New Army unit tools African militaries fighting terrorists in Mali

Pulling an M-36 Puma MRAP, a mine-resistant vehicle, out of desert sand is a safe enough practice for U.S. Army soldiers such as former logistics commander Maj. Mike Pachucki, but for African militaries, every second counts, and it could be deadly.

African peacekeepers are frequently targeted by al Qaeda-affiliated terrorists on the far-flung roads of northern Mali. Moments lost in a vehicle recovery operation afford extra minutes for a deadly ambush.

“Our job is to help partner nations build capability, build capacity,” Pachucki told the Washington Examiner by phone from Fort Benning, Georgia, discussing a three-week deployment to Senegal.

The West African nation invited the Army’s new Security Force Assistance Brigade in March to conduct training on vehicle maintenance and care in harsh desert climates such as the Sahel, a vast region encompassing Mali, Chad, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

Pachucki’s 12-soldier advisory team was one of the first deployed to the African continent and included Army experts in field artillery, engineering, logistics, intelligence, and more. Nearly half the Senegalese soldiers Pachucki and 1st Sgt. Tobias Santiago helped train had already served in Mali.

“When we chose the hands-on portion, we chose some terrain that was probably actually a little more difficult than Mali, since we were out on a beach,” Pachucki said of the hot, sandy terrain selected for the exercise.

“Depending on what type of terrain you’re in and how stuck your vehicle is determines how many winches you have to operate off of how many points you connect to,” he explained. “Making sure they understand all the different principles of vehicle recovery.”

Meanwhile, a thousand miles east, political instability in the heart of the Sahel has challenged U.S. Africa Command’s terrorism fighting efforts with Mali.

In August, Mali suffered a mutiny by the armed forces that threatens to give terrorists an edge in the most important front for denying safe haven to terrorist groups.

The Malian president was forced to resign, and the Bamako government is in transition.

“From the U.S. military standpoint, [we] continue to work to provide the kind of coordination support as we look at that transition period,” AFRICOM deputy director of intelligence Rear Adm. Heidi Berg told the Washington Examiner on a media call Friday.

“We know, historically, we have had a coup back in 2012 that Mali experienced as well as the counter-coup, which led to the collapse of government in Northern Mali,” she added.

The unrest nearly a decade ago led briefly to a radical Islamic government in northern Mali and al Qaeda terrorists pouring across the border from Algeria.

AFRICOM said al Qaeda, among other terrorist groups, still operate in the region. A June airstrike by the French used U.S. intelligence support to kill top al Qaeda commander Abdelmalek Droukdel and several of his close associates operating in northern Mali.

Sometimes, the simple things are the most important.

“In a hotter desert environment, it’s going to cause your vehicles to wear and tear differently and operate differently,” said Pachucki, a Derwood, Maryland, native.

Santiago, a 1st SFAB senior enlisted adviser from Clarksville, Tennessee, added, “We had a medical noncommissioned officer out there that was teaching a medical training, a deep dive into heat prevention.”

Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville has touted the SFABs as another way the Department of Defense is strengthening partners and allies who can confront threats abroad before they reach the homeland.

“It’s just not about education and training, it’s really bringing together a whole bunch of different capabilities,” McConville told Defense One last week. “They’re very highly thought of, and we help increase their capabilities and capacity.”

Preparing partners with the skill sets of American soldiers is how the Army is expanding its reach.

“It’s all about that rapport building and building that long-lasting partnership and relationship,” Pachucki said.

Both soldiers said the Senegalese who served in Mali had lessons learned for the SFAB unit as well.

“Many of them had over 20 years of military experience,” said Santiago, who valued the combat experience they shared.

“Our entire team was impressed with their knowledge from a partner standpoint,” added Pachucki. “Very professional force, extremely knowledgeable. I mean, they were teaching us just as much, if not more.”