Hohenfels, Germany is no stranger to the U.S. Army in wintertime. What’s more surprising are the 70-ton Abrams Tanks trudging through miles of snow and muck like it’s nothing.
The global battlefield is changing, and the U.S. Army is innovating and adapting to respond to its challenges. Capt. Maxwell McVicar, 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, is in the thick of what that looks like in the field.
“We’re executing missions against a simulated force that combines light infantry tactics, mechanized infantry, heavy use of field artillery that knows the terrain that we’re fighting through right now in a force-on-force exercise, to simulate how a potential conflict with a near peer enemy to the United States might progress in European terrain.”
Maneuvering all that steel and munitions through ice and mud is a significant challenge for cavalry units like McVicar’s. Not being aware of the terrain can cause vehicles to get stuck, which diverts valuable time and resources to recover them. When asked why terrain awareness was important, he said:
“For a million reasons, knowing the terrain allows you to know exactly how you can fight on that terrain…knowing the terrain allows you to know where the enemy is going to go, where you think you can go to counter that, and how you actually fight and win that battle on the ground that you’re staring at.”
Sgt. 1st Class Ashanti Darity of 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment detailed what he and his soldiers are learning about the environment they’re training in.
“We are learning a lot about how to maneuver tanks through heavily wooded brush and trees…I’m learning that tanks do not like mud.”
Darity outlined that the greatest challenge outside of the terrain is communication. The battlefield is constantly changing, therefore orders are changing to adapt. Darity attributes his unit’s success to his section sergeants. Communication is key, and plans change on a dime. “My Section Sergeants are really squared away. When we hit them with different challenges, they’re quick to change their mindset, get their crew all together, attack and engage.”
When asked for any further comment, Darity had this to say: “I definitely think that this is important training. I’ve been in the Army for 12 years, and I’ve never been in terrain like this, the cold, the snow, the wet terrain, if this is where our next fight is going to be, then I definitely want my platoon to be able to survive in this kind of environment.”
Capt. McVicars closed by saying: “It’s a changing battlefield. The trainers here, the OCs (observer/controllers) at Hohenfels Training Area have designed a scarily realistic experience of what it would be like in conflict with a modern enemy, with modern UAS (Unmanned Aircraft) systems, modern artillery systems, modern tank and IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) platforms, so being able to train that has been an incredible opportunity. It’s something that I really do recommend for any leader, from the most junior corporal, all the way up to troop commanders. It teaches you a lot about yourself, your formation, and what you can and can’t do with the elements at your disposal.”
VICENZA, Italy — Senior leaders from across U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) gathered for the SETAF-AF Senior Leader Forum, reinforcing the command’s commitment to readiness, regional partnerships and operational excellence at Caserma Ederle, Feb. 19.
Commanders, command sergeants major and key staff assembled at the semiannual forum to discuss current challenges, align strategic priorities and enhance coordination across the theater. Through a series of briefings, collaborative sessions and leadership discussions, participants examined ways to improve force posture while maintaining the agility required to support missions throughout Europe and Africa.
Ray Shisler, strategy integration planner for SETAF-AF’s G-5 directorate, said the forum serves as a critical touchpoint for leadership across the formation.
“This is a key opportunity for the [SETAF-AF] commanding general [U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Andrew C. Gainey] and command sergeant major [U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Chad B. Harness] to provide priorities, guidance and open dialogue with leaders across the force,” Shisler said. “It ensures everyone is moving in the same direction and clearly understands the commander’s intent.”
Shisler, who has served with SETAF-AF for a year and a half, said this session emphasized communication down to the lowest levels.
“This time, an unclassified portion was included so company commanders and first sergeants could hear directly from senior leaders,” he said. “It strengthens transparency and helps leaders at every echelon understand what is expected of them.”
During the forum, the SETAF-AF command team recognized excellence across the formation, presenting coins to 15 Soldiers and Department of the Army Civilians. They also highlighted a military intelligence analyst recently recognized as one of the Army’s top military intelligence analysts of 2025.
The theme of this year’s forum, “Irreversible Momentum,” focused on sustaining progress during a period of transition and change within the command.
“We’re entering a season of leadership transitions and evolving mission requirements,” Shisler said. “The forum allows us to reflect on recent operations, anticipate future challenges and ensure we remain adaptable in a constantly changing environment.”
Command leaders emphasized operational readiness, leader development and the integration of multinational capabilities. Discussions underscored the importance of disciplined training, adaptable formations and clear communication to maintain a credible, capable force.
U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Shanett Robinson, chief medical noncommissioned officer enlisted advisor assigned to the SETAF-AF surgeon’s directorate, said the forum fosters unity of effort across organizations.
