CAPTAIN ANDALLA CISSÉ AIR BASE, Senegal –
African Partnership Flight Senegal came to an end after a closing ceremony at Captain Andalla Cissé Air Base, Senegal, March 23.
“African Partnership Flight is a program specifically designed to allow friends and partners from across the continent to travel together, to work together, to learn together, so they may learn to know each other,” said Lt. Col. Andrew Allen, chief of global health engagements branch, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa.
Over the course of the week-long event, the U.S. and nine African partner nations traded procedures on aeromedical evacuation, casualty evacuation and air and ground safety.
“The goal of this event is to bring regional partners together to discuss best practices, tactics, techniques and procedures that will help these militaries be more interoperable, not only with themselves, but with the United States of America,” said Maj. Justin Holbrook, international health specialist, Headquarters USAFE-AFAFRICA.
TTPs were discussed in a classroom setting, and then applied later in the week both on the ground and in the air on board a West Virginia Air National Guard C-130H Hercules, assigned to the 130th Airlift Wing. African partners were able to ask questions and experience how the U.S. handles casualty and aeromedical evacuation.
“They are very eager to learn about aeromedical evacuation and very interested in expanding their capabilities,” said Master Sgt. Jordan Killebrew, 186th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron medical technician, West Virginia ANG.
More than 70 pilots, aircrew and medical professionals represented African partner nations from Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal and Togo.
“I really enjoyed it, it allowed us to learn how other countries do aeromedical evacuation,” said Lt. Fakhane Diouf, an APF participant from the Senegalese air force.
This marked the end of the 12th APF since the program began in 2012 and the second co-hosted by Senegal.
“I would like to thank the Senegalese air force for graciously co-hosting this event. Without your leadership and support, this event would not have been possible,” said Allen.