Rwanda Defense Force personnel preparing to move peacekeeping equipment to the Darfur region of Sudan began training January 7, 2009, with a two-person U.S. Army team as part of the African Deployment Assistance Partnership Team (ADAPT) program.

The ADAPT program focuses on military logistics and transportation to help African partners build their own sustainment capacities.

"By learning these tasks, it will help expedite future deployments," said one of the instructors, Staff Sergeant Brian Ruse of Headquarters Support Company, Southern European Task Force, home-based in Italy.

The seminar consists of learning to correctly tie down vehicles and palletize cargo to meet U.S Air Force requirements when loading cargo planes.

In support of the United Nations-African Union Mission in the Darfur region of Sudan and at the request of the U.S. Department of State and the United Nations, U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Air Forces Africa plan to provide military airlift support to the Rwandan Defense Forces. The timing of the mission is still being developed.

According to current plans, the proposed flights would transport approximately 75 tons of Rwandan military vehicles from Kigali, Rwanda, to the Darfur region of Sudan. The vehicles will be transported by two U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III cargo planes home-based in the United States.

The ADAPT program stresses the handling, identifying, labeling and segregating of hazardous materials. The five-day seminar is also scheduled to include hands on training, movement scenarios and unit commanderrs movement of responsibilities.

"Americans are so social and we have a very good relationship with them," said 2nd Lieutenant lrruzibiza Ennamuel, of the Rwandan Defense Force.

The seminar also promotes U.S. Africa Command's mission to strengthen the security efforts with the nations of Africa and to bolster the capabilities of African partners.

The techniques practiced in the five-day seminar will be especially critical for the upcoming mission between United Nations-Africa Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and the Rwandan Defense force. The Rwandan Defense Forces in conjunction with UNAMID, are providing military vehicles and supplies for peace keeping efforts in the Darfur region of Sudan.