U.S. Army Reserve civil support team builds capacity with Tunisian partners
U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. O'Neil McKenley (right,) a CBRN non-commissioned officer and survey teammember with the 773rd Civil Support Team, 7th Mission Support Command, escorts a HAZMAT reconniscance team from the CBRN and EOD team, 61st Engineer Regiment, Tunisian Armed Forces to the staging area after completing a characterization of a HAZMAT spill scenario, part of African Lion 2023, 24 May, 2023 at the unit's training site in Bizert, Tunisia. TAF soldiers partnered with U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers from the 773rd, a highly specialized, HAZMAT reaction team, the only one of it's kind in the U.S. Army Europe - Africa theater. Exercises such as African Lion 23 provide opportunities for this specialized unit to train and educate Tunisian partners, improving their security and enabling them to better protect their borders, complementing the Tunisian Armed Forces' increased security measures. 18 nations and approximately 8,000 personnel will participate in African Lion 2023, U.S. Africa Command's largest annual combined, joint exercise that will take place in multiple countries to include Tunisia from May 13 - June 18, 2023.