Airmen working with the Combined Joint Task Force—Horn of Africa help secure US Navy ships at Djibouti City’s port. Every time a Navy vessel approaches the port, a joint effort by the US Embassy, the Djiboutian military, and the US Navy, Air Force, and Army secures a pier for the ship. A Navy EOD unit first searches the wall of the pier underwater and then does a sweep of the all the boats involved in security that may approach the ship. Then, an Air Force Security Forces military working dog team goes out and conducts a “systematic search of the pier by looking for any sort of explosive devices that might be planted around the pier,” said SSgt. David Helmbrecht, a military working dog handler deployed from Grand Forks AFB, N.D. Helmbrecht isn’t through, though, because he and his dog must inspect everything that will be loaded on the ship and any vehicles or loading equipment used in the process. Army Calvary Scouts and the Djiboutian military provide security to prevent unauthorized entries.
President Donald Trump signed legislation reopening the federal government late Nov. 12, ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history. The move sets the stage for tens of thousands of defense civilians to return to work and guarantees troops will be paid in a few days’ time.
