U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia, Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, made his first trip as the SEAC here April 21 - 22 to visit personnel assigned to Camp Lemonnier, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa and other tenant commands.

The primary purpose of the SEAC's visit was to tour the area of operations and assess the morale and well-being of all soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines deployed here. To make the initial assessment, Battaglia hosted an all-hands call for about 500 personnel that focused on force readiness and total force fitness.

After his briefing, the SEAC made time for a question-and-answer session. "I learned a lot of things from the troops, which was my primary purpose of coming out here," said Battaglia. "I was also hoping to share some things and teach them some things that they had not previously known through that all-hands call."

During Battaglia's 2-day visit to the area of operations, he traveled to Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, and meet with a civil affairs team there. He viewed the efforts they are making within the local community, but more specifically at the St. Augustine's Orphanage for Girls.

"It was quite refreshing, as one of the military leaders, to see our troops at work," said Battaglia.

He said the rapport built with the children was evident in the reaction and look on every little girl's face when the service members walked in.

"How happy they were and the twinkle in their eye showed the relationship that they have built with the U.S. personnel," Battaglia said. "I am just extremely impressed with the work, effort, energies and tenacity of our personnel here for accomplishing a very, very important mission in a large area of responsibility. It was refreshing and rewarding to see them in action."