{"id":445277,"date":"2025-05-13T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-13T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=445277"},"modified":"2025-05-13T13:24:36","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T13:24:36","slug":"dog-company-strengthens-regional-ties-tests-lethality-at-african-lion-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=445277","title":{"rendered":"Dog Company strengthens regional ties, tests lethality at African Lion 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n Senegalese Armed Forces soldiers line up on the firing line with M240B machine guns under the guidance of U.S. Army paratroopers assigned to Dog Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade during range training at Centre d\u2019Entra\u00eenement Tactique 2 (CET2) in Dodji, Senegal, May 8, 2025. The joint training enhanced weapons handling skills and strengthened interoperability between U.S. and Senegalese forces in preparation for African Lion 2025 (AL25). AL25, the largest annual military exercise in Africa, brings together over 50 nations, including seven NATO allies and 10,000 troops to conduct realistic, dynamic and collaborative training in an austere environment that intersects multiple geographic and functional combatant commands. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) on behalf of the U.S. Africa Command, AL25 takes place from April 14 to May 23, 2025, across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia. This large-scale exercise will enhance our ability to work together in complex, multi-domain operations\u2014preparing forces to deploy, fight and win.
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Back to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF)<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

DODJI, Senegal \u2014 After nearly a month of dynamic multinational training, Soldiers assigned to Dog Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment<\/a>, 173rd Airborne Brigade<\/a>, concluded their participation in African Lion 2025 (AL25)<\/a> \u2014 U.S. Africa Command\u2019s premier annual combined joint exercise.<\/p>\n

Deployed to Centre d\u2019Entra\u00eenement Tactique 2 (CET2), Dog Company executed a high-tempo training plan which tested its capabilities, reinforced foundational skills and deepened interoperability with partner forces from the Armed Forces of Senegal<\/a>, the Mauritanian Armed Forces<\/a>, the Armed Forces of C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire<\/a> and the Royal Netherlands Army<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was fantastic to see our paratroopers adapt their small-unit tactics, techniques, and procedures to best achieve their mission given the harsh environment,\u201d said U.S. Army Capt. Austen Deppe, Dog Company commander.<\/p>\n

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\n A U.S. Army paratrooper assigned to Dog Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, instructs a member of the Senegalese Armed Forces on properly loading the M240B machine gun during range training at Centre d\u2019Entra\u00eenement Tactique 2 (CET2) in Dodji, Senegal, May 8, 2025. The live-fire session supported interoperability and weapons proficiency ahead of combined operations during African Lion 2025 (AL25). AL25, the largest annual military exercise in Africa, brings together over 50 nations, including seven NATO allies and 10,000 troops to conduct realistic, dynamic and collaborative training in an austere environment that intersects multiple geographic and functional combatant commands. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) on behalf of the U.S. Africa Command, AL25 takes place from April 14 to May 23, 2025, across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia. This large-scale exercise will enhance our ability to work together in complex, multi-domain operations\u2014preparing forces to deploy, fight and win.
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Key events included a dismounted anti-tank live-fire exercise, multinational patrolling events culminating in a two-day combined field training exercise, integration of small, unmanned aircraft systems, and shared static live-fire ranges\u2014all conducted in a resource-limited, austere desert environment.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m proud to have participated in this event with our partners and proud of the fundamental capabilities we built collectively throughout the training,\u201d said Deppe.<\/p>\n

Dog Company Soldiers worked shoulder-to-shoulder with Senegalese and Dutch counterparts \u2014 not just in planning and execution, but in overcoming shared challenges. Whether firing anti-armor weapon systems, adjusting formations in unfamiliar terrain or refining communications procedures, soldiers built trust and enhanced interoperability.<\/p>\n

