From Nov. 4-7, 2024, the Kenya Defence Force (KDF) hosted the final planning event for JA25, working closely with Dutch, Italian, British, Tanzanian and American partners to iron out the details. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), JA25 is a joint, multinational exercise that strengthens interoperability in support of humanitarian assistance and crisis response. The next iteration of the exercise, scheduled for Feb. 10-21, 2025, introduces new elements and opportunities for participants, making it one of the most ambitious iterations to date.
“Including air-to-ground integration (AGI) into this year’s exercise adds a unique and realistic challenge for our participants,” said Christopher "LunchBox" Mullins, AGI senior advisor with the Kenya-U.S. Liaison Office. “Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) from partner nations will direct Kenyan F5s and MD500s to provide close air support for ground forces.”
This is the first year JTACs from participating nations will have the opportunity to integrate with Kenyan aviation forces in real-time, simulating complex battle conditions.
“They’ve also never done night ops before,” said Mullins. “This is the first time ever that Kenyan JTACs will control and mark targets via infrared pointers for night-fly/night-shoot iterations with live ammunition.”
Along with AGI, exercise planners expanded the exercise’s focus on veterinary care. Last year, participants engaged in tactical combat casualty care of canines. This year will see the introduction of a veterinary civic action program (VETCAP), where veterinarians will jointly treat livestock.
“This is truly a civil-military partnership as U.S. providers will team with 10 KDF veterinarians and six local civilian providers to treat camels, goats, donkeys, sheep and dogs,” said U.S. Army Capt. Kandace Burton, a civil affairs planning officer with SETAF-AF.
Not only does the VETCAP provide a great opportunity to exchange veterinary best practices, it reflects the exercise’s emphasis on fostering relationships with host-nation communities and addressing needs specific to the region.
“Adding a VETCAP to Justified Accord recognizes the essential role livestock play in the livelihoods of many Kenyan communities,” Burton said. “We’re proud to expand our outreach and support to the agricultural sector as well.”
This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the Massachusetts National Guard’s partnership with the KDF, established under the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program. The partnership, which has facilitated training exchanges, shared expertise and strengthened bonds, will be celebrated during the exercise.
“It’s been a decade of shared learning and mutual growth,” said U.S. Army Maj. Nick Hally, bilateral affairs officer with the Kenya-U.S. Liaison Office and field artillery officer with the Massachusetts National Guard. “The enduring partnership with the KDF has been invaluable for both our forces, and we’re excited to commemorate this milestone at JA25.”
Kenya will host academic courses in Nairobi at their Humanitarian Peace Support School, including rule of law and WPS instruction. Multinational live-fire exercises will be held in Nanyuki at the Counter Insurgency Terrorism and Stability Operations Training Center.
The exercise continues to grow, including more partners as well as innovative components like AGI and VETCAP, making its mark as an essential element of regional security cooperation. As the final planning event came to a close, planners expressed confidence JA25 will further strengthen multinational readiness, benefiting everyone involved.
About Justified Accord
Justified Accord is U.S. Africa Command's largest exercise in East Africa. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), and hosted in Kenya, Djibouti and Rwanda, this year's exercise will incorporate personnel and units from 23 nations and five observer countries. This multinational exercise builds readiness for the U.S. joint force, prepares regional partners for UN and AU mandated missions, and increases multinational interoperability in support of humanitarian assistance, disaster response and crisis response.
About SETAF-AF
SETAF-AF provides U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Army Europe and Africa a dedicated headquarters to synchronize Army activities in Africa and scalable crisis-response options in Africa and Europe.
Credit for original article and image: https://www.army.mil/article/281252/exercise_justified_accord_2025_expands_size_and_scope_in_kenya
