WEBVTT 00:00.750 --> 00:02.694 And we're in our 20th iteration of 00:02.694 --> 00:05.179 African Lion . We it's a complex 00:05.190 --> 00:08.359 environment . We do live fire . Uh The 00:08.390 --> 00:10.770 special forces had a , an airborne 00:10.779 --> 00:13.001 operation a couple of days ago with our 00:13.001 --> 00:14.946 Moroccan partners . Each year , we 00:14.946 --> 00:17.112 continue to build upon the last year . 00:17.112 --> 00:19.280 We come together , we understand each 00:19.290 --> 00:21.457 other's capabilities and we understand 00:21.457 --> 00:23.346 how to integrate it so that we're 00:23.346 --> 00:25.568 building on that and continuing to grow 00:25.568 --> 00:28.549 stronger together . So obviously , 00:28.559 --> 00:30.909 building our partner capacity between 00:30.920 --> 00:33.369 the United States Army , as well as the 00:33.380 --> 00:35.602 Moroccan and other nations , we're able 00:35.602 --> 00:38.250 to understand each other's capabilities 00:38.259 --> 00:40.481 and build on that . We're able to learn 00:40.481 --> 00:43.209 how each one functions , what strengths 00:43.220 --> 00:45.442 they're able to bring and leverage in a 00:45.442 --> 00:49.049 combined joint operation . Having the 00:49.060 --> 00:51.900 Moroccan Army officers embedded the the 00:51.909 --> 00:53.965 logistics officers from the Moroccan 00:53.965 --> 00:56.169 army embedded in my support operations 00:56.180 --> 00:58.669 staff . As we go about this exercise 00:58.680 --> 01:00.849 allows them to understand how we 01:00.860 --> 01:03.700 operate . It allows the learning the 01:03.709 --> 01:06.330 textbooks , they completed uh recently 01:06.339 --> 01:08.809 some academics so they understand how 01:08.819 --> 01:11.220 we fight . They understand the military 01:11.230 --> 01:13.580 decision making process that our field 01:13.589 --> 01:15.811 grade officers go through through their 01:15.811 --> 01:19.050 intermediate level education , but able 01:19.059 --> 01:21.769 to put it into practice here in a 01:22.610 --> 01:24.599 safe environment in an exercise 01:24.610 --> 01:26.970 environment . Given these certain 01:26.980 --> 01:30.110 constraints allows us to build stronger 01:30.120 --> 01:33.330 together so that should we have to work 01:33.339 --> 01:35.720 together in the future ? We will be 01:35.730 --> 01:37.619 able to meet the the needs of our 01:37.619 --> 01:40.040 nations . I look forward to cultural 01:40.050 --> 01:41.849 differences . I look forward to 01:41.860 --> 01:44.027 national differences . It allows me to 01:44.027 --> 01:46.249 learn more about other cultures , other 01:46.249 --> 01:48.889 nations experiencing those things . And 01:48.900 --> 01:50.844 I think our soldiers being able to 01:50.844 --> 01:53.069 experience and understand that not 01:53.080 --> 01:55.080 everybody looks like us , not , not 01:55.080 --> 01:57.302 everybody talks like us , not everybody 01:57.302 --> 01:59.800 behaves and lives like us . But that 01:59.809 --> 02:02.910 diversity strengthens us as a team , 02:03.069 --> 02:04.958 maintaining partnerships , strong 02:04.958 --> 02:07.139 partnerships around the world is going 02:07.150 --> 02:10.649 to be critical to meeting and contested 02:10.660 --> 02:14.169 areas with our adversaries . Obviously 02:14.179 --> 02:17.800 a strong defense is important , but we 02:17.809 --> 02:19.976 have to make sure that we partner with 02:19.976 --> 02:22.142 the right individuals with like minded 02:22.142 --> 02:24.253 soldiers and militaries and countries 02:24.253 --> 02:26.420 around the world that are fighting for 02:26.420 --> 02:28.476 democracy wherever they may be . The 02:28.476 --> 02:30.420 3/11 ESC is fortunate enough to be 02:30.420 --> 02:32.679 regionally aligned to CT FA . So we 02:32.690 --> 02:34.960 have a habitual relationship with our 02:34.970 --> 02:38.059 folks at CT FA . Uh We've participated 02:38.070 --> 02:40.860 both in the live . Like one of my RSGS 02:40.869 --> 02:43.036 is supporting the life support here in 02:43.036 --> 02:44.980 Tan Tan , as well as in Agadir and 02:44.980 --> 02:46.813 other locations , providing life 02:46.813 --> 02:49.147 support for American soldiers coming in . 02:49.270 --> 02:52.580 But also with my , my role at the 02:52.589 --> 02:54.700 ESC participating in the command post 02:54.710 --> 02:56.599 exercise where we're doing a more 02:56.599 --> 03:00.050 simulated um larger scale operation in 03:00.059 --> 03:02.170 support of our uh Moroccan partners . 03:02.720 --> 03:04.770 So I'm truly blessed to have such a 03:04.779 --> 03:06.960 great team at the 3/11 expeditionary 03:06.970 --> 03:09.137 sustainment command . You know , we're 03:09.137 --> 03:11.359 a very tight knit family but being able 03:11.359 --> 03:13.539 to be part of a joint exercise , to be 03:13.550 --> 03:16.539 able to , to share my family , my esc 03:16.550 --> 03:19.130 family with other countries with other 03:19.139 --> 03:22.080 experiences with other in a combined 03:22.089 --> 03:24.490 joint environment is truly a blessing . 03:24.589 --> 03:27.669 Being able to learn from peers as well 03:27.679 --> 03:30.250 as subordinates across the board . It , 03:30.259 --> 03:32.949 it's really AAA wealth of information . 03:32.960 --> 03:34.849 This has been one of the greatest 03:34.849 --> 03:37.016 annual training that been a part of uh 03:37.016 --> 03:40.270 in my 31 year career . One thing I do 03:40.279 --> 03:42.112 have to add is that it is a true 03:42.112 --> 03:44.168 blessing to be here to represent the 03:44.168 --> 03:46.112 United States Army , um the United 03:46.112 --> 03:48.279 States Army Reserve here in Morocco as 03:48.279 --> 03:50.390 part of this great exercise , African 03:50.390 --> 03:53.979 Lion 2024 . It is the 20th anniversary 03:54.039 --> 03:56.206 and , and I know that it will continue 03:56.206 --> 03:58.261 on each and every year forward and I 03:58.261 --> 04:00.372 look forward to , to being part of it 04:00.372 --> 04:01.750 again next year . Valet .