Category: Security

Source: United States Army

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U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

Representatives of Togo’s National Civil Protection Agency conducted a major training preparation meeting with disaster-relief experts from North Dakota and civil affairs Soldiers assigned to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) in Lome, Togo, June 12, in advance of a practical exercise.

This gathering was part of Operation Lignite Coast 2026, the overall training event conducted June 8-18, focused on improving the Togolese government’s ability to respond to a variety of emergency situations.

Togolese Lt. Col. Yoma Baka, director general for the NCPA, presented the majority of the workshop’s content, providing attendees with a common understanding of the exercise.

“This particular meeting was especially significant as the schedule led up to a culminating practical exercise in the field,” said U.S. Army Capt. Euston Harp, team chief for Civil Affairs Team Togo, Alpha Company, Civil Affairs Battalion, SETAF-AF. “It identified specific tasks, duties and roles among the relevant players in the training scenarios.”

Harp emphasized that the NPCA already possesses a solid foundation for conducting civil affairs, humanitarian aid and incident response, but like disaster-relief professionals in the U.S., they understand there is always room to improve. This training maintains readiness and identifies gaps in their processes prior to an actual emergency.

“With continued training with partners in the North Dakota National Guard, their capacity for readiness will continue to improve even more,” Harp said.

According to Sherry Adams, North Dakota state health officer and Southwestern District Health Unit executive officer, the Togolese began the initial groundwork for planning Lignite Coast in December 2025. In February 2026 and later in April, advanced teams from the Peace Garden State met with counterparts in Togo to refine training content, which required considering the subsequent emergencies that could follow precipitating events, like floods and other natural disasters.

“As part of that planning, we determined what we could do best to support the Togolese in their mission … specifically for disaster preparedness and working with the NCPA [Togo’s equivalent of the Federal Emergency Management Agency],” Adams said. “With almost every disaster, they face the potential for a disease outbreak, such as cholera, so involving their health ministry is a huge component of their preparedness.”

Togo and North Dakota have worked together as partners through the National Guard’s State Partnership Program for more than 12 years. American participants consisted of North Dakota civilian state employees and Soldiers assigned to the North Dakota National Guard.

“The overall goal is always building capacity and relationships with our partners in Togo, and specifically for this trip, with the NCPA,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Al Roehrich, Lignite Coast lead planner for the North Dakota National Guard and deputy director of the North Dakota Domestic Operations Branch. “The Togolese are very confident in what they do, but they do see the U.S. and the North Dakota National Guard as subject matter experts. When we bring in people from multiple agencies like the Department of Emergency Services and different outreach programs from North Dakota State University, it allows us to connect our private and public industry with their private and public industry, so if there’s something they can’t resource in Togo, sometimes other agencies can.”

Roehrich noted that partnerships, like those fostered in the SPP, also benefit and further develop U.S. disaster-relief professionals. When interactions with partners occur overseas, they allow American military and civilian personnel to see different points of view while factoring in different complications (such as food scarcity and power grid issues beyond urban centers), which are not always pressing concerns in the U.S.

“This experience gives us some shared understanding of how other countries operate because when you get outside of the United States, everything is different,” Roehrich said.

Roehhrich concluded by pointing out improvements to U.S. readiness, among other benefits of working with overseas partners.

“These interactions allow our people to bring their expertise to another part of the world,” Roehrich said. “For the North Dakota National Guard, it’s a wonderful opportunity for younger Soldiers and senior leaders to travel and learn the world from a different perspective while building partner capacity.”

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.

Follow SETAF-AF on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn & DVIDS

Source: United States Army

FORT HARRISON, Mont. — Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation), and Airmen from the 219th Red Horse Squadron successfully executed the first operational joint sling load mission between the two units June 26, during a field training exercise designed to strengthen the Montana National Guard’s domestic operations capabilities.

During the mission, a CH-47 Chinook helicopter assigned to the 1-189th GSAB transported an MEP-806 power generator by sling load from Fort Harrison to the Limestone Hills Training Area, where the generator was installed to provide power to a tower.

Although the two units have trained together on sling load procedures in the past, this marked the first mission with a defined operational end state: delivering and employing the generator at its destination. The mission demonstrated the Montana National Guard’s ability to integrate Army aviation and Air National Guard engineering capabilities to accomplish real-world objectives.

