Photo By Master Sgt. Nicholas Perez | U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Fatimata Diop, assigned to the 932nd Medical Squadron, 22nd...... read more read more
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ANZI, Morocco – For U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Fatimata Diop, serving in the U.S. Air Force Reserve is more than wearing the uniform; it’s about remembering the ‘why.’
That sense of purpose took on new meaning during African Lion 2025 (AL25), where Diop, an aerospace medical technician assigned to the 932nd Airlift Wing, 22nd Air Force, US. Air Force Reserve, based in Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, found herself not only treating patients but also bridging cultural gaps and reuniting with the mission that first called her to serve.
“I was just a medic when I got here,” said Diop. “But when they needed someone who could translate, I volunteered. Now I’m doing both. It’s been the most meaningful experience of my military career.”
Born in Mali, West Africa, Diop moved to the U.S. as a young adult and eventually joined the military in 2019. She first served on active duty before transitioning to the U.S. Air Force Reserve in 2023 to pursue her education. She recently earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, graduating the same day she was supporting medical operations on the other side of the world.
“Being here reminds me of why I joined,” she said. “In the Reserve, you can sometimes forget that. One weekend a month doesn’t always feel like service. But being part of something bigger, like this, brings back my ‘why.’”
Diop was one of more than 80 U.S. military medical personnel supporting the humanitarian civic assistance (HCA) portion of AL25, U.S. Africa Command’s largest annual joint exercise. In Anzi, Morocco, she worked inside the multinational field hospital, rotating between pre-operative care and recovery, assisting with IVs, patient preparation and minor procedures.
When it became clear that French-speaking translators were in high demand, Diop, who speaks English, French and Bambara (a lingua franca and national language of Mali), stepped in to help. Her language skills and cultural background quickly made her a trusted liaison between U.S. and Moroccan providers.
“Being in one place, working alongside the same Moroccan doctors every day, it builds trust,” she said. “You start to form relationships, and they know they can count on you.”
Trust, she explained, plays a critical role in patient care, especially across language barriers.
Diop said the experience has been eye-opening, both professionally and personally. She has seen firsthand the ingenuity and resilience of Moroccan medical teams, gaining a new appreciation for what it means to serve in an austere environment.
“We have so much back home,” she said. “Here, you learn how to improvise. You learn how to be flexible, how to do more with less. That’s something I’m definitely taking back to my unit.”
Diop’s team was assembled from across multiple Air Force components, many of whom had never worked together before the mission. As the only Air Force Reservist in the group, she was initially worried about being the outsider.
“But the Air Force is always a family,” she said. “No matter where you go, people welcome you. I met someone at the airport in New York before we even flew overseas, and we’ve been friends ever since.”
Her warmth and humor made her stand out quickly, but so did her adaptability. From setting IVs in the surgical tent to translating medical instructions to local patients, she embraced each role with enthusiasm and compassion.
“Every single thing we’re doing here is impactful,” she said. “We take things like going to the dentist for granted in the U.S. But here, someone gets relief from pain they’ve had for years, and you see how grateful they are. That changes you.”
When asked what she'll take back from African Lion, her answer was immediate: perspective.
“Flexibility. Humility. Remembering your ‘why,’” she said. “This mission reminded me that I’m not just a 4NO [aerospace medical technician]. I’m someone who can make a difference.”
Now, as she looks ahead to an upcoming deployment, Diop said she’s more prepared than ever, thanks in part to the lessons learned in Morocco.
As the sun sets over the rugged hills of Anzi, Diop finishes another long day of patient care and interpretation. Her work here may soon come to a close, but the legacy of service she carries with her is just beginning.
About African Lion 2025
AL25, the largest annual military exercise in Africa, brings together over 50 nations, including seven NATO allies and 10,000 troops to conduct realistic, dynamic and collaborative training in an austere environment that intersects multiple geographic and functional combatant commands. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) on behalf of the U.S. Africa Command, AL25 takes place from April 14 to May 23, 2025, across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia. This large-scale exercise will enhance our ability to work together in complex, multi-domain operations—preparing forces to deploy, fight and win.
| Date Taken: | 05.19.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.14.2025 02:32 |
| Story ID: | 498448 |
| Location: | ANZI, MA |
| Web Views: | 40 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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