News

Airmen complete African Partnership Flight Senegal

April 5, 2018
Story and photos by Airman 1st Class Eli Chevalier
U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa Public Affairs
Participants of African Partnership Flight Senegal prepare to board a C-130H Hercules assigned to the 130th Airlift Wing, West Viginia Air National Guard, March 22 at Captain Andalla Cisse Air Base, Senegal. The APF program is U.S. Air Forces Africa’s premier security cooperation program with African partner nations to improve professional military aviation knowledge and skills.

CAPTAIN ANDALLA CISSE AIR BASE, Senegal — African Partnership Flight Senegal came to an end after a closing ceremony March 23 at Captain Andalla Cisse Air Base, Senegal.

“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 weeklong 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, Cote 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,” Allen said.

West Virginia Air National Guard medical technicians assigned to the 167th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron demonstrate how to load a patient onto a litter March 22 at Captain Andalla Cisse Air Base, Senegal. The demonstration was part of African Partnership Flight Senegal, an event co-hosted by the U.S. and Senegal that focuses on the exchange of knowledge in the aeromedical and casualty evacuation fields, as well as air and ground safety.
Lt. Col. Andrew Allen, chief of global health engagements branch, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, speaks during the closing ceremony of African Partnership Flight Senegal March 23 at Captain Andalla Cisse Air Base, Senegal. The purpose of APF Senegal is to conduct multilateral, military-to-military engagements and security assistance with African air forces.
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