The 3rd Annual Personnel Recovery Conference kicked off in Garmisch, Germany, June 6-10, 2011, with more than 100 participants.

The conference, hosted by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), was attended by staff members from AFRICOM and its components, U.S. Embassy country teams, representatives from the Department of Defense and interagency organizations, as well as partner nation representatives from NATO, Australia, and Sweden.

This year's conference focused on solidifying the coordination and mutual support of all parties in the occasion of a personnel recovery event on the African continent.
Brigadier General Gordon Bray, deputy operations officer for U.S. AFRICOM, emphasized the high priority on personnel recovery for AFRICOM and the close coordination required to successfully respond to an isolating event on the continent.
Attendees participated in table-top exercises and provided information briefs on partner nation and interagency response capabilities and processes. The attendees also received hands on training with some of the latest emergency beacon technology.

U.S. Africa Command continues to place a high emphasis on personnel recovery, recognizing that there are multiple means that can contribute to a successful recovery. The command has been active in personnel recovery through a range of operations from traditional recovery, such as the recent aircraft crash in Libya during Operation Odyssey Dawn, to tracking down emergency beacon emissions in Africa.