African Lion 23: Oregon Army National Guard conducts Tank Gunnery with Royal Moroccan Army

More than two dozen Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team’s 3-116th Combined Arms Battalion conducted tank gunnery training with members of the Royal Moroccan Army in the Tan Tan Training Area, June 8-10 during Exercise African Lion 2023.


“The tanks are the same. There’s just a slight difference between them,” said Master Sgt. Aghzaf Abdelkrim, 15 Regiment Royal Char, Royal Moroccan Army.
By Maj. Robert Taylor Idaho Army National Guard Tan Tan, Morocco Jun 27, 2023
View Gallery
fallback
Gallery contains 2 images

TAN TAN, Morocco - More than two dozen Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team’s 3-116th Combined Arms Battalion conducted tank gunnery training with members of the Royal Moroccan Army in the Tan Tan Training Area, June 8-10 during Exercise African Lion 2023.

The 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team is headquartered in Boise, Idaho, with battalions in Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Nevada.

Over three days, Soldiers from both armies conducted tank gunnery tables III, V and VI using the Abrams Main Battle Tank. U.S. Soldiers operate the M1A2 SEPV2 version and Moroccan Soldiers operate the M1A1 model.

“The tanks are the same. There’s just a slight difference between them,” said Master Sgt. Aghzaf Abdelkrim, 15 Regiment Royal Char, Royal Moroccan Army.

Abdelkrim completed the U.S. Army’s Master Gunner Common Core course last year. He said he enjoys working with the U.S. and sharing his culture with American Soldiers. He is training alongside more than two dozen Soldiers from the 3-116th CAB, and a small number of Idaho Army National Guard tank master gunners and instructors.

“Our focus is on target acquisition, troop commands and building relationships with our Moroccan counterparts,” said Master Sgt. Joe Carson, the battalion’s tank master gunner.

The Soldiers are conducting gunnery in preparation for a joint live-fire demonstration later in the exercise. Realistic training during peace increases the capability of both armies to work together and win on the battlefield.

“The Moroccan Soldiers are sound tankers,” said Sgt. 1st Class Johnny Barnes, an Idaho Army National Guard 19K M1 Armor Crewman instructor with the 204th Regional Training Institute. “They show a huge interest in learning how we do things. I would go to war with the Moroccans any day.”

Approximately 8,000 personnel from 18 nations will participate in African Lion 2023, U.S. Africa Command's largest annual combined, joint exercise occurring in Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia from May 13 to June 18, 2023.

More in Media Room
African Lion 2025 opens in Senegal, strengthening regional security cooperation
African Lion 2025 (AL25) officially opened May 4 at the Centre d’Entraînement Tactique 2 (CET2) training area here, marking the start of the Senegalese portion of U.S. Africa Command’s largest annual combined joint exercise.
Read more
Aeromedical evacuation teams: Flying global ambulances
In the fast-paced and often unpredictable world of military operations, U.S. service members are frequently mobilized across the globe to support exercises, conflicts and peacekeeping missions. These assignments come with unique challenges, and sometimes, life threatening emergencies.
Read more
African Lion 2025 highlights US, Tunisian military partnerships and medical readiness
During Exercise African Lion 2025, units from the U.S. Army’s 807th Theater Medical Command played a crucial role in health care operations alongside Tunisian Armed Forces. Key contributors included the 409th Medical Company Area Support, a U.S. Army Reserve unit based in Madison, Wisconsin; the 903rd Medical Detachment Preventive Medicine, a U.S. Army Reserve unit based in Machesney Park, Illinois; and the 172nd Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 261st Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 44th Medical Brigade. These units provided essential services such as sick-call operations, casualty movement, preventive medicine, veterinary inspections and academics, and behavioral health classes across multiple training sites in Tunisia. Soldiers from the 807th also led knowledge exchanges with Tunisian counterparts, strengthening partnerships and enhancing joint operational medical readiness in a challenging environment.
Read more
More in Media Room
African Lion 2025 opens in Senegal, strengthening regional security cooperation
African Lion 2025 (AL25) officially opened May 4 at the Centre d’Entraînement Tactique 2 (CET2) training area here, marking the start of the Senegalese portion of U.S. Africa Command’s largest annual combined joint exercise.
Read more
Aeromedical evacuation teams: Flying global ambulances
In the fast-paced and often unpredictable world of military operations, U.S. service members are frequently mobilized across the globe to support exercises, conflicts and peacekeeping missions. These assignments come with unique challenges, and sometimes, life threatening emergencies.
Read more
African Lion 2025 highlights US, Tunisian military partnerships and medical readiness
During Exercise African Lion 2025, units from the U.S. Army’s 807th Theater Medical Command played a crucial role in health care operations alongside Tunisian Armed Forces. Key contributors included the 409th Medical Company Area Support, a U.S. Army Reserve unit based in Madison, Wisconsin; the 903rd Medical Detachment Preventive Medicine, a U.S. Army Reserve unit based in Machesney Park, Illinois; and the 172nd Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 261st Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 44th Medical Brigade. These units provided essential services such as sick-call operations, casualty movement, preventive medicine, veterinary inspections and academics, and behavioral health classes across multiple training sites in Tunisia. Soldiers from the 807th also led knowledge exchanges with Tunisian counterparts, strengthening partnerships and enhancing joint operational medical readiness in a challenging environment.
Read more
More in Media Room
African Lion 2025 opens in Senegal, strengthening regional security cooperation
African Lion 2025 (AL25) officially opened May 4 at the Centre d’Entraînement Tactique 2 (CET2) training area here, marking the start of the Senegalese portion of U.S. Africa Command’s largest annual combined joint exercise.
Read more
Aeromedical evacuation teams: Flying global ambulances
In the fast-paced and often unpredictable world of military operations, U.S. service members are frequently mobilized across the globe to support exercises, conflicts and peacekeeping missions. These assignments come with unique challenges, and sometimes, life threatening emergencies.
Read more
African Lion 2025 highlights US, Tunisian military partnerships and medical readiness
During Exercise African Lion 2025, units from the U.S. Army’s 807th Theater Medical Command played a crucial role in health care operations alongside Tunisian Armed Forces. Key contributors included the 409th Medical Company Area Support, a U.S. Army Reserve unit based in Madison, Wisconsin; the 903rd Medical Detachment Preventive Medicine, a U.S. Army Reserve unit based in Machesney Park, Illinois; and the 172nd Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 261st Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 44th Medical Brigade. These units provided essential services such as sick-call operations, casualty movement, preventive medicine, veterinary inspections and academics, and behavioral health classes across multiple training sites in Tunisia. Soldiers from the 807th also led knowledge exchanges with Tunisian counterparts, strengthening partnerships and enhancing joint operational medical readiness in a challenging environment.
Read more