USAFRICOM response force keeps skills sharp

Photo By Spc. Semaj Johnson | Soldiers from 1st Bn., 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, conduct the North and West Africa Response Force Mission Readiness Exercise at Aviano Airbase, Italy, Feb. 19, 2022. The exercise tested the no-notice deployment capability of the U.S. Africa Command's North and West Africa Response Force, made up of elements of the 173rd Airborne Brigade and Southern European Task Force, Africa from Vicenza, Italy, U.S. Marines and service members from the U.S. Air Force's 37th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. (U.S. Army photo by Semaj Johnson)  

VICENZA, ITALY

02.22.2022

Story by Pfc. Semaj Johnson 

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

VICENZA, Italy -- Members of the U.S. Africa Command’s North and West Africa Response Force conducted a series of crisis response training exercises in multiple locations throughout Italy, Feb. 16-20.

Soldiers of the 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) and U.S. Army Southern European Task Force-Africa joined with U.S. Marines from Naval Air Station Sigonella, and U.S. Airmen from Aviano to improve crisis response capabilities.

The NARF supports USAFRICOM requirement to respond to crises and contingencies on a moment's notice in North and West Africa. Regular exercises ensure the joint team's capability to marshal and deploy with a scalable force package in support of U.S. persons, facilities and interests in Africa.

The training included water survival drills in Vicenza; air load and transit operations in Aviano and in Sicily with Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps air assets.

Soldiers, Airmen, and Marines of the NARF routinely conduct crisis and contingency response exercises both in Europe and Africa, improving joint operational capability across a variety of mission sets.

• Date Taken: 02.22.2022
• Date Posted: 02.22.2022 05:30
• Story ID: 415018
• Location: VICENZA, IT