Over 30 US cadets train in Horns of Africa

More than 30 United States Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets have attended a three-week culture, understanding and language proficiency (CULP) course in Djibouti.
Acoording to a release on the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) website, the training included ruck marches, AK-47 weapons training, language classes, an obstacle course and more, is geared toward giving the ROTC cadets and Djiboutian Army cadets the opportunity to break down communication and cultural barriers.
U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Brittany Ingram, ROTC cadre, said the training was a CULP mission conducted out of Fort Knox, Kentucky. He added that  the cadets were chosen from their applications based on merit, fitness and grades to come into the CULP program.
According to the statement, the cadets came from colleges all over the US, and met with their Djiboutian counterparts at the Djiboutian Military Academy, which lies in the Arta Mountains about an hour from Djibouti City.
It said while there, the US cadets taught Djiboutians what they had learned about the US military, including topics like customs and courtesies and troop leading procedures, Djiboutian cadets respond in kind, teaching the US cadets Djibouti military traditions and practices.
The statement further said that early on in the training, some cadets initially struggled with the intense heat, but that didn’t stop them from heading outdoors to participate in AK-47 field-stripping activities. It added that the cadets also made a brief visit to the French Navy base for a meal and an introduction to American coalition allies in Djibouti.