr. Dining Facility. On May 21, the Morale, Welfare and Recreation facility at Manda Bay was officially renamed as the Henry J. Mayfield Jr. Recreation Center.