MANZINI, Swaziland — In partnership with the Umbutfo Swaziland Defence Force, the U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Army Africa kicked-off the two-week MEDFLAG 09 exercise with an opening ceremony at USDF headquarters here, Aug. 3.
The USDF Co-director Lt. Col. Moses Zwane thanked everyone for attending the ceremony and extended a warm welcome to the U.S. service members participating in the exercise.
"I am very pleased to be one of the MEDFLAG co-directors," Zwane said. "This exercise is the first of its kind in our kingdom."
MEDFLAG is a joint and combined military exercise that supports the AFRICOM commander's Theater Security Cooperation strategy wherein AFRICOM components send medical capabilities to African countries. The exercise will consist of three phases: classroom training, a mass casualty exercise and humanitarian and civic assistance events, to include medical, dental and veterinary assistance to the people of Swaziland.
"We will be visiting a village in each of the four provinces in the Kingdom of Swaziland," said MEDFLAG Co-director Army Lt. Col. Michael Money. "By partnering with the Department of Health here, who will accompany us out to the villages, we hope to improve the quality of life. The Swazi military has been very accommodating and by the end of the exercise, we should be able to go home knowing we have made a difference in the lives of those we touched."
The U.S. and Swazi medical teams will travel to the Hhohho Village in the Zinyane province, Manzini Village in the Mafutseni province, Lubombo Village in the Maloma province and Shiselweni Village in the Mkhwakhweni province.
The U.S. Embassy Charge d' Affairs Sarah Morrison said that a year's worth of planning has gone into the exercise and the next two weeks will be pivotal in the relationship between the U.S. and Swaziland.
"I am confident that after these two weeks, we look forward to several more of these engagements between our two militaries," Morrison said. "I know we will all be flexible and by the end of the exercise we will have formed bonds of friendship, I am sure will last a lifetime."
| Date Taken: |
08.03.2009 |
| Date Posted: |
08.04.2009 07:31 |
| Story ID: |
37110 |
| Location: |
MANZINI, SZ |
| Web Views: |
455 |
| Downloads: |
360 |
PUBLIC DOMAIN
This work, U.S. Africa Command opens MEDFLAG 09 in Swaziland, by MSgt Lesley Waters, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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