Navy Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom Horn of Africa.

Constructionman Trevor J. Stanley, 22, of Virginia Beach, Va., died April 7 while deployed to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti.  Stanley, a Seabee, was assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3, homeported in Port Hueneme, Calif.

For further information related to this release, contact Lt. Cmdr. Dave Benham at 011-39-081-568-4727 or by email at david.benham@eu.navy.mil .

Djibouti: Texas Guard members share best practices for border protection, patrol

By Army Staff Sgt. Malcolm McClendon

Task Force Raptor

DJIBOUTI, Djibouti  – When Army Staff Sgt. Vern Baker was standing guard at a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint, he never imagined he would one day share that experience with foreign military members halfway around the world.

But Baker, along with other Texas National Guard members, soon found himself discussing best practices with Djiboutian soldiers who hosted a border operations seminar here March 12-16.

Djiboutian army Sgt. Mohamed Houssein, Rapid Action Regiment, said he welcomed discussing the subject with Guard members from Task Force Raptor, U.S. Army 3rd Squadron, 124th Cavalry Regiment, Texas Army National Guard, Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa.

“It’s good that we can get together and discuss these topics,” Houssein said. “We might deal with different issues on the border, but the basics are still the same.”

Houssein said he enjoyed the demonstrations that the U.S. Soldiers shared searches of vehicles and personnel.

“We learned how U.S. Soldiers look for contraband in vehicles and on people,” Houssein said. “They included us in the exercises, which gave us a better understanding of the process.”

The experiences shared by the Djiboutians gave Baker and the other Guard members insight into their counterparts’ border-operation practices as well.

“They are actually very similar to us in how they conduct searches,” said Army Staff Sgt. Jeff Schmidt, also from TF Raptor, U.S. Army 3-124th Cav., Texas Army National Guard. “They rely on the buddy system to provide security as they conduct personnel or vehicle searches.”

Back in Texas, Baker was part of Operation River Watch, an initiative that called for the National Guard to assist the Customs and Border Protection Agency on the U.S.-Mexico border. He said that experience helped him better understand what Djiboutian soldiers deal with every day on their own borders.

“Back home, we have a whole agency dedicated to the safeguard of our borders,” Baker said. “Here, the Djiboutian soldiers head up their own border protection and operations.”

At the end of the week-long seminar, Baker left with a better understanding for the role Djiboutian soldiers carry out.

“I have a better appreciation for what they do here to protect their country,” he said.

Texas Army National Guard members teach combatives course in Djibouti

By Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Malcom McClendon

Texas National Guard

CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti (3/29/12) - On a make-shift training area, Soldiers and Marines grappled, tackled and clinched their way to graduation from a Modern Army Combatives Program here, March 12-16.

Texas Army National Guard members with Task Force Raptor, 3rd Squadron, 124th Cavalry Regiment, hosted the class and certified 19 new instructors.

The Level-One Instructor Certification course covered a wide range of combat training skills, said Army 1st Lt. Joshua Kane, Task Force Raptor member and MACP instructor.

“We have provided realistic training and defenses in hand-to-hand combat,” Kane added. “We got into weapon retention, knee strikes, punch drills, how to utilize your Kevlar helmet as a weapon in defensive measures, and even using your weight to throw an opponent off balance.”

Kane shared his enthusiasm for the graduates’ recent accomplishment.

“This course in particular is an instructor’s course,” Kane said. “These are basic yet important skills that these new instructors are taking back to their units, and therefore the program continues to grow.”

Army Sgt. Candice Perez, Task Force Raptor member MACP class participant, said there is more to the program than just physical might.

“It’s like a chess game,” Perez said. “The main thing is to stay calm, control your breathing, and think. Don’t try to muscle your way through everything. There’s always a way out of any hold or position you are in.”

Kane and his fellow instructors plan on certifying more service members during their time here.

 “The great thing about this class is that it can be taught anywhere,” Kane said. “I’ve taught it at Fort Benning, Ga., Camp Mabry in Texas, Army bases everywhere, and now here in Djibouti. As long as you have mats and Soldiers willing to learn, it can be taught anywhere.”

Djibouti: Army National Guard conducts water drilling tests at Camp Lemonnier

By Air Force Senior Airman Lael Huss

U.S. Air Force

CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti (3/22/12) - It’s isolated, noisy and messy – but if successful could be beneficial to Camp Lemonnier and local Djiboutians. Thanks to new equipment, U.S. Army National Guard 257th Engineer Team drilled four water test wells in different locations here, March 12 to 19.

 “The wells are part of a study to determine if pulling water from a beach aquifer is a viable option for removing Camp Lemonnier from the Djiboutian Fresh Water Aquifer and leaving that resource solely for the Djiboutians,” said Army Capt. Joseph Bzdok, 257th Engineer Team commander.

The well development project directly supports Camp Lemonnier’s initiative to identify alternative well locations and assist in future development of camp infrastructure. 

The team conducted a 24-hour constant rate test for future development and testing of camp aquifer water tables.  A constant rate test is a constant pumping of a well to determine what amount of water can be pumped out at a sustained rate for an indefinite amount of time.

“The pump test right now is pumping at 540 gallons per minute,” Bzdok said. “If the lowering of the water table level of the static water level does not change significantly, we know it can sustain 540 gallons per minute.”

The team finished the last of four test wells four days ahead of schedule.

“The sandy soil conditions have allowed us to drill faster, but the sandy soil is also harder to stabilize from collapsing down the hole,” Bzdok said.

