Photo By Staff Sgt. Luke Wilson | U.S. Army Lt. Col. Amber Hansen, left, lead physician's assistant for the 2nd Security...... read more read more
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ACCRA, Ghana – The 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade (2SFAB), part of U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), participated for the first time in a medical readiness exercise (MEDREX) held from May 13-31 at 37th Military Hospital in Accra, Ghana.
The participation of the 2SFAB, a specialized force comprising approximately 120 advisors on up to 20 teams, marked a significant milestone. Their usual mission focuses on assessing, supporting, liaising and advising operations with allied and partner nations. However, their ability to strengthen relationships, provide confidence and build partner capacity made them an easy choice for inclusion in the medical readiness realm.
“For 2SFAB, it provides critical field experience and demonstrates our commitment to supporting partner nations in complex medical scenarios,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Amber Hansen, 2SFAB’s senior physician assistant. "Our participation in MEDREX Ghana aims to enhance medical readiness and capabilities through collaboration with the Ghana Armed Forces. This exercise strengthens our partnership, fosters mutual trust and facilitates a valuable exchange of medical knowledge and best practices.”
With frequent deployments throughout Africa, 2SFAB has proven to be a crucial enabler for executing security cooperation activities within the U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) area of responsibility.
Under the leadership of SETAF-AF, MEDREX Ghana facilitated the exchange of medical procedures and enhanced treatment capabilities among medical personnel from the U.S. military and partner nations. This exercise marked the fourth out of eight MEDREXs scheduled by SETAF-AF across the African continent in fiscal year 2024.
MEDREX Ghana was integrated into African Lion 2024 (AL24), the largest annual combined, joint exercise of USAFRICOM. Running from April 19 through May 31, AL24 spanned Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia, involving approximately 8,100 personnel from over 27 nations and contingents from NATO. The exercise enhanced the readiness and interoperability between U.S. and partner nation forces.
The MEDREX program, planned and executed by SETAF-AF, allows military health professionals from the U.S. and their African partners to exchange medical practices, procedures and techniques. This collaboration builds and strengthens treatment capabilities, resulting in lasting relationships between the partners.
Even for non-medical personnel, the impact of participating in such an exercise can make a difference.
"I might not be an expert in medical operations, but I can certainly appreciate the significance of our participation in the MEDREX,” said U.S. Army Capt. Davon Brunes, a signal officer with 2SFAB. “This exercise is crucial in advancing medical readiness and capabilities through our collaboration with the Ghana Armed Forces."
The 2SFAB is a purpose-built force that can concurrently deploy throughout 15 different countries. Focused on training partners in maneuver, fires, engineering and logistics, the inclusion of 2SFAB at MEDREX Ghana was a broadening, yet critical step.
"Participating in the MEDREX highlights our role in promoting stability and security through enhanced medical cooperation and readiness,” added Hansen.
She also shared that 2SFAB’s involvement underscores the importance of building resilient partnerships and showcases the unit's versatility in supporting a wide range of missions, including humanitarian assistance and disaster response.
“This engagement also enriches our understanding of local communities and cultures, fostering goodwill and sustainable relationships," Hansen concluded.
SETAF-AF provides U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Army Europe & Africa with a dedicated headquarters to synchronize Army activities in Africa and scalable crisis-response options in Africa and Europe.
| Date Taken: | 06.28.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 07.08.2024 09:36 |
| Story ID: | 475107 |
| Location: | ACCRA, GH |
| Hometown: | VICENZA, IT |
| Hometown: | FORT LIBERTY, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 46 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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