“It brings our organizations together from brigade elements to directorates, so we understand the same messaging and can synchronize our efforts,” Robinson said. “That unity of effort creates a one-team approach to mission command and execution.”
Robinson added that hearing directly from senior leadership clarifies priorities and strengthens cohesion across the formation.
“The senior leader forum levels the messaging,” she said. “Receiving guidance directly from the commanding general ensures we understand why we’re doing what we’re doing and how we move forward together as an organization.”
The SETAF-AF Senior Leader Forum demonstrates the command’s dedication to building strong leadership networks and ensuring forces remain ready, responsive and capable of executing missions whenever called upon.
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About SETAF-AF
U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) prepares Army forces, executes crisis response, enables strategic competition and strengthens partners to achieve U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command campaign objectives.
NORFOLK, Va. (Feb. 24, 2026) – Navy Reserve Sailors from U.S. Fleet Forces Command, U.S. 2nd Fleet, and U.S. 4th Fleet gathered at the Navy Warfare Development Center for exercise MAKO Challenge 2026, held from Feb. 19-22.
NAIROBI, Kenya – Exercise Justified Accord 2026 (JA26), U.S. Africa Command’s largest annual, multinational exercise in East Africa, officially begins today across Djibouti, Kenya and Tanzania. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), JA26 integrates approximately 1,500 personnel from Djibouti, Kenya, Tanzania, the United States and several other nations to build readiness, deepen partnerships and strengthen regional security.
The exercise strengthens cooperation and advances regional security by enabling partner-led security operations against shared threats.
The exercise, running through March 13, 2026, serves as a premier innovation hub in East Africa. JA26 is designed to validate new technologies in austere environments while enabling partner-led security operations against shared counter-terrorism threats.
1 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army Spc. Ryan Traynor, left, and Spc. Phoenix Brooks, both infantrymen with Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, provide security for an urban operations exercise during Justified Accord 2025 (JA25) at the Counter Insurgency Terrorism and Stability Operations center in Nanyuki, Kenya, Feb. 16, 2025. JA25 is the premier U.S. Africa Command exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted in Kenya, Djibouti and Tanzania, JA25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. The exercise runs from Feb. 10–21, 2025. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kylejian Francia)VIEW ORIGINAL2 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Soldiers assigned to Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade; join 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment, 51st Troop Command, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Massachusetts National Guard; the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF); Somalia Danab; Tanzania People’s Defence Forces; and 3rd Rifles, 11th Infantry Brigade, 1st (United Kingdom) Division, pose for a group photo while a KDF F5, assigned to the 15th Fighter Wing flies over at the Counter Insurgency Terrorism and Stability Operations center during Justified Accord 2025 (JA25) in Nanyuki, Kenya, Feb. 20, 2025. JA25 is the premier U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted by Kenya, Djibouti and Tanzania, JA25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. The exercise runs from Feb. 10–21, 2025. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kylejian Francia)VIEW ORIGINAL
The exercise features a comprehensive suite of training events designed to test the full spectrum of military operations.
“The true strength of Justified Accord lies in our partners taking the lead, said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jason Fernandez, the Justified Accord branch chief, SETAF-AF. “This exercise embodies the principle of burden sharing, creating a powerful, partner-led security network capable of shouldering the responsibility for a stable and prosperous East Africa.”
The two-week exercise features a training approach tailored to shared regional security needs.
In Kenya, activities focus on enhancing joint command and control, including a multinational live-fire exercise, a command post exercise integrating special operations and conventional forces, air-to-ground integration, and defensive cyber operations centered in Nairobi and Isiolo.
