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Soldiers Enjoy Chance To Mentor In Africa
(September 9, 2009) |
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September 3, 2009 -- Army Pfc. Daniel Bateson mentors students from Djibouti's military during a five-day course that included classroom instruction, hands-on exercises and a day-long test of the skills in a simulated hostile environment. |
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VICENZA, Italy, Sept. 3, 2009 – Just 15 months ago, when Army
Pfc. Daniel Bateson was hanging drywall with his family's home improvement
business, the Connecticut native never dreamed he would visit Africa.
Even during the weeks and months taking temperatures and handing out Band-aids
at an Army health clinic here, Bateson wondered if he'd get a shot to take part
in the Africa Command partnership with African militaries to promote stability
on the continent.
Then, a few weeks back, Bateson, 21, got tapped to mentor in Djibouti -- making
him the most junior U.S. Army Africa soldier to deploy to the continent. He
accompanied Army Sgt. 1st Class Roddy Rieger to Camp |
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Lemonier in early August
when the team led a week-long course on how first aid and medical evacuations
work in hostile zones, similar to the Army's combat lifesaver training. |
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"I know this material by heart. As medics, we know this as the
simple stuff, and it's not hard to teach it to others," Bateson said. "The
Djiboutians were eager to learn and absorb this."
The team mentored 29 students from Djibouti's military, ranging from junior
enlisted troops to company-grade officers. The five-day course included
classroom instruction, hands-on exercises and a day-long test of skills in a
simulated hostile environment.
Rieger, 35, of Bismarck, N.D., a senior U.S. Army Africa noncommissioned officer
who served in Iraq and Afghanistan with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team,
knew that understanding both cultural and language issues would be the key to
success. Rieger also relied on lessons learned from previous assignments in
Tunisia and Morocco when building his lesson plans.
"It's all about how you communicate with individuals, no matter if they speak
broken English, no English or even use hand signals," Rieger said. "It's great
when you see them nodding 'yes' and giving you the thumbs up." |
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| September 3, 2009 -- Army Sgt. 1st Class Roddy Rieger mentors students from Djibouti's military during a five-day course that included classroom instruction, hands-on exercises and a day-long test of the skills in a simulated hostile environment. |
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Navy and Air Force personnel from Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa
augmented the Army team. The mentoring is part of U.S. Army Africa's ongoing
effort to support African partners with teams of soldiers with niche
capabilities such as logistics, legal affairs and medicine.
"This is my job, I'm an NCO, and medicine is my passion," Rieger said. "If we
helped just one Djiboutian, and he later uses that knowledge to save a life,
that's what it's all about."
Now, Bateson is back in garrison reflecting on an experience he sums up with one
word: "Cool."
"We were building a relationship between their country and ours -- that's a big
thing," he said. "So much of this was about breaking down barriers and opening
communication. I think we left them with a good impression." | |
Article and photos by Rick Scavetta
U.S. Army Africa public affairs office
Special to
American Forces Press Service
Copyright 2009
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