USS Hershel “Woody” Williams Arrives in Rota, Spain

While operating in the U.S. Africa Command area of operations, the ship conducted six maritime evolutions alongside African partner nations, participated in a major multinational exercise, and conducted refueling operations.

"It has been an absolute honor to be a part of our increased U.S. presence in Africa working and training alongside our partners and Allies.” - Capt. David Gray, commanding officer, Hershel “Woody” Williams

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Conner Foy , U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa Public Affairs NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain Oct 26, 2020

View Gallery

Gallery contains 5 images

The Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4) arrived at Naval Station Rota, Spain, Oct. 22, marking the end of a 43-day underway operating alongside partners and Allies off the coast of Africa.

While operating in the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) area of operations, the ship conducted six maritime evolutions alongside African partner nations, participated in a major multinational exercise, and conducted refueling operations.

Most recently, Hershel “Woody” Williams joined NATO Allies and African partner nations from for the French-led exercise Grand African Navy Exercise for Maritime Operations (NEMO) 2020, Oct. 5-9. The week-long exercise involved more than 30 ships and aircraft from 14 different nations, which conducted more than 20 scenarios on important maritime issues such as combatting illegal fishing, piracy, drug trafficking, pollution, and rescue at sea.

Grand African NEMO 2020 participants included Benin, Brazil, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Italy, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, and the United States.

Capt. David L. Gray, commanding officer, Hershel “Woody” Williams, Blue Crew, said that the time underway in such a vital area of operations was an incredibly rewarding experience.

“It was very exciting to have been part of the French-led Grand African NEMO and to be invited back next year,” said Gray. “It has been an absolute honor to be a part of our increased U.S. presence in Africa working and training alongside our partners and Allies.”

While in the AFRICOM area of operations, Hershel “Woody” Williams also conducted:

A tracking exercise (TRACKEX) with the Royal Moroccan Navy's Floreal-class Frigate Mohammad V;
A communication exercise with Cabo Verde;
A passing exercise (PASSEX) with Senegalese Navy patrol vessel Kedougou (OPV 45);
A TRACKEX and PHOTOEX with the Ivoirian Navy ships OPV C.F. Sekongo and OPV L’Emergence, the Italian Navy Frigate Federico Martinengo (F 596), and the Abidjan Maritime Operations Center;
A TRACKEX with the Italian Navy frigate ITS Federico Martinengo (F 596) and the Ghanaian Navy Snake-class patrol vessel Ehwor (P 37), including joint flight operations between an Italian NH 90 helicopter U.S. MH-60S Seahawk helicopter, and a brief stop for resupply off the coast of Tema, Ghana, with the Ghanaian oil tanker African Runner and Ghanaian tugs; and
A TRACKEX with the Nigerian Navy NNS Prosperity (P 21), NNS Okpabana (F 93) NNS Nguru (P 187), and the NNS Ekulu (P 188) and the Lagos Maritime Operations Center; a UAV demonstration with the Nigerian Navy; and maneuvers and honors with Nigerian Navy frigate NNS Okpabana (F93) and Nigerian Navy patrol boats NNS Prosperity (P 21), NNS Nguru (P 187), and NNS Ekulu (P 187) in honor of Nigerian Independence Day.

Other operations and training the ship can conduct include support to Special Operations, command and control, and staging of equipment and other assets, as directed.

“The USS Hershel “Woody” Williams enables U.S. forces to execute a multitude of capabilities, including in support of theater security operations, maritime domain awareness, and a full spectrum of maritime operations from non-combatant evacuation to high-end warfare,” said Gray.

Hershel “Woody” Williams is homeported in Souda Bay, Greece, and conducts AFRICOM missions in the Mediterranean and the waters around East, South, and West Africa to include the Gulf of Guinea, operating with regional partners. The ship will be a long-term presence assigned to the AFRICOM mission set and will support security cooperation missions and operations in and around the African continent.

U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts joint and naval operations in order to support regional allies and partners and U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa.