\u201cIntegration is key at every level in multinational operations, but seeing Soldiers build real cooperation at the small-unit level was the most rewarding,\u201d said U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Maurice Novack, Dog Company first sergeant. \u201cThe Infantry is a mindset, and it was refreshing to see that, though small-unit tactics may vary across the greater force, we all share the critical mindset to close with and destroy the enemy \u2014 no matter the conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n A U.S. Army paratrooper assigned to Dog Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade set his sights on a target while operating an M240B machine gun on the firing line at Centre d\u2019Entra\u00eenement Tactique 2 (CET2) in Dodji, Senegal, May 8, 2025. Range operations during African Lion 2025 (AL25) reinforce weapons proficiency, target acquisition skills, and joint combat readiness. AL25, the largest annual military exercise in Africa, brings together over 50 nations, including seven NATO allies and 10,000 troops to conduct realistic, dynamic and collaborative training in an austere environment that intersects multiple geographic and functional combatant commands. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) on behalf of the U.S. Africa Command, AL25 takes place from April 14 to May 23, 2025, across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia. This large-scale exercise will enhance our ability to work together in complex, multi-domain operations\u2014preparing forces to deploy, fight and win.
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Dog Company also mentored junior Senegalese leaders during situational training exercises and worked alongside the Dutch 42nd Brigade Reconnaissance Squadron to enhance cross-unit communication during complex range operations.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t just us training them \u2014 we were learning, too,\u201d said U.S. Army Sgt. Brian Garcia-Ono, a Dog Company squad leader. \u201cWhether it was a different way to conduct a battle drill or TTPs [tactics, techniques and procedures] for operating in a desert environment, we left with new tools in the toolbox.\u201d<\/p>\n

AL25 brought together more than 10,000 troops from over 50 nations across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia. For Dog Company, the experience underscored the role of U.S. forces not only as trainers, but as long-term partners invested in regional security and mutual growth.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis exercise was never meant to be easy,\u201d Deppe said. \u201cIt was about building capability and confidence across logistics systems, tactical competence and organizational relationships on a personal level. That\u2019s what defines African Lion to us, and that\u2019s why we are proud to have participated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deppe\u2019s first sergeant agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone\u2019s going home better than they arrived,\u201d Novack added. \u201cWe didn\u2019t just build readiness. We built trust.\u201d<\/p>\n

About 173rd Airborne Brigade<\/strong><\/h5>\n

The 173rd Airborne Brigade<\/a> (Sky Soldiers) is the U.S. Army’s Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapid forces to the United States European, Africa and Central Commands areas of responsibility. Forward-based in Italy and Germany, the Brigade routinely trains alongside NATO<\/a> allies and partners.<\/p>\n

About SETAF-AF<\/strong><\/h5>\n

SETAF-AF provides U.S. Africa Command<\/a> and U.S. Army Europe and Africa<\/a> a dedicated headquarters to synchronize Army activities in Africa and scalable crisis-response options in Africa and Europe.<\/p>\n

Follow SETAF-AF on:<\/strong> Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a> & DVIDS<\/a><\/p>\n

About African Lion<\/strong><\/h5>\n

African Lion 25 (AL25)<\/a> is set to be the largest annual military exercise in Africa, bringing together over 50 nations, including seven NATO allies, and about 10,000 troops. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), on behalf of U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM), the exercise will take place from April 14 to May 23, 2025, across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia. AL25 is designed to restore the warrior ethos, sharpen lethality, and strengthen military readiness alongside our African partners and allies This large-scale exercise will enhance our ability to work together in complex, multi-domain operations\u2014preparing forces to deploy, fight, and win.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Senegalese Armed Forces soldiers line up on the firing line with M240B machine guns under the guidance of U.S. Army paratroopers assigned to Dog Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade during range training at Centre d\u2019Entra\u00eenement Tactique 2 (CET2) in Dodji, Senegal, May 8, 2025. The joint training enhanced weapons handling skills […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":445279,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-445277","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/445277","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=445277"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/445277\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":445283,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/445277\/revisions\/445283"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/445279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=445277"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=445277"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=445277"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}