1 / 4Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army soldiers with the East Africa Response Force (EARF), assigned to Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), join U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and the Tanzania People’s Defense Force (TPDF) for a group photo, culminating their field training exercise and concluding exercise Justified Accord (JA25), Feb. 15, 2025 at the Masata Military Training Base in Msata, Tanzania. The exercise JA25, is the premier U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted in Kenya, Djibouti and Tanzania, JA25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. The exercise runs from Feb. 10–21, 2025. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael Knight) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Michael Knight)VIEW ORIGINAL2 / 4Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Arthur McCauley, a combat medic with the 301st Medical Detachment, 912th Field Hospital, 8th Medical Brigade, and U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Alisa Foster, a patient administration specialist with the 912th Field Hospital, 818th Hospital Center, 8th Medical Brigade, check vitals on a Kenyan citizen during a medical civic action program at Justified Accord 2025 (JA25) in Archers Post, Kenya, Feb. 13, 2025. This two-day MEDCAP typically serves between 750-900 patients, while enhancing joint readiness between civilian and military medical providers. JA25 is the premier U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted by Kenya, Djibouti, and Tanzania, JA 25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Josiah Jenkins)VIEW ORIGINAL3 / 4Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army Reserve Lt. Col. Richard Smith, an assistant chief nurse with 912th Field Hospital, 818th Hospital Center, 8th Medical Brigade, provides medical assistance to Kenyan citizens during a joint medical civic action program (MEDCAP) with the Kenya Defence Forces as part of exercise Justified Accord 2025 (JA25) at Archers Post, Kenya, Feb. 13, 2025. This two-day MEDCAP typically serves between 750-900 patients, while enhancing joint readiness between civilian and military medical providers. JA25 is the premier U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted by Kenya, Djibouti, and Tanzania, JA 25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Josiah Jenkins)VIEW ORIGINAL4 / 4Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army Brig. Gen. John LeBlanc, deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) assists with administering medicine to a goat during a veterinary civic action program (VETCAP) as part of Justified Accord 2025 (JA25) in Archers Post, Kenya, Feb. 18, 2025. JA25 is the premier U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted by Kenya, Djibouti and Tanzania, JA25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. The exercise runs from Feb. 10–21, 2025. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Josiah Jenkins)VIEW ORIGINAL
In Tanzania, the focus is readiness, global force projection, and joint readiness for crisis response. The exercise features a bilateral field training exercise on jungle warfare and counter-improvised explosive devices, alongside a medical readiness exercise to support local communities and increase U.S. medical readiness.
1 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption –A U.S. Marine Corps V-22 Osprey, assigned to Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) departs, concluding the field training exercise of exercise Justified Accord 2025 (JA25), at the Msata Military Training Base in Msata, Tanzania, Feb. 15, 2025. JA25 is the premier U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted by Kenya, Djibouti and Tanzania, JA25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael Knight) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Michael Knight)VIEW ORIGINAL2 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army soldiers with the East Africa Response Force (EARF), assigned to Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) and Tanzania People’s Defense Force (TPDF) service members advance to their position to neutralizing enemy opposition during the culminating field training exercise of exercise Justified Accord 2025 (JA25), at the Msata Military Training Base in Msata, Tanzania, Feb. 15, 2025. JA25 is the premier U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted by Kenya, Djibouti and Tanzania, JA25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael Knight)VIEW ORIGINAL
JA26 heavily leverages the National Guard Bureau’s state partnership program to deepen long-term military relationships.
The Massachusetts National Guard continues its decade-long partnership with Kenya, leading complex kinetic training, while the Nebraska National Guard builds upon its newly developed partnership with Tanzania, focusing on expeditionary medical and ground force readiness.
The training concludes with distinguished visitor days, showcasing the tangible return on investment of this multinational partnership and shared security cooperation.
During the JA26 distinguished visitor days, in coordination with the U.S. military and the U.S. Department of Commerce (U.S. Embassy Nairobi), selected U.S. and African vendors will set up technology expositions.
The industry day will directly connect commercial technological solutions with military and interagency end-users, fostering collaboration and aligning innovation with operational requirements focused on counter-terrorism, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), and counter-UAS capabilities.
“A truly resilient joint force is powered by a thriving defense ecosystem,” added Fernandez. “What you will see is that ecosystem in action, a strategic partnership between our warfighters and commercial innovators from both the U.S. and our partners.”
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About Justified Accord
Justified Accord increases multinational interoperability in support of humanitarian assistance and crisis response, prepares regional partners for United Nations and African Union missions and builds readiness for the U.S. joint force. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), and hosted in Kenya and Tanzania, JA is U.S. Africa Command’s largest exercise in East Africa, with approximately 1,500 participants.
U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) prepares Army forces, executes crisis response, enables strategic competition and strengthens partners to achieve U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command campaign objectives.
CAMP ZAMA, Japan – Staff Sgt. Alanis Lopez learned so much about a nearby aquarium from conversing with some Japanese students Feb. 22 that she immediately made the attraction her next must-see destination.
Lopez and a dozen other Camp Zama volunteers were at Zama City Hall Sunday for a language exchange in which they listened to and spoke with the group of students, all of them junior high- and high school-aged teens from Camp Zama’s neighboring city of Zama.
The students are all ambassadors in a program in which they regularly engage with students from Zama’s sister city of Smyrna, Tennessee. During the exchange, they recited to the Camp Zama volunteers the English-language scripts they had written for a video they will produce on an aquarium in Enoshima to share with their friends in Smyrna.