Langley expands campaign of learning footprint to west Africa

Exercise Phoenix Express 2024 Concludes in Tunisia

Military Leaders from the US and Morocco Strengthen Partnerships at the Marrakech Airshow 2024

Thirteen nations participate in Obangame Express 2024 maritime interdiction training in Ghana

AFRICOM STRENGTHENS PARTNERSHIPS WITH CÔTE D'IVOIRE

USS Hershel Woody Williams

Gulf of Guinea

Cabo Verde

U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa

Army lawyers provide training on rules for armed conflict at exercise Justified Accord

NAIROBI, Kenya – Among the flurry of tactical live fires and squad movement drills, air ground integration and even the humanitarian initiatives at exercise Justified Accord 2025 (JA25), lies the one thing those who serve in any armed force must follow: The Law. The Law of Armed Conflict, or LOAC, is a key aspect of training for any military. JA25’s academics course aimed at learning from the international legal lessons of previous wars in an effort to reduce the amount of human suffering in future conflicts. “The soldier’s rules are a broad set of rules that we have pulled from the large breadth of international law,” said U.S. Army Maj. Tim Olliges, an operational law attorney assigned to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), the lead U.S. Army command and planner of JA25. “The LOAC is extensive and can be complex, so we pull out the ten most critical concepts that every soldier, right down to the private, should know before they go into combat.”

US, Kenya prepare for the unimaginable CBRN threat

NAIROBI, Kenya – Imagine two scenarios. Scenario 1: Dawn breaks over the capital of Kenya. A U.S. diplomat leaves his residence for the embassy. After a 20-minute ride, his car arrives at the gate and he enters. He sits in his office to begin the day when, all of a sudden, he hears an explosion through the open window. It seems far off; it is not a large explosion. He thinks maybe it was just a car accident, but minutes later he smells something bitter in the air. His eyes water, sirens blare and a U.S. Marine Corps security detail enters his office wearing gas masks. They put a mask on him and tell him they must evacuate immediately because a deadly chemical is blowing over the compound. Scenario 2: U.S. intelligence receives credible information that radiological material is being loaded onto a ship in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa. Time is short and no one knows which ship, only that it will embark soon, possibly bound for the hands of violent extremists or other state actors looking to imperil the U.S. homeland. There is no time to send U.S. security forces to intercept the package. Instead, the Kenyan Disaster Response Battalion (DRB) mobilizes and arrives at the port. Using tactics and tools gained from years of training with the United States, they find the ship and the weapon, placed there by a violent extremist organization, and prevent its departure, defeating the threat to America and its citizens. Similar scenarios have happened before in other areas of the world.

36th Annual International Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference and First Chaplain Africa Forum held in Brussels

The U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and Belgian Ministry of Defence, in partnership with U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and U.S. Indo Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) Chaplain Directorates, hosted the world’s largest annual meeting of senior military religious leaders at the 36th Annual NATO & Partner International Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference (IMCCC) in Brussels, Belgium, January 27-31, 2025.

Army lawyers provide training on rules for armed conflict at exercise Justified Accord

US, Kenya prepare for the unimaginable CBRN threat

36th Annual International Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference and First Chaplain Africa Forum held in Brussels

Army lawyers provide training on rules for armed conflict at exercise Justified Accord

US, Kenya prepare for the unimaginable CBRN threat

36th Annual International Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference and First Chaplain Africa Forum held in Brussels

United States Africa Command

USS Hershel “Woody” Williams Arrives in Rota, Spain

While operating in the U.S. Africa Command area of operations, the ship conducted six maritime evolutions alongside African partner nations, participated in a major multinational exercise, and conducted refueling operations.

USS Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams operates with the Senegalese Navy

USS Hershel “Woody” Williams Conducts Maneuvering Exercise, UAV Demonstration with Nigerian Navy

USS Hershel “Woody” Williams Conducts Tracking Exercise with Ghanaian, Italian Navies

USS Hershel “Woody” Williams Conducts Tracking Exercise with Ivoirian, Italian Navies

USS Hershel “Woody” Williams Conducts Tracking Exercise with Royal Moroccan Navy