“This training is about building capability before it’s needed,” said Brig. Gen. Trent Gibson, the adjutant general of Montana. “When our Soldiers and Airmen combine their unique capabilities, we become a stronger and more capable organization. Exercises like this strengthen our readiness and ensure we’re prepared whenever we’re called upon.”

The operation required planning and coordination between Army aviators and Airmen from the 219th Red Horse Squadron. Army flight crews completed flight planning and final sling load inspections, while Red Horse personnel inspected, rigged and certified the MEP-806 power generator for external transport.

“Working alongside the Montana Army National Guard makes both organizations stronger,” said Master Sgt. Matthew Ammons, an engineering craftsman assigned to the 219th Red Horse Squadron. “By combining our engineering capabilities with Army aviation, we’re able to respond more effectively to whatever mission our state or nation requires.”

The mission also highlighted the specialized training required to safely conduct sling load operations. Several members of the 219th Red Horse Squadron have completed Air Assault School, earning certification in sling load procedures and bringing those skills back to Montana.

“These missions begin with extensive training,” Ammons said. “Several of our Airmen have completed Air Assault School, where they earn certification in sling load operations and other specialized skills. That training allows us to safely move personnel, equipment and resources by air wherever they’re needed.”

Following delivery to the Limestone Hills Training Area, the generator was installed to power the tower, completing the mission’s operational objective and validating a capability to support future domestic operations.

“Every organization involved in domestic operations brings unique capabilities to the mission,” said Master Sgt. Robert Johnson, logistics superintendent for the 219th Red Horse Squadron. “The 219th Red Horse has specialized equipment and engineering expertise, while the Army provides the aviation capability to move us and our equipment. When we come together, our ability to reach locations across Montana is multiplied, allowing us to respond faster and more effectively.”

The joint mission was one of several events conducted during the field training exercise, which focused on strengthening the Montana National Guard’s domestic operations capabilities through realistic, integrated training. By successfully transporting and employing an MEP-806 power generator at Limestone Hills, Soldiers and Airmen validated a capability that further strengthens the Montana National Guard’s ability to operate as a unified force in support of state and federal missions.

Related Links

The Official Website of the National Guard | NationalGuard.mil

State Partnership Program | NationalGuard.mil

The National Guard on Facebook | Facebook.com/TheNationalGuard

The National Guard on Flickr | Flickr.com/TheNationalGuard

The National Guard on Instagram | Instagram.com/us.nationalguard

The National Guard on X | X.com/USNationalGuard

The National Guard on YouTube | YouTube.com/TheNationalGuard

Source: United States Army

FORT STEWART, Ga. — “Return fire! Apply self aid! Get to cover!” screamed a medic assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division as he tried to make his way to the wounded Soldier on the battlefield. Waiting for fire superiority, while it only took minutes, felt like it had been hours since he saw the wounded Soldier fall down. With sweat dripping down his face and his heart racing, he was finally able to move and he rushed to the Soldier’s aid, hastily applying the tourniquet to the Soldiers’ left leg as high as he could to stop the bleeding.

The lights suddenly come back on and the simulated noise stops playing as an instructor comes forward to talk through the scenario that just played out. This is just one of the multiple ways that the Medical Simulation Training Center can prepare Soldiers for any future combat situations they might find themselves in.

The Fort Stewart Medical Simulation Training Center has transformed from a little-known training resource into the Army’s highest-rated Regional Medical Simulation Training Center, earning recognition as the top facility among 25 centers worldwide.

According to leaders at the Medical Center of Excellence, Fort Stewart currently holds the No. 1 ranking among Regional MSTCs across the Army, surpassing facilities in Germany, South Korea and throughout the active-duty, Reserve and National Guard components.

“There are 25 Regional Medical Simulation Training Centers worldwide,” said Staff Sgt. Tyler Beaudry, assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division. “We’re number one [according to] the Medical Center of Excellence.”

The distinction reflects years of deliberate cultural change, rigorous instructor selection and a commitment to preparing medics for the realities of future large-scale combat operations.

