Posted on Mar 10, 2017
Anyone have a recent NG deployment to Djibouti? How was it?
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Africa
Deployment
Djibouti
Camp Lemonnier
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 8
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It is a weird base with an odd culture. Run by the Navy, so expect some new terms like Quarterdeck and liberty chit.
It is ungodly hot there. I typically ran at midnight to avoid the heat in the afternoon and the humidity in the morning.
There are dozens of sub missions there, and each sort of keeps in their own box. Base support is the biggest one. Then there is physical security, regional QRF, Civil Affairs, anti-piracy, JTF-HOA, SOF stuff... etc.
In my opinion, the best gig there is the rotational training missions done in support of AMISOM. ACOTA and otherwise funded missions that send a handful of Soldiers to Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, and other countries that deploy forces to Somalia in support of the peacekeeping mission there. You get to train the African Soldiers on tactical stuff, Counter-insurgency, first aid... all sorts of things are in the POI. And when the day is done, you often (not always) have an opportunity to look around and check out the scenery.
I will tell you that it is what you make of it. If you just mark time there going to the gym and surfing the internet, you are missing an opportunity.
Good luck.
It is ungodly hot there. I typically ran at midnight to avoid the heat in the afternoon and the humidity in the morning.
There are dozens of sub missions there, and each sort of keeps in their own box. Base support is the biggest one. Then there is physical security, regional QRF, Civil Affairs, anti-piracy, JTF-HOA, SOF stuff... etc.
In my opinion, the best gig there is the rotational training missions done in support of AMISOM. ACOTA and otherwise funded missions that send a handful of Soldiers to Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, and other countries that deploy forces to Somalia in support of the peacekeeping mission there. You get to train the African Soldiers on tactical stuff, Counter-insurgency, first aid... all sorts of things are in the POI. And when the day is done, you often (not always) have an opportunity to look around and check out the scenery.
I will tell you that it is what you make of it. If you just mark time there going to the gym and surfing the internet, you are missing an opportunity.
Good luck.
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1SG (Join to see)
Sgt (Join to see) - That would be gate and roving security for the CLDJ base complex - actually three different installations.
Members of that element typically didn't get much chance to leave Djibouti, aside from the four days passes. Check out the MWR there to find pretty sweet tours to Zanzibar, Egypt, and other interesting places.
You should have some opportunity to do joint training with the French, Djiboutian, and more rarely other forces stationed there. The French Commando Badge is a great opportunity to go out, do something challenging, and earn some cool-guy bling.
If your command allows off-base travel, there is exceptional SCUBA diving spots in the Gulf of Tadjourah.
Members of that element typically didn't get much chance to leave Djibouti, aside from the four days passes. Check out the MWR there to find pretty sweet tours to Zanzibar, Egypt, and other interesting places.
You should have some opportunity to do joint training with the French, Djiboutian, and more rarely other forces stationed there. The French Commando Badge is a great opportunity to go out, do something challenging, and earn some cool-guy bling.
If your command allows off-base travel, there is exceptional SCUBA diving spots in the Gulf of Tadjourah.
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SSG (Join to see)
I went there back in 03-04. I remember it being extremely hot! I'm sure it's changed a lot since then, but it wasn't a bad trip. My company built a 3 story shoot house, poured a bunch of the concrete there, pulled guard duty and fixed up some of the local schools. Then again, that's been a while ago.
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Angela Stanley
My boyfriend is possibly going to be deploying to Djibouti soon and I'm wondering how much danger he will be in? If their is any possibility he could be killed or hurt? He is an E-5 Sergeant and I'm worried to death. Could anyone give me any insights on this.
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1SG (Join to see)
Angela Stanley - I wouldn't worry too much. Of all of the places he could be sent, this is one of the safer ones. You have more threat from the environment - lots of critters want to eat you; lots of diseases that you aren't prepared for - than muldoons trying to shoot you.
Having said that, it is Africa and there are numerous shooting wars and insurgencies in the area of operations that we have varying degrees of involvement in. S Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen are pretty hot, other places much less so.
What does you boyfriend do in the military?
Having said that, it is Africa and there are numerous shooting wars and insurgencies in the area of operations that we have varying degrees of involvement in. S Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen are pretty hot, other places much less so.
What does you boyfriend do in the military?
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I was there in '12. Nothing left to say that hasn't been said. I'll just leave you with this shot of my Kestrel. Heat index: 132.4°F.
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Everyone there now has better living conditions than what was originally there. I was there in 2004-2005. This is where we slept. Granted we made some minor changes (added partitions). I will admit though, for being a tent with a/c, it stayed a nice 72*F even in the middle of the day.
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