“I thought each one of their presentations was great,” Lopez, assigned to the 78th Signal Battalion, said. “In every exhibit that they explained, they also pointed out things that were interesting to them, so their personalities shone through in terms of the different animals and things that they identified throughout the aquarium.”
Students in Zama can be part of the ambassador program for three years. Their participation has in the past allowed them to host Smyrna students in Japan and likewise visit their friends in Tennessee.
The group all went to an aquarium in Enoshima the last time the Smyrna students came to Japan, but inclement weather on the day of their visit forced them to cut their trip short. The Zama students devised the video project to introduce to the Smyrna students the attraction they unfortunately couldn’t experience.
Hina Yamagishi, 17, a student at St. Cecilia High School, is in her last year in the ambassador program and got to visit Smyrna in 2024. After writing their scripts, the students wanted to recite them for an English-speaking audience who could give them constructive feedback on their pronunciation and grammar.
“It was my first time meeting the Americans, and when I spoke to them, I only knew their names and faces, so I was kind of nervous to speak in English,” Yamagishi said. “But as I was reading my script, I saw them nodding and smiling at me, so I was relieved that they created such a warm atmosphere. It helped me to be confident.”
Lopez heard about the volunteer opportunity through Camp Zama’s Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program, or BOSS. Though she only arrived in Japan three months ago, she said this was the fifth or sixth volunteer event in which she’s taken part.
“Volunteering is an opportunity to get engulfed here in the culture, to learn new things, and I feel like it accelerates those opportunities to interact, because you’re here to meet people and to have conversations with them,” Lopez said. “So the benefit for me is the exposure to the culture, as well as giving back to the community and giving support as much as you can.”
Lopez further encouraged those in overseas military environments to look for volunteer opportunities, saying it helps them to better get to know the community outside their installation.
“If you go to one volunteer event, you usually learn about everything else that’s ongoing, so it gives you things to look forward to,” she said. “Another incentive in volunteering is building friendships, building rapports and relationships, and making the most of your time here.”
The Zama students will visit an aquarium in Enoshima next month to film footage and take photos of the exhibit that they will use to produce their video.
During his keynote at the 2026 Air and Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium, Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink laid out his vision for the Department of the Air Force’s acquisition transformation effort.
In his first major address since becoming Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. Ken Wilsbach highlighted readiness and how the service is responding to a complex and ambiguous strategic environment.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Six New York Army National Guard Soldiers who helped rescue 34 French special forces during an August 2023 firefight in Iraq received the French equivalent of the Bronze Star during a Feb. 22 ceremony at Army Aviation Support Facility 2.
The Soldiers, assigned to B Company of the 3rd Battalion, 126th General Support Aviation Battalion, were presented with the French National Defense Gold Medal with Bronze Star during the ceremony in Rochester.
The aviation Soldiers were honored for providing rapid aerial support to French special operations forces who were pinned down under enemy fire near Hawija, Iraq, on the night of Aug. 28 and 29, 2023. The French unit was conducting a mission against ISIS terrorists.
Maj. Gen. Michel Natali, the New York National Guard’s assistant adjutant general, Army, who presented the French medals, praised the Soldiers for their quick response in loading up and moving a French quick reaction force of 30 troops into the fight.
“We’re very proud of what they’ve done as aviators, but I’d say more importantly, I’m very proud of them being New York National Guard Soldiers,” Natali said after the ceremony.
“The operation they were involved in happened in the dark of night,” he told reporters.
“The French government did not have to recognize our Soldiers, but they went that extra mile to identify our Soldiers who were working that evening to keep their soldiers safe. We’re very appreciative of what the French government has done in recognizing our troops,” Natali said.
The medals were authorized by French General Thierry Burkhard, then France’s Chief of National Defense Staff, in March 2024.
At the time of the mission, the New York Army National Guard aviation crews were on standby at Erbil Air Base as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the multinational effort to counter the Islamic State group terrorist operations in the region.
When the approximately 35 French Special Forces troops took casualties and requested reinforcement and extraction, two CH-47F Chinook helicopters crewed by the Rochester-based B Company launched in support.
Within 30 minutes, the aircrews loaded about 30 French commandos to relieve them and flew nearly 70 miles to the objective area, then stayed nearby, ready to provide follow-on support.
