Col. Timothy Shaffer, Director Of Operations G-3 at U.S. Army Southern European Task Force - Africa (SETAF-AF), reminds the force how important and significant African Lion (AL) combined exercises are to strategic partnerships outlined in the National Defense Strategy. He describes Africa Lion in scope and depth, with special attention to collaborative multinational efforts in challenging conditions. His remarks come at the tail-end of AL '22, where he supervised his leaders working with local Moroccan leaders at the Port of Agadir during redeployment port operations. The exercise was supported by elements of the 311 Expeditionary Sustainment Command (ESC) and the 79 Theater Sustainment Command (TSC) from port opening, to base operations, and finally to port closing. Against this backdrop, Col. Shaffer shared his perspective on why operations and training overseas are not simply important for exercising US forces' capabilities, but also in building the capacity in our partners to develop and strengthen their own defense capabilities, while sharing best practices, building esprit de corps, and international cooperation and good will.