Highlights of SPMAGTF-CR-AF 20.1 Deployment

By1st Lt. Grace Jenkins, SPMAGTF-CR-AF 20.1 COMMSTRAT OIC

The U.S. military has a rich history of long-term achievements in building partner nation relationships. Continuing the tradition, the Special-Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Africa 20.1 concludes their nine-month deployment after working with 14 different countries throughout Europe and Africa.

The SPMAGTF-CR-AF has led an ongoing project to share best practices with a coalition of African nations performing peacekeeping operations under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) charter. The U.S. Marines’ success is a contributing factor to AMISOM’s breakthrough against violent extremist organizations. Specifically, the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Center in Camp Jinja, Uganda, and the Peace Support Operations Camp in Singo, Uganda have played pivotal roles in enhancing force protection, sustainment and combat engineer mission capabilities.

This success is complemented by the African Peacekeeping Rapid Response Partnership Program at Burma Camp in Accra, Ghana. Here, SPMAGTF-CR-AF 20.1 Marines conducted training on equipment maintenance and transportation operations at the Ghanaian Armed Forces Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Technical Training, Base Workshop, and Mechanical Transportation Schools.

Additionally during their time, Marine Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians, assigned to SPMAGTFCR-AF 20.1, trained with Spanish soldiers in basic ordnance disposal procedures and teamed with Royal Moroccan Armed forces for the Morocco Humanitarian Mine Action Program explosive ordnance disposal level one validation.

In Italy, more than 100 Marines and Sailors volunteered their time in over 50 community relations projects and events throughout Sicily. The Marines and Sailors have volunteered in many Sicilian cities since they deployed to Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy in September 2019. To say these have been successful in continuing the SPMAGTFCR-AF mission would be an understatement of the value they bring across the entire region.