An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Oct. 3, 2018

Ky. engineers build foundation with Djiboutian counterparts

By Capt. Michael Reinersman 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

As part of the State Partnership Program (SPP), engineers representing Kentucky National Guard's 201st and 206th Engineer Battalion visited with members of the Forces Armee Djibouti (FAD) to discuss military engineering best practices at FAD facilities, Sept. 23-27.

The engineering event was scheduled in response to a request during the Security Prioritization Working Group in Sept. 2017, said Maj. Christopher Hettinger, Bilateral Affairs Officer for the State Partnership Program in Djibouti.

"Discussing engineering strengths, weaknesses and opportunities will provide a basis for future collaboration," said Hettinger.

Meetings between the FAD Engineer Regiment and Kentucky Guard Engineers focused on horizontal, vertical, combat engineering, capacity building as well as the use of military assets to support civil authorities.

"The Djiboutian engineers have many strengths we could use to increase our technical capacity in a cost-effective manner," said, 1st Lt. William Fegenbush, executive officer, 149th Vertical Engineer Company."There is much we can learn with future training such as pre-assembling components prior to arrival on site instead of contracting."

Fegenbush, a registered professional engineer as a civilian, discussed design, military and civil construction planning with FAD military and civilian engineers at National Gendarmerie training center, FAD Engineer Regiment, Republican Guard Headquarters, and at other austere locations throughout Djibouti.

After a briefing and tour of a forward training camp, Rapid Interdiction Battalion (RIB) Commander, Capt. Omar Ali Hassan, said he invites Kentucky engineers sharing ideas and practices to complete future camp improvements.

"I welcome Kentucky expertise on building commando training obstacles and camp fortification," Hassan said.

The capacity to share specialized knowledge about vertical, horizontal and combat engineering will open avenues for greater cooperation during future events in Kentucky and Djibouti.

"I was very impressed with their military bearing and knowledge of their engineering equipment," said Command Sgt. Maj. Jerry Sipe, 201st Engineer Battalion." In any army, you must be resourceful, so there is room for us to expand our knowledge by training and completing projects with the Djiboutian Engineer Regiment."

The event also focused on preventive maintenance checks and services (PMCS) of engineer equipment, involved Guard members visiting motor pools and maintenance shops at Engineer Regiment Camps.

"In order to complete missions, maintenance of engineer equipment is very important," said Sgt. 1st. Class Jonathan Ward, Platoon Sgt., 130th Engineer Support Company." And it would beneficial to conduct joint training analyzing malfunctions, minor repairs and PMCS's of engineer equipment."

“Never in my life did I think I would find myself discussing different levels of engineering support in Djibouti, Africa," said Staff Sgt. Jason Collett, 207th Engineer Co." Now I understand how the harsh environment affects their equipment and I'm looking forward to working on meaningful projects in the future with our Djiboutian counterparts."

The SPP is a Department of Defense security cooperation program. It also serves as a mechanism for training National Guard personnel.

The SSP has proven itself to be an efficient and economical program for developing partner capacity. The SPP has been building relationships for 25 years and now includes 75 partnerships with 81 nations around the globe. Kentucky National Guard partnership with Djibouti began in June 2015.

 

 

Related Articles
U.S. Soldiers with the Army National Guard speak with D.C. locals while patrolling Metro Center Aug 26, 2025. About 2,000 National Guard members are supporting the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission providing critical support to the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department in ensuring the safety of all who live, work, and visit the District.
Guard Members From Six States, D.C. on Duty in Washington in Support of Local, Fed Authorities
By Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy, | Aug. 29, 2025
WASHINGTON – More than 2,000 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from six states and the District of Columbia are on duty in Washington as part of Joint Task Force – District of Columbia in support of local and federal...

Lt. Gen. H. Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau, Maj. Gen. Russel Honore, Task Force Katrina commander, and Brig. Gen. John Basilica, 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team commander, talk to news media during the aftermath of Hurricane Rita on Sep. 29, 2005. Basilica was appointed commander of Task Force Pelican, responsible for coordinating National Guard hurricane response efforts across the State. The task force included tens of thousands of National Guard Soldiers from Louisiana and other states.
Louisiana Guard’s Tiger Brigade Marks 20th Anniversary of Redeployment and Hurricane Response
By Rhett Breerwood, | Aug. 29, 2025
NEW ORLEANS – This fall, the Louisiana National Guard’s 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, known as the Tiger Brigade, commemorates the 20th anniversary of its redeployment from Iraq in September 2005, coinciding with the...

Alaska Air National Guard HH-60G Pave Hawk aviators and Guardian Angels, assigned to the 210th and 212th Rescue Squadrons, respectively, conduct a hoist rescue demonstration while participating in a multi-agency hoist symposium at Bryant Army Airfield on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, July 22, 2025. The symposium, hosted by Alaska Army National Guard aviators assigned to Golf Company, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, included U.S. Coast Guard crews assigned to Sector Western Alaska and U.S. Arctic out of Air Stations Kodiak and Sitka, Alaska Air National Guardsmen with the 176th Wing rescue squadrons, U.S. Army aviators from Fort Wainwright’s 1-52nd General Support Aviation Battalion, Alaska State Troopers, and civilian search and rescue professional volunteers from the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group. The collaborative training drew on the participants’ varied backgrounds, experiences, and practices, to enhance hoist proficiency and collective readiness when conducting life-saving search and rescue missions in Alaska’s vast and austere terrain. (Alaska Army National Guard photo by Alejandro Peña)
Alaska Air Guard Conducts Multiple Hoist Rescues of Stranded Rafters on Kichatna River
By Staff Sgt. Seth LaCount, | Aug. 29, 2025
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Alaska Air National Guard members with the 176th Wing rescued three rafters Aug. 28 after their raft flipped over on the Kichatna River.The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center opened...