Moroccan and U.S. Forces begin African Lion 17

U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe and Africa
Story by 2nd Lt. Brett Dornhege-Lazaroff

Date: 04.19.2017
Posted: 04.20.2017 04:25
News ID: 230923

Approximately 1,300 military personnel from the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Spain and Tunisia traveled to various regions of the Kingdom of Morocco to take part in AL17.

“We are excited to conduct training with our Moroccan partners. African Lion gives us the ability to enhance our operational capabilities in an unfamiliar, yet non-austere, environment,” said Commodore Leonard “Lenny” Lyon, Combined Joint Task Force African Lion.

AL17 is led by U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa and sponsored by U.S. Africa Command with support from the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and the Utah and Kentucky Air National Guards. The exercise also receives support from the United States Embassy, Rabat’s Office of Security Cooperation and the Defense Attaché Office.

“This training gives our service members the experience of joint and combined operations in support of regional cooperation with African nations and other multi-national security partners.”

The exercise is scheduled to end on or about April 28, with all U.S. forces returning to their home bases at the conclusion of the exercise.

For updates, photos and videos of the exercise please visit, https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/AfricanLion