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Advisory team supports multinational exercise in Cameroon

  • Published
  • By 818th Mobility Support Advisory Squadron
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  Members from the 621st Contingency Response Wing participated in exercise Central Accord 14, at Air Base 101, Douala, Cameroon, Mar. 10-21.

Eleven 818th Mobility Support Advisory Squadron air advisors participated in the exercise, which involved nine nations. The team focused their efforts on familiarizing the Cameroon Air Force with skills for fixed wing airdrop and aerial port operations and to aid in future interoperability requirements between the U.S., African nations, and intra-Africa regional partners.

"The exercise is to improve the capability of Cameroon, Burundi, Chad, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, the Republic of Congo, Sao Tome, and Nigeria and to logistically and medically support forward-deployed forces," said Maj. Sean Hook, 818th MSAS air advisor. "Our role in the exercise was to familiarize participating partner nation personnel though briefings and ground demonstrations."

According to Master Sgt. Jerome Williams, 818th MSAS air advisor, the engagement was a success.

"All nations in attendance were able accomplish the goals that were identified ahead of time," he said. "This was easily observed during the second week when they had to perform the skills they learned. From safe ingress and egress of aircraft, to instructing lessons in front of other partner nations."

Lt. Col. Sean Kuponiyi, Nigerian air force C-130 pilot, said the exercise provided a great learning experience.

"The crew resource management lecture was very informative," he said. "I am much better informed of the relevance in the prevention of incidents and accidents related to CRM now.

The MSAS are tailorable expeditionary organizations established to conduct building partnership and building partner capacity engagements at partner nation locations where air mobility operational support is non-existent or insufficient. The core capabilities that define the MSAS are command and control, air operations, aerial port and aircraft maintenance. The unit provides air force leaders with the ability to employ teams of knowledgeable, expeditionary air mobility air advisors from a dedicated squadron.