 “The sea water level is very shallow and doesn’t support heavy equipment operations well,” said Army Sgt. 1st Class Shane Banks, 257th Engineer Team drill leader.

 “(There’s) less than an eight-inch crust (of soil),” Bzdok said. ”The rest is goop underneath.”

The team set up the rig in three locations around the final well site, but the weight of the rig caused it to sink into the soft sand and underlying glop.

“The third hole had to be abandoned after it was drilled and cased, and a fourth well had to be drilled for the pump test (due to the soil collapsing down the hole.) So the unit actually drilled four complete holes and cased three of them,” Bzdok said.

The team is using this experience as on-the-job training to work out any kinks in the new equipment before using the machines out in the field.

“It is a lot easier to deal with equipment needs and repairs here than eight hours away,” says Banks about their upcoming missions throughout the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa’s area of responsibility.

Despite the challenges and constant maintenance issues, Banks said the team knows the wells and testing will “help support the success of the camp and the health and missions of the (personnel) stationed at Camp Lemonnier.”

Pentagon: No Enemy Involvement in Djibouti Air Force Crash

By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON  – Four Air Force special operators were killed Feb. 18 when their single-engine U-28 aircraft crashed in Djibouti on the Horn of Africa, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today.

“This is obviously a tragic incident,” Little said about the accident, which occurred at the Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport in Djibouti City. Camp Lemonnier, located nearby, is the main base of operations for U.S. Africa Command in the Horn of Africa.

The airmen had been conducting a surveillance and reconnaissance mission, Little said. “There is absolutely no indication of any kind of enemy involvement in the downing of the plane,” he added.

Little said the Air Force mission was in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, which includes operations in Afghanistan, the Philippines, the Horn of Africa and elsewhere. The special operators -- all were from Hurlburt Field, an Air Force installation in Okaloosa County, Fla. -- were:

-- Capt. Ryan P. Hall, 30, of Colorado Springs, Colo., assigned to the 319th Special Operations Squadron.

-- Capt. Nicholas S. Whitlock, 29, of Newnan, Ga., and 1st Lt. Justin J. Wilkens, 26, of Bend, Ore., both assigned to the 34th Special Operations Squadron.

-- Senior Airman Julian S. Scholten, 26, of Upper Marlboro, Md., assigned to the 25th Intelligence Squadron.

Little said a dignified transfer ceremony took place at the Dover Air Force Base military mortuary in Delaware early this morning “for our returning fallen heroes who were involved in this crash.”

A safety board investigation has been initiated to determine the cause of the incident, according to a statement on the Africa Command website. The accident occurred at about 8 p.m. local time, the statement said, and U.S. military personnel were dispatched to the scene.

“We need to understand precisely what happened in this tragic incident,” Little said.

Air Force Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of four airmen who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.  They died February 18 when their U-28 aircraft was involved in an accident near Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Africa.  The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Killed were:

Capt. Ryan P. Hall, 30, of Colorado Springs, Colo.  He was assigned to the 319th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.

Capt. Nicholas S. Whitlock, 29, of Newnan, Ga.  He was assigned to the 34th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.

1st Lt. Justin J. Wilkens, 26, of Bend, Ore.  He was assigned to the 34th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.

Senior Airman Julian S. Scholten, 26, of Upper Marlboro, Md.  He was assigned to the 25th Intelligence Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.

For more information media may contact the Air Force 1st Special Operations Wing public affairs office at 850-884-8100.

Navy Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. 

Petty Officer 3rd Class Kyler L. Estrada, 21, of Maricopa, Ariz., died Feb. 14 as a result of a non-combat related training incident in Djibouti.  Estrada, a Navy hospital corpsman, was assigned to the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit based at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

For further information related to this release, contact Lt. Cmdr. Tommy Crosby at 011-973-1785-6955.

Djibouti: Deployed Kansas Guard member becomes a naturalized American

Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa report

CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti (1/30/12) – U.S. Soldiers and Sailors waved miniature American flags as they welcomed America’s newest citizens into their ranks, including a Kansas Guard member from Panama.

Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Kelan Scott and Kansas Army National Guard Sgt. Joel Lara raised their right hands and swore the oath of allegiance to the United States in front of other U.S. service members during a naturalization ceremony here Jan. 25.

“This was pretty cool,” said Scott, a utilitiesman with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5 who emigrated to the United States from St. Lucia, an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea. “This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be naturalized here, at Camp Lemonnier. It was very gracious of the camp leadership to do this.”

Homeland Security U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Nairobi Field Office Director Sonia Gulati said she has overseen these types of ceremonies for three years and this was the first time she conducted one at Camp Lemonnier.

“Truly this is one of the best parts of my job – clearing individuals for citizenship who are so dedicated to America. I always end up with tears in my eyes,” she said.

Both Lara and Scott said they left their respective countries for a higher quality living standard as well as education. The two men made serving in the military a top priority when they arrived in the United States and their service was appreciated by many in attendance today.

U.S. Navy Constructionman Aarron Emmons of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5, a friend of Scott, said he thinks immigrants are an asset to the military because of their dedication to America. Even though they are not yet citizens, they are willing to serve, he said.

Diversity “is part of the U.S. military’s strength,” said Navy Capt. Gerry Hutchinson, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa director of religious affairs. “To me it’s great to have a military force that is diverse as the nation it defends.”

Having other service members in attendance during the ceremony was meaningful to Lara, a native of Panama and a sergeant in C Battery, 1st Battalion 161st Field Artillery, Kansas Army National Guard.

“It feels good and I am happy,” he said with a smile. “The people here are my brothers and sisters, and I am an American with them now.”