On November 15, 2022, personnel from Special Operations Command Africa and the Tanzania Marine Special Forces completed a Civil Affairs Joint Combined Exchange Training in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The month-long training allowed service members from the United States and Tanzania the chance to forge and sustain vital military-to-military ties while enhancing joint and allied readiness and interoperability.
“This course is very crucial for our special forces because it enables us to be better prepared for various scenarios and upcoming duties,” said Tanzania Peoples Defence Forces Marine Special Forces Commander Lt. Col. Athumani Ghamunga. “It is also the opportunity to share experience and knowledge between our special forces.”
Joint exchanges between the two countries are nothing new, but this exercise assisted in the development of new skills and the integration of components from the civil affairs section.
“This was the first civil affairs focused JCET in Tanzania,” said U.S. Army Capt. Tyler Clarke, a civil affairs team lead. “The training focused on civil affairs and civil military operations to include civil reconnaissance, civil engagements, we discussed negotiations, mediations and tactical combat casualty care.”
The main goal of the JCET program is to train special operations units from partner countries in a way that will help to secure and stabilise Africa.
“Joint combined exchange training is the bridge and glue which binds together the relationship between Tanzania and the U.S.,” said Tanzania Peoples Defence Forces Brig. Gen. Iddi Nkambi.
U.S. Africa Command and special operations forces are committed to mutually beneficial engagements with partners.