“When I first got there, the team initially had already done a lot of work from where it previously was,” Beaudry said. “There was a team already changing that culture and fostering the importance of identifying our shortcomings and truly preparing medics for future conflicts.”

One of the center’s most significant changes involved redefining who could serve as an instructor. Rather than accepting personnel based solely on availability, leaders implemented an interview process designed to identify medics with strong medical foundations, tactical expertise and a passion for teaching.

“If you didn’t pass an interview or have a really strong foundation of medicine and tactical medicine, you just weren’t hired,” Beaudry said. “We’re trying to develop better medics within our division and across the southeast, because we are a regional facility.”

That emphasis on instructor quality has become a defining characteristic of the organization.

“I think the interview process for choosing the instructors is a very big portion of why we’re the best,” said Sgt. Brooke Boudreaux, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 14th Field Hospital, 16th Hospital Center, 44th Medical Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps. “You have instructors who really want to be there rather than the units just picking them to send them.”

The center trains Soldiers from across the Army, welcoming participants from installations throughout the United States and overseas.

“We’ve had people from Fort Bragg, we’ve had people from South Korea, we’ve had all your Compo 2 and 3s from all across the country,” Beaudry said. “With that you have to have that strong foundation of instructors who are dedicated, want to teach people and can convey it down to the lowest level so everyone understands.”

Instruction is grounded in evidence-based medicine and standardized guidelines.

“By coming to the Medical Simulation Training Center, the difference is there are actual standards for the teaching,” Boudreaux said. “You’re strictly following the Committee of Tactical Combat Casualty Care guidelines and the Clinical Practice Guidelines.”

Beyond technical proficiency, instructors seek to develop critical thinking and sound clinical judgment.

“We’ve seen that this approach allows us to foster clinical judgment and critical thinking,” Beaudry said. “We want you to fail here so you don’t have to live with preventable deaths downrange.”

The center continuously adapts its curriculum by incorporating lessons learned from current conflicts and emerging battlefield trends. Leaders are also expanding training opportunities through initiatives such as enhanced Combat Medic sustainment programs, prolonged field care instruction and the future implementation of the Delayed Evacuation Casualty Management course, which covers long term field care for casualties that cannot be evacuated immediately.

Training environments continue to evolve as well. Instructors are constructing urban operations and trench-style simulation areas designed to replicate conditions medics may encounter during large-scale combat operations.

“We’re trying to get ahead of that curve,” Beaudry said. “We’re taking from what’s developing and trying to better ourselves, so we’re not learning on the fly.”

Equally important is the center’s commitment to self-improvement. Daily course critiques allow instructors to identify weaknesses, adjust teaching methods and remain accountable to their students.

“We have daily course critiques,” Beaudry said. “If students clearly aren’t understanding something, then we’ve got to figure out why and how to teach this group, because each individual is different with learning.”

For Fort Stewart’s instructors, maintaining the top ranking is less about recognition and more about expanding the center’s impact.

“Maybe one person learns something, goes back to their unit and starts training their people,” Beaudry said. “We engaged one person, created a memory for them, and they went back and taught 24 people.”

By investing in its instructors, embracing innovation and focusing on realistic, relevant training, the Fort Stewart Medical Simulation Training Center is shaping the next generation of Army medics — and setting the standard for medical readiness across the force.

Source: United States Army

CLAY KASERNE, Germany – U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden officially renamed its fitness center on Clay Kaserne on Saturday, June 27, to the “Master Sergeant Michael B. Riley Fitness Center,” honoring a fallen U.S. Army Green Beret who gave his life in service to the nation.

Master Sgt. Micheal B. Riley, known as “Mike Nice,” was born on December 6, 1986, in Heilbronn, Germany. Raised in Germany, he moved to the United States at age 20 to enlist in the Army in 2006. In 2010, he left Ranger School six weeks before graduation to care for his sick mother and was selected for Special Forces Assessment and Selection. Riley earned his Green Beret in 2013 and returned to graduate Ranger School in 2015.

As a Special Forces Communications Sergeant with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), he deployed extensively, including six combat tours to Afghanistan, earning decorations such as the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

Known for his exceptional physical fitness and his dedication to CrossFit-style training, he was just as defined by his character, a mentor and motivator who pushed those around him to reach their full potential.

