U.S. Soldiers assigned to the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) communications directorate, CJ-6, conducted a knowledge exchange on radio equipment with the Armed Forces of Djibouti (FAD) signal communications section at a FAD operating location in Djibouti, Feb. 20 – Mar. 2.

The CJTF-HOA’s CJ-6 has personnel who work frequently with the type of radio equipment the FAD uses. Through shared knowledge, the CJ-6 aimed to assist the FAD signal communications section with being more efficient and independent with their communications.

By the end of the training, the end user will be the subject matter expert and should be able to use the radio equipment independently, said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Gregory Lewandowski, a future operations planner with the CJ-6.

The exchange helped CJTF-HOA build upon partner relationships within our host nation and provided the FAD with the knowledge to help showcase their capabilities during upcoming exercises.

“We want to be good neighbors to our host nation,” said U.S. Army Maj. Alan Kohlstedt, a Cyber and Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA) planner with CJTF-HOA. “One of the areas we can really add value to the FAD is in the communications section [through knowledge exchanges] and help guide them to be able to have more robust systems that support their communications needs…this engagement is a huge step forward in building that friendship and to connect at a more personal level.”

This knowledge exchange built upon previous exchanges providing additional information on the capabilities of the FAD’s radio equipment. Focusing on user operated High Frequency (HF)/Very High Frequency (VHF) manpack and handheld radios, the CJTF-HOA CJ-6 shared their expertise on the long range capabilities of the HF radio and the localized range of the VHF radio.

“This is the second level to our training, and this is very beneficial to our work [in the signal communications section],” said Sous-lieutenant Houmed Seikdaoud, a transmission officer of the FAD. “Technology evolves, so it’s better for the military to keep up with the new tech so we will be more advanced in our capabilities.”