Kenyan soldiers receive close look at U.S. Army specialty schools

Photo By Staff Sgt. Mark Watson | Kenyan soldiers, Staff Sgt. Hillary Osore, a parachute jumping instructor; Lt. Charles Kirichiu, a platoon commander for the Kenyan Ranger strike company; Maj. Ahmed Saman, commandant of the Kenyan parachute training school and Sgt. Nicholas Ndwinga, platoon sergeant for the Ranger strike company listen to a Pathfinder School instructor as he demonstrates slingloads. The Kenyans spent a week at Fort Benning to gain a better understanding of Army run specality schools.  

05.03.2007

Story by Staff Sgt. Mark Watson 

129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

By Staff Sgt. Mark Watson
129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

FORT BENNING, Ga. – Kenyan soldiers received an inside look at several U.S. Army specialty schools at Fort Benning, Ga., this week in hopes of taking lessons learned back to Kenya to start their own specialty schools.

The visit was part of the Third Army/U.S. Army Central's Theater Security Cooperation program that hosts foreign soldiers and sends U.S. Soldiers to participating countries to interface with their counterparts.

"This builds relationships at all levels from the most junior enlisted to the most senior general," said Navy Lt. Jesse Nice, who is assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Kenya. "It is an information exchange."

He added of the foreign junior soldiers who see our processes, when they become senior enlisted or commissioned officers, they will then be in a place to help strengthen their military. He said this experience with TSC is one that can last for the length of their careers.

The Kenyan soldiers received an up-close look at Airborne, Jumpmaster, Pathfinder, Drill Sergeant School, and a Noncommissioned Officer Academy. While Kenya currently has an Airborne school, they would like to start a Ranger indoctrination program. The training will be based off the U.S. program and the soldiers will be used the same as American Rangers are used.

"Our Rangers will be a fast strike force," said Maj. Ahmed Saman, the commandant of the Kenyan parachute training school. "They will be trained in counter terrorism and for other high speed operations."

The visiting soldiers included Saman; Lt. Charles Kirichiu, a platoon commander for their Ranger strike company and a recent graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School; Staff Sgt. Hillary Osore, a parachute jumping instructor; and Sgt. Nicholas Ndwinga, platoon sergeant for the Ranger strike company.

Third Army conducts TSC activities throughout 24 countries in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. This includes enhancing or establishing relationships with regional national militaries, which promote's bilateral and multilateral interoperability, strategic access and operational basing.

With these programs, Third Army helps its partner countries to strengthen their defense relationships and to improve their ability to effectively participate in coalition operations.

Third Army TSC events can take many forms and can be conducted in the United States or in the partner country.

"In the future, our Ranger instructors may have the opportunity to go to Kenya to advise their Ranger instructors," said Maj. Andrew Harmon, the Ethiopian and Kenyan country desk officer for Third Army.

The TSC program benefits both countries, he said. Not only does it broaden the Army's contacts throughout the area of operations, but the Soldiers gain a mutual understanding of each others culture. The program also supports the Global War on Terrorism.

"This is a way to make our allies stronger so they can take care of their problems internally, which in turn helps us," Harmon said. "If we can have allies that are both with us in thought and the fact they are willing to devote troops to fight basically our enemies, we are in effect helping the United States as a whole, so that we don't have to send our Soldiers out to fight in other countries."

"Third Army is the critical piece that brings everything together," Harmon said. "We have our senior leadership, Lieutenant General (R. Steven) Whitcomb who meets with leaders in Kenya, and together with Theater Security Cooperation, we work together to address the needs of both countries."

• Date Taken: 05.03.2007
• Date Posted: 05.03.2007 07:06
• Story ID: 10216