“Mike was someone who always motivated people. If Mike saw you as a friend or family, he did everything to make sure you had what you needed, but he also pushed you, because he saw the potential in you that you sometimes didn’t see in yourself,” said Benny Brand with the U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden Command Team and Rileys’ best friend. “He constantly challenged people to improve themselves. He pushed people not because he enjoyed seeing them struggle, but because he believed in them.”

On June 25, 2019, Riley was killed during combat operations in Shinia Village, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, at the age of 32. Remembered for his skill, selflessness, and dependability, he exemplified the Special Forces ethos of quiet professionalism, loyalty, and service before self, leaving a lasting legacy through all those he trained, served alongside, and inspired.

“Mike was an outstanding Soldier who deployed to Afghanistan six times and paid the ultimate sacrifice. For something like that, it’s simply right to do this, and I’m glad it worked out,” Brand said of the facility dedication.

Special guests to the event were Mike’s mother Andrea with family members and Sgt. Major George Graham,former 10th SFG (A) Command Sgt. Maj.andRileys’ mentor.

Riley’s mother got awarded the symbolical key to the fitness center, acknowledging that although the Army owns the building, it will always bear her son’s name and story.

“Today marks a bittersweet moment for everyone who knew Master Sergeant Mike Riley,” saidGraham, “While we can no longer physically see his infectious smile or hear his laughter, with the dedication of this remarkable fitness facility today, a perpetual symbol is forged that will outlive everyone in attendance and preserve Mike’s accomplishments as a son, brother, fearless warrior, and mentor.”

Also in attendance were many of his teammates, both active-duty and retired, including Soldiers who traveled from Fort Carson, Colorado, as well as members of 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) stationed in Germany.

“We’re here today to dedicate this building to Master Sergeant Michael Riley, so that when soldiers, civilians, families, and kids walk through these doors, they’ll read his story,” said Gen. Christopher Donahue,Commanding General United States Army Europe and Africa, who was also the Special Operations Commander during Rileys last time in Afghanistan.“Every daythey’llknow who Mike was. Every daythey’llknow who to live up to. Every day, Mike will continue to live.”

The renaming ceremony was combined with a memorial run and the annual community “Hero” workout.

To keep Riley’s memory alive, Brand has organized a fitness day every year since 2020, the Micheal B. Riley Hero Day, motivating participants to push themselves and work on their own growth. The memorial workout was created by Riley’s fellow Green Berets after his death and reflects the elite physical standard Mike held himself to.

It consists of four rounds, each beginning with a 400-meter run (optionally completed with a weighted ruck or vest), followed by 20 burpees, 10 pull-ups, and 10 power cleans, performed in any order.

“This Hero Workout of the Day (WOD) isn’t about competition, that’s really important. Everyone can take part,” explained Brand. “It’s about coming together to remember a fallen hero. Whether you’re an experienced athlete or trying a workout like this for the first time, everyone is welcome. The whole point is just to show up and honor Mike.”

Hosted at the Wiesbaden fitness center every year, the event has grown larger with each passing year. This yearGerman Polizei, Bundeswehr Soldiers and German Firefighters joined in on the memorial event.In total over 300 people participated on one of the hottest daysof the year.

“At Mike’s funeral, when I said my final goodbye, I made him a promise. I promised him that we’d do everything we could to keep his memory and legacy alive,” said Brand. ”And […] today, I’m able to keep my word.”

The renaming of the Wiesbaden fitness center stands as a lasting tribute to a Soldier who paid the ultimate sacrifice and to the legacy of friendship, strength, and selflessness he leaves behind.

Source: United States Army

FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kansas — Brittney Pemble, budget analyst for Army Corrections Command at Fort Leavenworth, has been recognized for her dedication, initiative and financial acumen with an Army-level financial management award.

The Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller) recently announced the recipients of the fiscal year 2025 Army FM&C Awards, celebrating premier achievements within the Army’s financial workforce. (See related article on page A4.) Pemble won the Army FM&C Budget Category Award.

As a budget analyst, Pemble is responsible for managing and executing ACC’s financial resources.

