2004 Press Releases

Soldiers of RSLAF Graduate at Freetown Depot

October 1, 2004

Freetown, Sierra Leone
Contact: PAO Kevin Green
Tel: 226481 ext 209

On October 1, 2004, United States Ambassador Thomas N. Hull led a graduation ceremony for sixty-seven (67) RSLAF military personnel.  The soldiers recently completed training at the US government-funded military logistics facility at Murray Town Barracks.  The soldiers’ graduation marks a continuation of a series of training programs at the Freetown depot, funded by the US government.  The soldiers trained in military vehicle driving, vehicle and generator maintenance and the use and maintenance of communications equipment.  

The U.S. government has committed $3 million to fund this initiative.  Since August 2002, the Depot has trained a total of 503 soldiers from Sierra Leone, Guinea, Mauritania, Mali, Niger and Chad.  Personnel who complete the training requirements return to their units as qualified communicators, generator mechanics, vehicle mechanics, and as heavy and light vehicle drivers. Today’s graduates consist of the following:

• Driver/Operator Level Instructor - 1
• Drivers Training Program – 41  * This training program was used to support actual RSLAF transport missions for the movement and relocation of military retirees to their home of record, in June 2004, as part of IMATT’s restructuring of the RSLAF
• Vehicle Maintenance On The Job Training Program – 13
• Generator Maintenance On The Job Training Program – 3
• Communications Maintenance On The Job Training Program – 9

Ambassador Hull remarked during the ceremony that “the United States is pleased to provide quality logistics training and maintenance support to West African militaries as it furthers peace and stability in the sub-region by building capacity.” Other troops from RSLAF, Guinea and Mali have previously been trained at the PAE depot, and the U.S. plans to provide future training to troops from the ECOWAS region. 
 
Amb. Hull speaking at the ceremony at PAE, Murray Town, Freetown