Tamale: US soldiers train, learn from Ghanaian counterparts
In a display of cooperation and shared expertise, Utah National Guard Soldiers from the Homeland Response Force – Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Task Force joined forces with the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) during Exercise African Lion 2023, held from May 31 to June 14 in Tamale.
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The Utah Soldiers travelled overseas to Ghana to engage in specialized training, focusing on response tactics in a CBRN environment, as well as learning firefighting techniques from their Ghanaian counterparts.
During the exercise, U.S. Army Maj. Kory Lund, Deputy Commander of the HRF-CBRN, highlighted the importance of the ongoing training and its impact on strengthening the partnership between the two military forces. Maj. Lund expressed satisfaction with the progress made, saying, "The training is going really well and it is strengthening our partnership with the Ghana military. As we build on one another, we increase our friendships and interoperability. We help our Ghana partners by showing them our best practices, and they help us by showing their established procedures."
The participants were exposed to a range of essential skills, including decontamination procedures and the proper use of protective gear in the presence of chemical contaminants. Additionally, they were trained in the detection of CBRN environments.
Maj. Lund further explained the mutual learning process, stating, "We are the CBRN experts and we are helping them learn those skills, and they [Ghana Armed Forces personnel] are EOD [explosive ordnance disposal] and firefighting experts. As we teach our material, they help us understand their environment better."
The collaboration between the HRF-CBRN and Ghana Armed Forces offered valuable insights into each other's approaches to handling explosive ordnance and hazardous materials.
While the primary focus of the exercise centred on CBRN training, it also served as a platform for fostering enduring bonds and friendships between the U.S. Soldiers and their Ghanaian counterparts.
U.S. Army Spc. Cierra Frandsen, a CBRN specialist with the Utah National Guard’s HRF-CBRN, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to train with and learn from the Ghana Armed Forces, stating, "The training has gone really well. We've met a ton of people and have seen a lot of new perspectives. We are really grateful for the time we've been given out here to not only teach them but to train with them and learn from them."
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The benefits of the exercise extended to the Ghana Armed Forces as well, with participating soldiers seizing the opportunity to gain insights from their U.S. counterparts.
Ghana Armed Forces Sgt. Richard Darkwa, an explosive ordnance disposal technician, praised the coordination and knowledge exchange, saying, "The coordination has been very good because they are free for us to ask them any question. If you don't understand something, they are open to answer any question you ask them, and they are very understanding. More exercises like this should be organized so that others that work in different fields also have the chance to share the experience."
The joint CBRN training exemplified the spirit of African Lion, underscoring the principle of "Stronger Together."
African Lion, an annual multinational training exercise involving the United States and several African nations, aims to improve interoperability and build partnerships. This year's iteration includes the participation of 18 nations and over 8,000 personnel, with Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal, and Ghana serving as host countries.