“The expected outcome of her duties is to ensure the timely and efficient allocation of funds through contracts and Military Interdepartmental Purchase Requests to support the ACC’s multifaceted mission, including maintaining its professional accreditation and ensuring the operational readiness of its security systems,” ACC G8 Director Caleb Curnutt explained in the award nomination.

Curnutt said Pemble has been working beyond the scope of her role as a budget analyst, including rectifying a $2 million accounting error.

“(When) she was doing her analysis, she came across a pretty big faux pas in terms of how Army Corrections Command was tracking civilian pay,” he said. “Civilian pay had been mismanaged for a very long time in terms of estimated, what was going to be spent, compared to what actually got spent. So, it led to a lot of misleading and misguiding decisions from a command standpoint, because command always felt like, ‘We’re going to be over-executing by close to $2 million,’ when really that wasn’t accurate. And so, by going with (Pemble’s) method, it led to alleviating that $2 million decrement, and really putting that $2 million back on the table to be spent elsewhere, because we weren’t living in fear anymore.”

Curnutt said Pemble is integral in making sure ACC’s mission does not fail.

“She keeps up with the management and execution of government funds, taxpayer dollars,” he said. “She was, during this time, a big proponent in managing the electronic security systems… so in terms of making sure that our prisoners stay behind the wall, she was a huge proponent in overseeing the management of that system and making sure that everything got funded that needed to be, where things needed fixed, things corrected, preventive maintenance — she was kind of the project manager for that for a good chunk of time during FY25.”

Pemble said her job has her working on all kind of things, such as contracts, status of funds, briefing slides, the electronic security system and more for ACC locally, as well as ACC in Europe, Korea and at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.

“Pemble expertly executed $3.9 million across 40 separate contracts and MIPRs,” Curnutt wrote in the nomination. “This represents a remarkable 40 percent of all contracts within the ACC, a workload that significantly outpaced all other budget analysts in the command. Her meticulous management of these resources was instrumental in providing the necessary funding for mission-critical requirements.”

Pemble said knowing what is appropriate and legal, as well as the order of a process, are important in her work.

“Overall, the ESS project would be managed by Army Corps of Engineers, but I would work directly with them more on the funding piece to make sure things are funded in the order that they need to be,” she said. “It gets a little convoluted — OMA (Operations and Maintenance, Army) versus OPA (Other Procurement, Army) — that’s just the different types of money we have to fund certain things. You have to know exactly what it is to know if it should be OMA, should it be OPA.”

Curnutt said Pemble’s work involves a lot of fiscal law.

“But then you have to also understand the system to a point to understand that it doesn’t make sense to fund the maintenance until the project is done,” Pemble added, “or there are certain aspects of the project that have to go in a certain order.”

Curnutt described the process as a layered cake.

“You have to deal with not only decision support from command and what their priorities are, but then you have to go into the decision support of, ‘Hey, we only have so much money, so what is it you want to fund? Now that we know what you want to fund, what can we fund legally?’ And so, it’s just that layered cake of decision support that eventually leads to the ultimate funding of certain items,” he said.

Pemble volunteered to take on the electronic security system contract management duties upon the retirement of the ESS subject matter expert.

“This complex responsibility is not typically required of a budget analyst, but seeing a critical gap, she took on the task without hesitation to ensure the continued security and integrity of the command’s facilities,” Curnutt wrote in the nomination.

Curnutt also noted that Pemble stepped in as acting deputy G8 when the need arose while simultaneously executing her regular budget analyst duties. She also managed 32 American Corrections Association folders, part of ACC’s accreditation process, and thus contributed to the ACC’s most recent flawless audit.

“Pemble’s initiative to take on leadership and technical responsibilities far outside her normal duties demonstrates a level of commitment and professionalism that is truly rare,” he wrote in the nomination. “She has not only excelled in her own role but has also ensured the success of the wider mission through her selfless service. Her actions are a testament to her character and her unwavering dedication to the organization.”

Pemble will be honored by Army FM&C July 16 in a virtual ceremony.

Fort Leavenworth budget analyst receives Army-level financial management award

Source: United States Army

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U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

VICENZA, Italy – U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Andrew C. Gainey transferred his authority to U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Matthew W. Brown during a change of command ceremony at Caserma Ederle, June 26, beginning a new era for U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF).

