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 | June 21, 2021

Georgia Guard Soldier returns to Africa for African Lion 21

By Capt. Bryant Wine, 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team

TAN-TAN, Morocco – U.S. Army Spc. Reginald Aikins is a medic with the Georgia Army National Guard's Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. He also was born in Ghana and immigrated to the U.S.

Now, Aikins has returned to the African continent as a participant in exercise African Lion 21.

African Lion 2021 is U.S. Africa Command's largest premier joint annual exercise hosted by Morocco, Tunisia, and Senegal June 7-18. More than 7,000 participants from nine nations and NATO train together to enhance readiness.

"It's great," said Aikins. "Getting back to your roots, getting back to the people you lived with, it's a pretty great feeling."

Aikins' father frequently traveled to the U.S. for work. His father's connections eventually brought Aikins and his family to the United States as immigrants in 2013.

"I was about 17 or 18 years old," said Aikins.

Aikins enlisted in the Georgia Army National Guard as a medic in January 2017, attracted by the education benefits. He is a student at the University of Miami.

Aikins aspires to be a neurosurgeon and believes becoming a medic will help him get a head start in his career field.

Though Aikins has worked in the field plenty throughout his career, African Lion 21 is his first overseas deployment training mission. The Georgia Army National Guard has deployed 640 people and 200 vehicles, including nine M109A6 Paladin howitzers.

"So far, it has been a great experience," said Aikins. "We've had to deal with adversity out here that we really never deal with on a day-to-day basis."

Strengthening partnerships is another key focus of exercise African Lion 21. Georgia Army National Guard Soldiers live, train and interact with soldiers from Morocco and Senegal.

"I've gotten a chance to interact with a little bit with Senegalese. My French is a little bit limited, so we use hand signals," said Aikins. "It's fun; it's interesting because we have a lot in common despite the speech barrier."

Aikins said he's thrilled to return to his home continent to train alongside multinational partners and do the job he enlisted in the Army to do.

One benefit of multinational exercises like African Lion 21 is the opportunity to travel the world. But for some, exercises almost become a homecoming.

"I had to lose my citizenship when I immigrated to the United States, but I'll always be a citizen of Ghana in my heart," Aikins said.

 

 

Related Articles
A M109A6 Paladin howitzer assigned to Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion, 214th Field Artillery Regiment, 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Georgia Army National Guard, is lifted onto a cargo ship May 10, 2021, in Jacksonville, Florida. The Georgia Army National Guard’s participation in exercise African Lion 21 allowed the organization to train on railhead and port operations.
Georgia Guard completes port operations for African Lion 21
By Capt. Bryant Wine, | May 18, 2021
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Georgia Army National Guard completed port operations May 14 in Jacksonville, Florida, to deploy vehicles and equipment to Morocco for use in exercise African Lion 21.“The most significant obstacle we...

U.S. Army Cpt. Charles Smith, a logistics officer assigned to the Macon-based Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 148th Brigade Support Battalion, 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Georgia Army National Guard, coordinates response efforts with civilian agencies from Georgia and New Jersey, Oct. 1, 2024, at the Macon State Farmer’s Market in Macon, Georgia.
Georgia Guard Supports Partner Agencies Responding to Helene
By Spc. Ehron Ostendorf, | Oct. 3, 2024
MARIETTA, Ga. – Since Hurricane Helene landed on Sept. 27, the Georgia Army National Guard has provided response and recovery support to residents affected by the storm, working alongside civilian agencies from across the...

A U.S. Army Soldier conducts a free fall airborne jump out of a C-130 Hercules cargo plane during the Joint Parachute Operational Mishap Preventative Orientation Course Enhanced (POMPOC-E) April 25, 2024, at the Plantation Airpark, Sylvania, Georgia.
Georgia Guard Provides Airborne Safety Training
By Sgt. 1st Class James Braswell, | April 29, 2024
SAVANNAH, Ga. –The Georgia Army National Guard Safety Office hosted its 10th annual Joint Parachute Operations Mishap Preventative Orientation Course Enhanced (POMPOC-E) April 17 - 26 at the Air Dominance Center in Savannah...