U.S. Army Africa participates in Botswana Defence Force joint exercise
GABARONE, Botswana – The Botswana Defence Force and the U.S. Embassy announce that Botswana will host a joint military exercise known as Southern Accord 12, August 1-17.
The exercise will involve approximately 700 BDF members and 700 American military personnel, and will take place on and around the Thebephatshwa Air Base.
A U.S. Army Africa Port Support Team (G-4, Logistics) of Chris Zahner and Maj. Brad Bane traveled to Durban, South Africa in support of Southern Accord 12 recently.
The team oversaw contracting of a newly established U.S. AFRICOM Surface Distribution Network Contract (ASDN) where a variety of cargo shipments for the exercise arrived from various locations in Europe and CONUS.
The team ensured cargo earmarked for the exercise cleared South African customs, was loaded onto commercial line haul vehicles and transported to Thebephatshwa, Botswana.
In total, the port support team made it possible for the movement of five different vessels while clearing 73 pieces of cargo through this transportation pipeline.
Joint exercise activities conducted during Southern Accord 12 will enhance the capabilities of military personnel for both countries in a variety of areas, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, anti-poaching, peacekeeping, and convoy operations, as well as aero-medical evacuation.
The U.S. has in the past two years conducted similar joint military exercises with African countries such as South Africa, Mozambique, Tunisia, Uganda, Mali and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In partnership with the Botswana Defence Force, U.S. Air Forces Africa will take part in MEDLITE 12.
U.S. Air Forces Africa, headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, is the Air Force component to the United States Africa Command, the U.S. regional command that oversees and coordinates U.S. military activities in Africa.
MEDLITE 12 is the latest in a series of exercises involving U.S. military forces and partner militaries in Africa with the aim to establish and develop military interoperability, regional relationships, synchronization of effort and capacity-building MEDLITE 12, a joint medical exercise focused on aero-medical evacuation. The exercise will improve the readiness of both countries’ medical personnel and will consist of classroom instruction, a mass casualty and aero-medical evacuation exercise.
Additionally, BDF and U.S. personnel will conduct outreach programs in several rural communities, including Malwelwe, Mantshwabisi, Sernane and Mowane. These outreach activities will include dental and medical examinations, veterinary assistance as well as other medical procedures.