Retired New York Army Guard Chief Warrant Officer 3 Aaron Taylor, a Blasdell resident, formerly assigned to Bravo Company, 126th General Support Aviation Battalion, is pinned with a French medal by Maj. Gen. Michel Natali, the assistant adjutant general, Army, during a ceremony in Rochester, New York, Feb. 22, 2026. Six New York Army National Guard Soldiers who came to the aid of French special operations forces during an Aug. 28–29, 2023, mission in northern Iraq were awarded the French National Defense Gold Medal with Bronze Star by Natali. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jean Sanon)VIEW ORIGINALNew York Army Guard Staff Sgt. Samuel Sacco, a Lockport resident assigned to Bravo Company, 126th General Support Aviation Battalion, is pinned with the French Medal by Maj. Gen. Michel Natali, the assistant adjutant general, Army, during a ceremony in Rochester, New York, Feb. 22, 2026. Six New York Army National Guard Soldiers who came to the aid of French special operations forces during an Aug. 28–29, 2023, mission in northern Iraq were awarded the French National Defense Gold Medal with Bronze Star by Natali. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jean Sanon)VIEW ORIGINAL
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christopher Scott, a Rochester resident who served as air mission commander during the operation, said uncertainty upon arrival created immediate challenges.
“The biggest challenge was not knowing the situation on the ground or what support we had until we got on station,” said Scott, who joined the New York Army National Guard in 2002.
He added that once they made radio contact and confirmed their location, they adjusted the grid, coordinated with the other aircraft and their crews and identified the support available to them.
Scott said the crew’s preparation and cohesion were critical to the mission’s success.
“I’m most proud of the way the crew came together,” he said. “They had the aircraft ready to go.”
“While I was receiving the mission, the crew was already preparing the aircraft,” Scott said.
Once Scott briefed them, they conducted a short planning session on the way and were ready to execute.
Sgt. Jedediah Estrada, a Horseheads resident who served as a door gunner during the mission, said the recognition carries lasting personal meaning.
“Afterward, I read the French press release about the death of Sgt. Nicolas Mazier, [the] paratrooper with the French commandos who was killed in combat,” Estrada said. “I’ve remembered him ever since.”
“Being honored by the French government is a way for me to continue honoring his legacy — not just what our unit was able to do, but what we accomplished together with our partner force,” Estrada said.
“It really brings together why we were there and what we were working to defeat,” he added.
Also recognized during the ceremony were:
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Aaron Taylor of Blasdell, New York, who is now retired but has served in the New York National Guard since 2009.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jared Twigg of Rochester, who joined the New York Army National Guard in 2007.
Staff Sgt. Samuel Sacco of Lockport, New York, who enlisted in the Army Guard in 2004, served until 2012, and then reenlisted in 2019.
Sgt. Zachary Albright of Elba, New York, who enlisted in the New York Army Guard in 2022. Albright is attending a military school and was unable to attend the ceremony.
The French National Defense Medal, known as the Médaille de la Défense nationale, was established April 21, 1982, by then French Minister of Defense Charles Hernu to recognize honorable and meritorious service in support of France’s national defense.
The medal is awarded in three grades, bronze, silver and gold, reflecting increasing levels of distinguished service. The gold grade recognizes particularly distinguished contributions to national defense.
When accompanied by a bronze star device, the medal signifies the recipient was officially recognized at the regimental or brigade level for notable operational service during multinational missions.
The decoration may be awarded to both French service members and allied military personnel and serves as a symbol of professional excellence and international military cooperation.
Detachment 1 of B Company operates seven CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters from Army Aviation Support Facility No. 2 at the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport.
The unit falls under the 42nd Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade’s 642nd Aviation Support Battalion and has conducted numerous deployments overseas and disaster response operations at home.
NAIROBI, Kenya – Exercise Justified Accord 2026 (JA26), U.S. Africa Command’s largest annual, multinational exercise in East Africa, officially began Feb. 24 across Djibouti, Kenya and Tanzania. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), JA26 integrates approximately 1,500 personnel from Djibouti, Kenya, Tanzania the United States and several other nations to build readiness, deepen partnerships and strengthen regional security.
The exercise strengthens cooperation and advances regional security by enabling partner-led security operations against shared threats.
The exercise, running through March 13, 2026, serves as a premier innovation hub in East Africa. JA26 is designed to validate new technologies in austere environments while enabling partner-led security operations against shared counter-terrorism threats.
