In the humid, lush jungle of Cameroon, 18 Marines with Special Purpose Marine-Air Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa shared tactics and skills with more than 80 soldier’s part of the Forces Fusiliers Marins et Palmeurs de Combat Cameroonian Armed Forces, June 6 – July 8, 2016.
The mission supported the preventing of illicit activity in the Central African region, ranging from human trafficking, drugs and weapon trafficking. Marines spent time with our partner nation building their skills in weapon safety, fire team formations, patrolling tactics and techniques, and fire and movement drills on a live-fire range.
“We are covering ambushes, as well as tactical site exploitations and that transfers to the stopping of vehicles and personnel which is a problem at some of the locations borders,” said 1st Lt. Moises E. Navas, Theater Security Cooperation Team 1 Lead, with SPMAGTF-CR-AF. “This will give them the tools and tactics to be able to help prevent the illicit trafficking.”
By sharing our tactics and procedures involving fire teams and patrols, we can help support FORFUMAPCO in the prevention of illicit activity in the surrounding area .
“This helps us increase more of our operational capacities,” said Capt. Kome Devine Kome, the commander of the Cameroon Marines. “We benefit from this by utilizing other proven techniques.”
The Marines with 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment taught classes to the Cameroonian soldiers. They went into practical application where the Cameroonians learned hands on training.
“They see what we do and they can adapt and incorporate it into their doctrine,” said Navas. “We see what they do and how they operate in this kind of environment. The past decade we have been fighting in a different type of terrain and these gentlemen have been fighting in heavy, thick jungle.”
Communication was important to this mission. Interpreters helped with the classes and the Cameroonians were eager and ready to learn the skills and techniques shown to them.
“We have seen a dramatic improvement in those training by the Marines,” said Kome. “Our Chief of Naval Operations has called it a “game-changer” because by using what has been taught to them, our military has become that much more proficient.”