Training U.S. Embassy Troops in Djibouti

                                                                                                               United States Marine Corps Sgt. Jeremy Gutierrez directs students from the special brigade of the Djiboutian national police during training.

CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti, Jan. 19, 2007 — A group of Djiboutian soldiers wearing worn green camouflage and blue berets emblazed with their country’s emblem reflecting the sunlight burst through a door carrying AK-47s while U.S. Marine Sgt. Jeremy Gutierrez looks on like a proud father watching his son take his first steps.

Members of the Djiboutian Special Brigade are proving to Gutierrez, a reservist from Amarillo, Texas, and currently assigned to the 5th Provisional Security Company, and two of his fellow Marines they understand the techniques they’ve been taught during basic urban and close quarter combat skills.

Twenty soldiers, who are part of the security team for the U.S. Embassy in Djibouti City, went through a three-day, rigorous, down-and-dirty training on topics ranging from basic weapon techniques to room clearing. “The Embassy found out that I work on the special response team at a nuclear weapons facility in my civilian job and asked if I’d be willing to train the security team,” Gutierrez said. “I jumped at the chance.”

The security team learned basic stances, weapons carries, magazine changes and reloads, transitions from rifle to pistol, and rules of room clearing on the first day alone. Other topics included open and closed door entries, grenade deployment and team leadership.

“They are all very eager to learn and take pride in being trained by U.S. Marines,” the sergeant pointed out. “Building the competence and confidence of these soldiers in their new abilities will definitely sustain a defense at the embassy in case of attack or disorder.” Another benefit of the training is that they will be able to take what they’ve learned and share the knowledge with.

By Senior Airman Sarah Stegman

US Dept. of Defense News
CJTF-HOA Public Affairs