U.S., Botswana Special Forces train together

By Sgt. Terysa M. King, U.S. Army Africa Public AffairsJuly 10, 2012

U.S., Botswana Special Forces train together
1 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Special Forces Soldiers from 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) out of Fort Carson, Colo., jump out of a Botswana Defense Force C-130 aircraft for the combined U.S. Special Forces and Botswana Defense Force Special Forces parachute jump in the... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S., Botswana Special Forces train together
2 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S., Botswana Special Forces train together
3 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Special Forces Soldiers from 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) out of Fort Carson, Colo., prepare to board a Botswana Defense Force C-130 aircraft for the combined U.S. Special Forces and Botswana Defense Special Forces parachute jump in the ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S., Botswana Special Forces train together
4 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Botswana Defense Force Special Forces soldiers load parachutes in preparation for a combined U.S. Special Forces and BDFSF parachute jump from a Botswana Defense Force C-130 aircraft during the final week of Eastern Piper 12, a three-week Foreign Int... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S., Botswana Special Forces train together
5 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S., Botswana Special Forces train together
6 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Secretary of the Army John McHugh coins the participants of Eastern Piper 12, a three-week Foreign International Defense structured Counter-Terrorism base exercise to improve mutual and combined Special Operational Forces capabilities and maintain re... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S., Botswana Special Forces train together
7 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. and Botswana Defense Forces Special Forces personnel stand at attention to listen to an address from distinguished visitors during Exercise Eastern Piper 12, a three-week Foreign International Defense structured Counter-Terrorism base exercise t... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S., Botswana Special Forces train together
8 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – During the final week of Eastern Piper, Secretary of the Army John McHugh and U.S. Ambassador to Botswana Michelle D. Gavin visited U.S. and BDF Special Forces personnel participating in Eastern Piper 12, and received a brief by a U.S. Special Forces... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S., Botswana Special Forces train together
9 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Botswana Defense Force Special Forces soldiers pull security while a U.S. Special Forces Soldier 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) serves as a safety for a breaching demonstration. This demonstration was in the final week of Exercise Eastern Piper... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S., Botswana Special Forces train together
10 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A squad of Botswana Defense Force Special Forces soldiers breach a building, as part of a final demonstration in Exercise Eastern Piper 12, a three-week Foreign International Defense structured counter-terrorism base exercise to improve mutual and co... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

GABORONE, Botswana (July 9, 2012) -- In the first successful training operation under Africa Command and Special Operations Command, Africa, a total of 60 Special Forces Soldiers from the United States and Botswana came together for the first combined field training exercise in 10 years.

Exercise Eastern Piper 12, a three-week Foreign International Defense, or FID, structured counter-terrorism base exercise, took place at the Thebepatswa Air Base in Gaborone, Botswana, June 1-25.

U.S. Special Forces Soldiers from 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) out of Fort Carson, Colo., trained with the Botswana Defense Forces Special Forces, or BDFSF, on marksmanship, close quarter battle, medical and tracking training in an effort to strengthen U.S. and BDFSF relationships and to promote and support Special Operations Capabilities, said Master Sgt. Grady Dewitt, noncommissioned officer in charge for Special Operations Command Africa Exercise Branch.

"It is great seeing forces in Africa excel when working shoulder to shoulder with American Forces. The Botswana Defense Forces, or BDF, has shown time and time again that they are a professional military force capable of handling their own affairs," Dewitt said.

Eastern Piper began with a week of U.S. Special Forces-led combat marksmanship training where BDFSF Soldiers perfected their ability to engage targets with precision using their submachine guns and pistols. The second week of the exercise consisted of close quarter battle with breaching techniques, such as manual breaching, ballistic breaching and explosive breaching.

Maj. Nathan Swindler, commander, Charlie Company, 4th Battalion, 10th SFG (Airborne), said he was able to gain a firsthand appreciation for the BDFSF's selfless service to their nation.

"The exercise was a fantastic opportunity to share tactics, techniques, and procedures with one of the finest Special Operations Forces in Africa, and the professionalism and proficiency of the BDFSF made the exercise extremely rewarding. While working, training, eating and billeting with our BDFSF partners, we discovered that our organizations and our hardships are quite similar," Swindler said.

Additionally during week two, U.S. Special Forces received training on the theory and practical application of combat tracking led by the BDFSF.

"In addition to gaining a better understanding of the intricacies of combat tracking, the BDFSF reinforced that it is training, not technology that sets Special Operation Forces apart from their peers. The BDFSF lack a lot of the technology that U.S. Soldiers are accustomed to having, but they remain able to successfully accomplish highly complex operations," Swindler said.

The final week of Eastern Piper included a visit by the U.S. Ambassador for Botswana, the U.S. Secretary of the Army, and the BDF Assistant Chief of Staff for Training and Doctrine. After the visit, the U.S. Special Forces and BDFSF conducted a combined parachute jump from a BDF C-130 aircraft.

Maj. Jason Farmer, foreign area officer for the Office of Security Cooperation, U.S. Embassy Gaborone, Botswana, said these military-to-military events are the key to building mature partnership and capacity between our two nations' militaries.

"It was a great opportunity to see both of the Special Forces Soldiers re-establish a relationship and partnership after a decade of little to no interaction. They proved to be a formidable force, and really demonstrated a high level of capability and discipline. Soldiers [on both sides] expressed gratitude for the high level of proficiency demonstrated by both forces, which enabled the exercise to provide valuable shared training. It was evident that we both welcomed the renewed engagement, and hope that it will continue in the future. We hope that this will be the catalyst for many more shared exercises and partnerships," Farmer said.

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