Approximately 250 Soldiers stood in formation on Hoekstra Field to witness Gainey pass the unit colors to Brown in a ceremony whose origins date back to the Roman Empire, signifying that a military unit is never without a leader. Several distinguished visitors, Department of the Army Civilians, local community dignitaries and family members also attended the ceremony.

U.S. Air Force Gen. Dagvin Anderson, commanding general of U.S. Africa Command, was the first distinguished speaker to address the audience. He described the ceremony as “unique” because “the entire change of command stays within my family.”

Both Gainey’s and Brown’s new positions will keep them focused on Africa-centric missions, representing no loss of experience or institutional knowledge. Gainey’s next assignment will take him to U.S. Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany, where he will serve as the J5 officer in charge of strategy, engagement and programs. Brown was most recently the commanding general of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa in Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti.

As SETAF‑AF’s commanding general, Gainey advanced a modernization agenda focused on rapid innovation and technology integration, highlighted by his creation of the Advanced Capabilities Directorate. This approach reshaped exercise African Lion and the African Land Forces Summit, drawing unprecedented participation from tech investors and defense industry partners. For the first time in its 20-plus-year history, African Lion 2026 gave vendors and innovators direct access to U.S. and partner‑nation decision‑makers and operational end users, strengthening the command’s strategic posture on the continent.

Anderson also described Gainey’s contributions to bigger-picture accomplishments that improved security in Africa, which also had greater security implications beyond its borders.

“When we thought there would be trouble in West Africa, we stood up Joint Task Force Lion and it was seamless,” Anderson said. “Andy’s team didn’t just execute; they built partnerships … that allowed us to establish a presence and enduring relationships.”

U.S. Army Gen. Christopher Donahue, commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, presided over the change of command ceremony. He congratulated Gainey for his performance leading SETAF-AF and specifically mentioned the evolution of African Lion (SETAF-AF’s biggest annual training exercise), credited to Gainey’s tenure.

“African Lion has been transformed into the most important exercise we do as an Army element in Europe or Africa,” Donahue said. “That is the organization [Gainey] has built — and Andy, we can’t thank you enough for what you have done.”

Donahue went on to voice his support and confidence in Brown’s selection as SETAF-AF’s new leader and wished him well in his new post.

“In Matt Brown, you’re getting a guy who has done everything,” Donahue said. “If you look at all the allies he has worked with and all the assignments he has had — his most recent in the Horn of Africa — you are going from a great leader to a great leader. Matt, we know you are going to do exceptionally well.”

As Gainey took the podium, he recalled knowing that he was “walking in the footsteps of giants” when he first took command of SETAF-AF two years ago.

“This historic formation that goes back to 1955 is tremendous, and it’s an honor to walk into an organization like this that exceeds your every expectation. It’s an honor to have the opportunity to be able to say that this is the organization that you command,” Gainey said. “The Soldiers [of this formation] are absolutely exceeding the standard that reflects that caliber of excellence.”

Brown’s first comments as SETAF-AF’s new commanding general reflected his enthusiasm for his new post and those he will be working with.

“I am receiving the trust and confidence you’ve placed in me with a great deal of humility,” Brown said. “I will extend and amplify all that trust and confidence to the men and women of this task force as we — alongside all the allies and partners of the United States — put the full potential of our part of the American Army into operation in support of theater objectives. Our Vicenza Military Community naturally rallies around the common goal of taking care of our Soldiers and our families, and I am excited to work alongside every single one of you towards that end over these next years.”

His command assignment with SETAF-AF successfully complete, Gainey thanked his family, Anderson, Donahue and several colleagues whose support helped him lead SETAF-AF, and from whom he learned so much.

“Thank you for the privilege of allowing me to command this formation,” Gainey said. “It’s been an absolute honor and pleasure to have served as your commander for SETAF-AF. Words cannot express what my family and I are going through. It’s very difficult to leave this wonderful community. As I look out on the field, I see awesome leaders and awesome Soldiers supported by an awesome civilian force — a family that continues to pour its life blood into this formation.”

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.

Follow SETAF-AF on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn & DVIDS