Photo By Sgt. Shawn Valosin | Marines, Sailors and U.S. Coastguardsmen with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task...... read more read more
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NAS Sigonella, Sicily – Marines with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Africa 14 have teamed with the U.S. Coast Guard for upcoming Theater Security Cooperation engagements in Africa.
SP-MAGTF Africa formed in October 2011, and is sourced by rotating forces. The current iteration is sourced from units across II Marine Expeditionary Force primarily Combat Logistics Battalion-2 out of Camp Lejeune, N.C. Supporting SP-MAGTF Africa 14 is a detachment from the U.S. Coast Guard and U.K. Royal Marines.
Marines and Coastguardsmen have limited opportunities to train together. SP-MAGTF Africa’s unique mission set presents a special venue for joint operations between the USMC and USCG conducting TSC engagements with partner militaries across Africa. The USCG helps to strengthen our nation’s ties and partnerships along with the Marines and Sailors of SP-MAGTF Africa. The USCG brings an operationally sharpened maritime flavor to SP-MAGTF Africa and by doing these exercises together, joint and combined forces are able to learn from each other and continue improving military interoperability.
“While we’re in Africa we’ll be working jointly with the Marines, teaching small boat operations, advanced small boat operations, navigation and water survival skills,” said Chief Petty Officer Dustin Ruth, a Clearwater, Fla., native and Coastguardsman with U.S. Coast Guard Station Miami. “We came together with the Marine Corps’ boat drivers and engineers to share curriculum and knowledge so when we go on our missions we will be on the same page, not teaching two different things.”
The U.S. Coast Guard is part of the Department of Homeland Security and is a unique force that carries out an array of civil and military responsibilities touching almost every facet of the U.S. maritime environment.
“We’re just happy to be here,” said Ruth. “It’s very exciting for us to work with the Marines. A few of us have worked with them before and it’s always been an excellent relationship. These kinds of trips are very rewarding and we’re looking forward to future engagements of this type.”
SP-MAGTF Africa strengthens U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command’s ability to assist partner nations in addressing their security challenges. Marines and Sailors with SP-MAGTF Africa conduct theater security cooperation, military-to-military engagements and are trained to provide contingency support to crisis response.
| Date Taken: | 08.26.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 08.26.2014 10:14 |
| Story ID: | 140388 |
| Location: | SIGONELLA, IT |
| Hometown: | CLEARWATER, FL, US |
| Web Views: | 348 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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