Supporting foreign partner capacity in the fight against terrorism, the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command provided 48 jeeps and 12 radios to the Republic of Tunisia, May 12.
This northernmost country in Africa borders Libya, where ISIS has reportedly gained ground.
The U.S. aid is part of the Global Train and Equip program, an annual appropriation designed to build partnership capacity for time-sensitive, counterterrorist operations or to participate in or support military and stability operations in which the U.S. armed forces are a participant.
"We've been able to provide assets -- material and training -- that is being used almost instantaneously in the fight as opposed to just training and equipping partners for future engagements," David Dornblaser, director of USASAC's Washington Field Office, said.
Dornblaser called the GTE aid a critical component of USASAC's security assistance mission.
"We are trying to assist them in developing their capabilities and security for their citizens," he said, of the coastal nation which recently underwent a change in government.
In 2011, a revolution resulted in the overthrow of Tunisia's president, followed by parliamentary elections. Described as the only democracy in the Arab world, Tunisia is one of several partner nations who benefits from Section 1206 of the Nation Defense Authorization Act.
The multimillion dollar package, which will help Tunisia defend along hostile borders, also included aircraft from the Navy.
Dornblaser called the operation a good example of multiple services working across the DOD aisle.
"This is not the first time that the Air Force, Navy and Army have worked in concert and in various combinations to provide this type of assistance," he said. "It demonstrates our ability, the ability of each service, to support our partners and successfully accomplish the State Department's security assistance mission."
Social Sharing