1 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army Spc. Ryan Traynor, left, and Spc. Phoenix Brooks, both infantrymen with Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, provide security for an urban operations exercise during Justified Accord 2025 (JA25) at the Counter Insurgency Terrorism and Stability Operations center in Nanyuki, Kenya, Feb. 16, 2025. JA25 is the premier U.S. Africa Command exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted in Kenya, Djibouti and Tanzania, JA25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. The exercise runs from Feb. 10–21, 2025. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kylejian Francia)VIEW ORIGINAL2 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Soldiers assigned to Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade; join 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment, 51st Troop Command, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Massachusetts National Guard; the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF); Somalia Danab; Tanzania People’s Defence Forces; and 3rd Rifles, 11th Infantry Brigade, 1st (United Kingdom) Division, pose for a group photo while a KDF F5, assigned to the 15th Fighter Wing flies over at the Counter Insurgency Terrorism and Stability Operations center during Justified Accord 2025 (JA25) in Nanyuki, Kenya, Feb. 20, 2025. JA25 is the premier U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted by Kenya, Djibouti and Tanzania, JA25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. The exercise runs from Feb. 10–21, 2025. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kylejian Francia)VIEW ORIGINAL
The exercise features a comprehensive suite of training events designed to test the full spectrum of military operations.
“The true strength of Justified Accord lies in our partners taking the lead, said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jason Fernandez, the Justified Accord branch chief, SETAF-AF. “This exercise embodies the principle of burden sharing, creating a powerful, partner-led security network capable of shouldering the responsibility for a stable and prosperous East Africa.”
The two-week exercise features a training approach tailored to shared regional security needs.
In Kenya, activities focus on enhancing joint command and control, including a multinational live-fire exercise, a command post exercise integrating special operations and conventional forces, air-to-ground integration, and defensive cyber operations centered in Nairobi and Isiolo.
1 / 4Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army soldiers with the East Africa Response Force (EARF), assigned to Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), join U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and the Tanzania People’s Defense Force (TPDF) for a group photo, culminating their field training exercise and concluding exercise Justified Accord (JA25), Feb. 15, 2025 at the Masata Military Training Base in Msata, Tanzania. The exercise JA25, is the premier U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted in Kenya, Djibouti and Tanzania, JA25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. The exercise runs from Feb. 10–21, 2025. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael Knight) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Michael Knight)VIEW ORIGINAL2 / 4Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Arthur McCauley, a combat medic with the 301st Medical Detachment, 912th Field Hospital, 8th Medical Brigade, and U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Alisa Foster, a patient administration specialist with the 912th Field Hospital, 818th Hospital Center, 8th Medical Brigade, check vitals on a Kenyan citizen during a medical civic action program at Justified Accord 2025 (JA25) in Archers Post, Kenya, Feb. 13, 2025. This two-day MEDCAP typically serves between 750-900 patients, while enhancing joint readiness between civilian and military medical providers. JA25 is the premier U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted by Kenya, Djibouti, and Tanzania, JA 25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Josiah Jenkins)VIEW ORIGINAL3 / 4Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army Reserve Lt. Col. Richard Smith, an assistant chief nurse with 912th Field Hospital, 818th Hospital Center, 8th Medical Brigade, provides medical assistance to Kenyan citizens during a joint medical civic action program (MEDCAP) with the Kenya Defence Forces as part of exercise Justified Accord 2025 (JA25) at Archers Post, Kenya, Feb. 13, 2025. This two-day MEDCAP typically serves between 750-900 patients, while enhancing joint readiness between civilian and military medical providers. JA25 is the premier U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted by Kenya, Djibouti, and Tanzania, JA 25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Josiah Jenkins)VIEW ORIGINAL4 / 4Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army Brig. Gen. John LeBlanc, deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) assists with administering medicine to a goat during a veterinary civic action program (VETCAP) as part of Justified Accord 2025 (JA25) in Archers Post, Kenya, Feb. 18, 2025. JA25 is the premier U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted by Kenya, Djibouti and Tanzania, JA25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. The exercise runs from Feb. 10–21, 2025. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Josiah Jenkins)VIEW ORIGINAL
In Tanzania, the focus is readiness, global force projection, and joint readiness for crisis response. The exercise features a bilateral field training exercise on jungle warfare and counter-improvised explosive devices, alongside a medical readiness exercise to support local communities and increase U.S. medical readiness.
1 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption –A U.S. Marine Corps V-22 Osprey, assigned to Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) departs, concluding the field training exercise of exercise Justified Accord 2025 (JA25), at the Msata Military Training Base in Msata, Tanzania, Feb. 15, 2025. JA25 is the premier U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted by Kenya, Djibouti and Tanzania, JA25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael Knight) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Michael Knight)VIEW ORIGINAL2 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army soldiers with the East Africa Response Force (EARF), assigned to Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) and Tanzania People’s Defense Force (TPDF) service members advance to their position to neutralizing enemy opposition during the culminating field training exercise of exercise Justified Accord 2025 (JA25), at the Msata Military Training Base in Msata, Tanzania, Feb. 15, 2025. JA25 is the premier U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted by Kenya, Djibouti and Tanzania, JA25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael Knight)VIEW ORIGINAL
JA26 heavily leverages the National Guard Bureau’s state partnership program to deepen long-term military relationships.
