January 13, 2012
Kaiserslautern American
Page 7
AFAFRICA senior leaders visit Rwanda Story and photo by Master Sgt. Jim Fisher 17th Air Force Public Affairs KIGALI, Rwanda ― Air Forces Africa (17th Air Force) Commander Maj. Gen. Margaret Woodward and Command Chief Master Sgt. Michael Grimm led a senior leader engagement team to meet with Rwandan Air Force officials Dec. 14 to 16 here. The team also interfaced with U.S. Embassy officials and their counterparts in the Office of Security Cooperation. The visit was the first AFAFRICA SLE to the central African nation since Woodward took command in June 2010. The visit was also the second of a pair of engagements in the region, with the first stops being Entebbe and Kampala, Uganda, Dec. 12 to 14. Woodward pointed out that while AFAFRICA is in the process of consolidating with U.S. Air Forces in Europe and 3rd Air Force, a full schedule of engagements under U.S. Africa Command continues. “Even though we are in transition, we continue to move our African partnerships forward,” the general said. “Our mission of engagement, capacity building and pursuing shared interests continues and will Maj. Gen. Margaret Woodward (center), Air Forces Africa (17th Air Force) commander, discusses the aeromedical evacuation continue under USAFE.” AFAFRICA is scheduled to inactivate later this capacity of an MI-17 helicopter with Rwandan Air Force Chief of Staff Joseph Demali (left) and AFAFRICA Commander Chief Master year as responsibility for supporting AFRICOM Sgt. Michael Grimm (right) during a senior leader engagement Dec. 15. transfers to USAFE and 3rd AF. air traffic control and pilot training. This has really “We are both very excited about building on The commander and her team were hosted by helped us to grow and organize our young air force.” our relationship and it’s really a pleasure to Rwandan Air Force Chief of Staff Col. Joseph Demali was one of 24 air chiefs who attended work with such a professional air force,” she Demali. In addition to discussing the way ahead for the 2011 African Air Chiefs Conference in Addis said. cooperation between the two air forces, they also Abeba, Ethiopia, in April 2011. His visited the genocide museum and were ferried to an meeting and discussion with Woodward air defense site in an MI-17 helicopter. Though the ultimately prompted the visit, he said. Real watches fo or real people general said she was thrilled to log her first flight in “We met at the conference, which was the MI-17, the gravity of cooperation with the RAF very well organized and very beneficial. was underscored by the visit to the museum. We met many African air chiefs and “It was a great visit. I was honored and grateful learned more about how we can work for the opportunity to spend time at the memorial. together on air space safety and security. Much of the work we do engagement-wise is done We are looking for more engagements to ensure nothing like the 1994 to further this cooperagenocide can ever happen again,” “We met at the conference, tion,” Demali said. Woodward said. “We came here to The U.S. Defense which was very well orga- Attache work with the Rwandan Air Force, to Rwanda, and together with the whole East nized and very beneficial. Maj. Chris Hurlburt, African community, to ensure peace continued cooperWe met many African air said and stability in the region.” ation between the two For Demali, the visit from the chiefs and learned more nations will bear fruit, as AFAFRICA commander was a expeditionary force-oricause for excitement, as his air about how we can work ented engagements like force has benefitted much from together on air space safety the African Contingency engagement with the USAF in Operations Training and and security. We are look- Assistance have boosted recent years. “We have very good cooperation ing for more engagements Rwanda’s capability as a Oris Swiss Hunter Team PS Edition with the U.S. Air Force. Most of us peacekeeping force. Automatic mechanical movement to further this cooperation.” Date display have trained with them,” Demali “We just conducted Screw-in crown Water resistant to 10 bar/100 m said. ― Col. Joseph Demali, our first-ever ACOTA Rwandan Air Force Chief of Staff training The colonel, like many of his key with the staff, has taken part in professional (Rwandan) Air Force, Qualiity + Se ervic ce + Co onfidennce military education in the U.S. ― he is a graduate and the first class graduated about a of the USAF Air Command and Staff College at week ago and will be headed to Darfur Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. in January,” Hurlburt said. “This visit Stephanie Berberich “The course has helped me to embrace the change is very significant as it builds a lot Watcches & han nd-m made Je ewelry in our air force,” he said. “But we have also received of momentum for cooperation between Schneiderstraße 13, 67655 Kaiserslautern instruction via other AFRICOM engagements, the the U.S. military and the Rwandan Air Ph.: 0631-414 06 54, Fax: 0631-414 06 53 (International Military Education Program) and Force.” Vat Forms accepted engagements focused on air safety, maintenance, The AFAFRICA commander agreed.
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