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Air advisors train with Niger Armed Forces at AB201
Niger Armed Forces (French language: Forces Armées Nigeriennes) members clear a corridor during a training exercise with the 409th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron air advisors at the FAN compound on Nigerien Air Base 201 in Agadez, Niger, July 10, 2019. The training improves interoperability, and enables the Nigeriens to protect themselves during deployments. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer
Photo 2 of 11
Air advisors train with Niger Armed Forces at AB201
Niger Armed Forces (French language: Forces Armées Nigeriennes) members sing and dance while on break during a training exercise with the 409th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron air advisors at the FAN compound on Nigerien Air Base 201 in Agadez, Niger, July 10, 2019. The FAN sing and dance every training day to keep their morale high. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer
Photo 3 of 11
Air advisors train with Niger Armed Forces at AB201
A training building stands in the Niger Armed Forces (French language: Forces Armées Nigeriennes) compound on Nigerien Air Base 201 in Agadez, Niger, July 10, 2019. The 409th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron air advisors use the building to run training drills with the FAN. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer
Photo 4 of 11
Air advisors train with Niger Armed Forces at AB201
U.S. Air Force air advisors assigned to the 409th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron brief the Niger Armed Forces (French language: Forces Armées Nigeriennes) before training exercises at the FAN compound on Nigerien Air Base 201 in Agadez, Niger, July 10, 2019. The FAN learned how to efficiently and safely clear a building. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer
Photo 5 of 11
Air advisors train with Niger Armed Forces at AB201
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Tyler Torr, 409th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron air advisor, center, gives instructions to a Niger Armed Forces (French language: Forces Armées Nigeriennes) member while Salah, Combined Defense Operations Center interpreter, translates the instructions during a training exercise at the FAN compound on Nigerien Air Base 201 in Agadez, Niger, July 10, 2019. The training enables both forces to improve interoperability, and also helps the Nigeriens to protect themselves during deployments. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer
Photo 6 of 11
Air advisors train with Niger Armed Forces at AB201
Niger Armed Forces (French language: Forces Armées Nigeriennes) members clear a room during a training exercise with the 409th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron air advisors at the FAN compound on Nigerien Air Base 201 in Agadez, Niger, July 10, 2019. The training is one of many ways the security forces airmen integrate with FAN members and it helps improve interoperability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer
Photo 7 of 11
Air advisors train with Niger Armed Forces at AB201
Niger Armed Forces (French language: Forces Armées Nigeriennes) members run into a building during a training exercise with the 409th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron air advisors at the FAN compound on Nigerien Air Base 201 in Agadez, Niger, July 10, 2019. The air advisors taught them how to efficiently clear a building while keeping their comrades safe. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer
Photo 8 of 11
Air advisors train with Niger Armed Forces at AB201
A Niger Armed Forces (French language: Forces Armées Nigeriennes) member clears a room during a training exercise with the 409th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron air advisors at the FAN compound on Nigerien Air Base 201 in Agadez, Niger, July 10, 2019. The air advisors taught them how to efficiently clear a building while keeping their comrades safe. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer
Photo 9 of 11
Air advisors train with Niger Armed Forces at AB201
Niger Armed Forces (French language: Forces Armées Nigeriennes) members sing and dance while on break during a training exercise with the 409th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron air advisors at the FAN compound on Nigerien Air Base 201 in Agadez, Niger, July 10, 2019. The FAN sing and dance every training day to keep their morale high. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer
Photo 10 of 11
Air advisors train with Niger Armed Forces at AB201
A Niger Armed Forces (French language: Forces Armées Nigeriennes) member clears a corridor during a training exercise with the 409th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron air advisors at the FAN compound on Nigerien Air Base 201 in Agadez, Niger, July 10, 2019. The air advisors taught them how to efficiently clear a building while keeping their comrades safe. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer
Photo 11 of 11
Air advisors train with Niger Armed Forces at AB201
Niger Armed Forces (French language: Forces Armées Nigeriennes) members take a break during a training exercise with the 409th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron air advisors at the FAN compound on Nigerien Air Base 201 in Agadez, Niger, July 10, 2019. The air advisors train the FAN on a daily basis, increasing their readiness and improving interoperability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer
NIGERIEN AIR BASE 201, Niger -- Air advisors assigned to the 409th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron conducted training with the Nigerien Armed Forces (French language: Forces Armées Nigeriennes) members on how to clear a building July 10.
The training was designed to help the FAN improve their efficiency and security when coming in contact with enemy forces. Additionally, it strengthens the partnership between the FAN and U.S. military.
“What we’re attempting to do here is build interoperability, working further with the coalition, so that way they’re trained and equipped to work collectively with the United States and other armed forces around the world,” said Staff Sgt. George Distel, 409th ESFS air advisor.
Distel, along with other air advisors, shared specific clearing tactics with the FAN members, helping make sure they remain safe in potential engagements. This joint training ensures FAN forces can integrate with U.S. forces should the need ever arise, and also provides the FAN with the tools needed to work independently when they deploy to locations without fellow U.S. forces nearby.
“Once we leave in six months, they’re going to be deployed with the rest of their brothers in arms…to various countries around Niger,” said Tech. Sgt. Tyler Torr, 409th ESFS air advisor.
Niger rests within close proximity to many violent extremist organizations, and now the FAN is better prepared to respond to incidents that may involve one of those organizations.
“A lot of the FAN operations deal with violent extremist organizations,” said Torr. “We’ve narrowed down the skills we feel are necessary for them. We’ve also talked to their leadership to find out what they would like us to train them on, and narrowed it down to the individual skills they need to be successful and to stay alive.”
The training not only helps prepare them for deployed conflict, but it also enables the FAN to secure Nigerien AB 201.
“We started to integrate our patrols on the inside of Air Base 201 about three weeks ago,” said Torr. “Soon we’ll be starting to exercise together.”