The Massachusetts National Guard continues its decade-long partnership with Kenya, leading complex kinetic training, while the Nebraska National Guard builds upon its newly developed partnership with Tanzania, focusing on expeditionary medical and ground force readiness.
The training concludes with distinguished visitor days, showcasing the tangible return on investment of this multinational partnership and shared security cooperation.
During the JA26 distinguished visitor days, in coordination with the U.S. military and the U.S. Department of Commerce (U.S. Embassy Nairobi), selected U.S. and African vendors will set up technology expositions.
The industry day will directly connect commercial technological solutions with military and interagency end-users, fostering collaboration and aligning innovation with operational requirements focused on counter-terrorism, unmanned aerial systems, and counter-UAS capabilities.
“A truly resilient joint force is powered by a thriving defense ecosystem,” added Fernandez. “What you will see is that ecosystem in action, a strategic partnership between our warfighters and commercial innovators from both the U.S. and our partners.”
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About Justified Accord
Justified Accord increases multinational interoperability in support of humanitarian assistance and crisis response, prepares regional partners for United Nations and African Union missions and builds readiness for the U.S. joint force. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), and hosted in Kenya and Tanzania, JA is U.S. Africa Command’s largest exercise in East Africa, with approximately 1,500 participants.
U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) prepares Army forces, executes crisis response, enables strategic competition and strengthens partners to achieve U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command campaign objectives.
NAIROBI, Kenya – Exercise Justified Accord 2026 (JA26), U.S. Africa Command’s largest annual, multinational exercise in East Africa, officially begins today across Djibouti, Kenya and Tanzania. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), JA26 integrates approximately 1,500 personnel from Djibouti, Kenya, Tanzania, the United States and several other nations to build readiness, deepen partnerships and strengthen regional security.
The exercise strengthens cooperation and advances regional security by enabling partner-led security operations against shared threats.
The exercise, running through March 13, 2026, serves as a premier innovation hub in East Africa. JA26 is designed to validate new technologies in austere environments while enabling partner-led security operations against shared counter-terrorism threats.
1 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army Spc. Ryan Traynor, left, and Spc. Phoenix Brooks, both infantrymen with Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, provide security for an urban operations exercise during Justified Accord 2025 (JA25) at the Counter Insurgency Terrorism and Stability Operations center in Nanyuki, Kenya, Feb. 16, 2025. JA25 is the premier U.S. Africa Command exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted in Kenya, Djibouti and Tanzania, JA25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. The exercise runs from Feb. 10–21, 2025. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kylejian Francia) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Kylejian Francia)VIEW ORIGINAL2 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Soldiers assigned to Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade; join 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment, 51st Troop Command, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Massachusetts National Guard; the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF); Somalia Danab; Tanzania People’s Defence Forces; and 3rd Rifles, 11th Infantry Brigade, 1st (United Kingdom) Division, pose for a group photo while a KDF F5, assigned to the 15th Fighter Wing flies over at the Counter Insurgency Terrorism and Stability Operations center during Justified Accord 2025 (JA25) in Nanyuki, Kenya, Feb. 20, 2025. JA25 is the premier U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted by Kenya, Djibouti and Tanzania, JA25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. The exercise runs from Feb. 10–21, 2025. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kylejian Francia) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Kylejian Francia)VIEW ORIGINAL
The exercise features a comprehensive suite of training events designed to test the full spectrum of military operations.
“The true strength of Justified Accord lies in our partners taking the lead, said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jason Fernandez, the Justified Accord branch chief, SETAF-AF. “This exercise embodies the principle of burden sharing, creating a powerful, partner-led security network capable of shouldering the responsibility for a stable and prosperous East Africa.”
The two-week exercise features a training approach tailored to shared regional security needs.
In Kenya, activities focus on enhancing joint command and control, including a multinational live-fire exercise, a command post exercise integrating special operations and conventional forces, air-to-ground integration, and defensive cyber operations centered in Nairobi and Isiolo.
