Communications drive the mission forward

AGADIR, MOROCCO

05.16.2011

Courtesy Story

301st Public Affairs Detachment

Story by: Pfc. Chalon Hutson

AGADIR, Morocco - There are few areas of operation more vital throughout the military today than communications between command forces and forces in the field of combat.

Certain elements of the Joint Task Force Headquarters in Agadir, Morocco, are responsible for this communication during Exercise African Lion 2011.

The exercise is a U.S. Africa Command-scheduled, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Africa-conducted, joint and bi-lateral exercise between the Kingdom of Morocco and the United States that involves more than 2,000 U.S. service members and approximately 900 members of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces, between April 25 and June 18.

“My job is to establish communication between JTF commanders’ headquarters and with his forces, whether they are in Agadir or in Tan-Tan,” said Navy Lt. Jimmie Nelson, a signal officer with the JTF headquarters from Naval Forces Africa out of Maples, Italy, and Magee, Miss., native. “It’s very important, because if you don’t have communication then the commander here… has no way of passing his orders to [service members in the field.]”

The exercise consists of different branches of the U.S. military working together to accomplish the mission. This is beneficial and provides experience similar to a real deployment overseas, according Army Sgt. Jeffrey Thison, also with the JTF communications headquarters and Tampa, Fla., native. In addition, the systems they use throughout Morocco are the best of the best, he said.

“It definitely builds your skill level up,” Thison said. “It’s given me experience. I know the equipment well enough now to teach other [non-commissioned officers] the systems.”

Nelson, a sailor, said he had the opportunity to learn from the Army and Marine Corp, and understand how different branches operate.

“Being able to come out here and understanding the other branches makes a world of difference, because in the past I used to look at the Army at a 10,000 foot level,” Nelson said. “I thought they are just doing the ground mission. But actually the same things the Army is doing the Navy is doing also. We just do it in a different way.”

These service members from the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps continue to work to together to establish communications at the JTF headquarters in Agadir. Nelson hopes this continues to bring new viewpoints to the table.

“Being able to see how they operate brings a new perspective to my thoughts,” he said.

• Date Taken: 05.16.2011
• Date Posted: 05.22.2011 23:33
• Story ID: 70863
• Location: AGADIR, MA