Flintlock

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso -- Burkinabe Army soldiers buckle themselves into a Ramstein Air Base C-130J “Super” Hercules May 1, 2010 to begin their deployment to Mali in support of Exercise Flintlock 10. An element of about 40 soldiers boarded the C-130J to deploy for counter-terrorism training with U.S., Malian and European partners. Flintlock 10 is a special operations forces exercise focused on military interoperability and capacity-building and is part of a U.S. Africa Command sponsored annual exercise program with partner nations in Northern and Western Africa. The exercise, which includes participation of key European nations, is conducted by Special Operations Command Africa and designed to build relationships and develop capacity among security forces throughout the Trans-Saharan region of Africa. Approximately 1,200 European, African Partner Nation and U.S. participants from 14 nations are involved in military interoperability activities across the Trans-Saharan region during this event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Jeremiah Erickson)