1 / 4Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army soldiers with the East Africa Response Force (EARF), assigned to Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), join U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and the Tanzania People’s Defense Force (TPDF) for a group photo, culminating their field training exercise and concluding exercise Justified Accord (JA25), Feb. 15, 2025 at the Masata Military Training Base in Msata, Tanzania. The exercise JA25, is the premier U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted in Kenya, Djibouti and Tanzania, JA25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. The exercise runs from Feb. 10–21, 2025. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael Knight) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Michael Knight)VIEW ORIGINAL2 / 4Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Arthur McCauley, a combat medic with the 301st Medical Detachment, 912th Field Hospital, 8th Medical Brigade, and U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Alisa Foster, a patient administration specialist with the 912th Field Hospital, 818th Hospital Center, 8th Medical Brigade, check vitals on a Kenyan citizen during a medical civic action program at Justified Accord 2025 (JA25) in Archers Post, Kenya, Feb. 13, 2025. This two-day MEDCAP typically serves between 750-900 patients, while enhancing joint readiness between civilian and military medical providers. JA25 is the premier U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted by Kenya, Djibouti, and Tanzania, JA 25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Josiah Jenkins) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Josiah Jenkins)VIEW ORIGINAL3 / 4Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army Reserve Lt. Col. Richard Smith, an assistant chief nurse with 912th Field Hospital, 818th Hospital Center, 8th Medical Brigade, provides medical assistance to Kenyan citizens during a joint medical civic action program (MEDCAP) with the Kenya Defence Forces as part of exercise Justified Accord 2025 (JA25) at Archers Post, Kenya, Feb. 13, 2025. This two-day MEDCAP typically serves between 750-900 patients, while enhancing joint readiness between civilian and military medical providers. JA25 is the premier U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted by Kenya, Djibouti, and Tanzania, JA 25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Josiah Jenkins) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Josiah Jenkins)VIEW ORIGINAL4 / 4Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army Brig. Gen. John LeBlanc, deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) assists with administering medicine to a goat during a veterinary civic action program (VETCAP) as part of Justified Accord 2025 (JA25) in Archers Post, Kenya, Feb. 18, 2025. JA25 is the premier U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted by Kenya, Djibouti and Tanzania, JA25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. The exercise runs from Feb. 10–21, 2025. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Josiah Jenkins) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Josiah Jenkins)VIEW ORIGINAL
In Tanzania, the focus is readiness, global force projection, and joint readiness for crisis response. The exercise features a bilateral field training exercise on jungle warfare and counter-improvised explosive devices, alongside a medical readiness exercise to support local communities and increase U.S. medical readiness.
1 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption –A U.S. Marine Corps V-22 Osprey, assigned to Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) departs, concluding the field training exercise of exercise Justified Accord 2025 (JA25), at the Msata Military Training Base in Msata, Tanzania, Feb. 15, 2025. JA25 is the premier U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted by Kenya, Djibouti and Tanzania, JA25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael Knight) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Michael Knight)VIEW ORIGINAL2 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army soldiers with the East Africa Response Force (EARF), assigned to Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) and Tanzania People’s Defense Force (TPDF) service members advance to their position to neutralizing enemy opposition during the culminating field training exercise of exercise Justified Accord 2025 (JA25), at the Msata Military Training Base in Msata, Tanzania, Feb. 15, 2025. JA25 is the premier U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) exercise in East Africa, designed to enhance multinational combat readiness, strengthen crisis response capabilities and empower allies and partners in the region. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and hosted by Kenya, Djibouti and Tanzania, JA25 integrates high-intensity training scenarios that sharpen warfighting skills, increase operational reach and enhance the ability to execute complex joint and multinational operations. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael Knight) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Michael Knight)VIEW ORIGINAL
JA26 heavily leverages the National Guard Bureau’s state partnership program to deepen long-term military relationships.
The Massachusetts National Guard continues its decade-long partnership with Kenya, leading complex kinetic training, while the Nebraska National Guard builds upon its newly developed partnership with Tanzania, focusing on expeditionary medical and ground force readiness.
The training concludes with distinguished visitor days, showcasing the tangible return on investment of this multinational partnership and shared security cooperation.
During the JA26 distinguished visitor days, in coordination with the U.S. military and the U.S. Department of Commerce (U.S. Embassy Nairobi), selected U.S. and African vendors will set up technology expositions.
The industry day will directly connect commercial technological solutions with military and interagency end-users, fostering collaboration and aligning innovation with operational requirements focused on counter-terrorism, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), and counter-UAS capabilities.
“A truly resilient joint force is powered by a thriving defense ecosystem,” added Fernandez. “What you will see is that ecosystem in action, a strategic partnership between our warfighters and commercial innovators from both the U.S. and our partners.”
Related Stories
About Justified Accord
Justified Accord increases multinational interoperability in support of humanitarian assistance and crisis response, prepares regional partners for United Nations and African Union missions and builds readiness for the U.S. joint force. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), and hosted in Kenya and Tanzania, JA is U.S. Africa Command’s largest exercise in East Africa, with approximately 1,500 participants.
U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) prepares Army forces, executes crisis response, enables strategic competition and strengthens partners to achieve U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command campaign objectives.