The United States has kick-started the largest military exercise in East Africa called “Justified Accord.”
Justified Accord 2024 (JA24) began within the borders of the East African giant: Kenya. It is said to have participants from approximately 20 countries across the continent.
The exercise involves the participation of military personnel from 23 African countries in an effort to strengthen the peacekeeping missions in their respective countries. The program is scheduled to run for 11 days until Thursday 7th of March.
The military exercise is to help the security personnel of participating countries be prepared for any crises and assist humanitarian efforts.
This year’s edition would include scores of Somali commandos who have received US training. It is expected to bring together 1,000 people and units from 23 different countries.
This multinational exercise builds readiness for the U.S. joint force, prepares regional partners for UN and AU mandated missions, and increases multinational interoperability in support of humanitarian assistance, disaster response and crisis response.
JA24 features staff officer academics, including a Women, Peace and Security panel and Rule of Law instruction and a command post exercise, held in Nairobi. Concurrently, at the Nanyuki-based Counter Insurgency, Terrorism and Stability Operations (CITSO) center, the Kenya Defence Forces will host a multinational field training exercise, urban operations training, as well as a medical civic action program, providing medical care to up to 1,000 rural Kenyans.
“Justified Accord showcases the desire of U.S. and partner nations to increase readiness and interoperability when it comes to regional security and crisis response,” said F. Austin Blessard, SETAF-AF lead exercise planner for JA24.
Several U.S. Army forward-deployed units will participate in the exercise, including the Massachusetts National Guard, U.S. Army Reserve units, including the 772nd Military Police Company, 645th Regional Support Group, and 635th Movement Control Team, the 2nd Security Forces Assistance Brigade, 720th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Detachment and the 7th Army Training Command. The 2SFAB will partner with the U.K.’s 11th SFAB (Irish Guards) to provide tactical expertise to a multinational team from Kenya, Djibouti, Somalia and Tanzania.
Additionally, the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program (SPP) will be featured throughout JA24. Soldiers from the Massachusetts National Guard share an SPP relationship with the Kenyan Defence Forces, dating back to 2015.
The Massachusetts National Guard soldiers will exchange best practices with Kenyan forces in CITSO, designed to enhance policing skills with M4 carbine rifles and non-lethal weapons utilized during a crisis response scenario.
“Participation in regional security and crisis response exercises demonstrates our commitment to our partner nations,” said U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Alex Machado, platoon leader, 772nd Military Police Company, Massachusetts National Guard. “As part of an overseas deployment for training, the 772nd MP Co. has a unique opportunity to conduct integrated, joint collective training with the Kenya Defence Force military police. Together, we are able to demonstrate our capabilities and exchange best practices in a dynamic environment. We are grateful for the professionalism of the KDF and the use of their superb training sites.”