Members of the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) 2 Brigade joined in a parade in Francistown, Botswana to mark the start of an annual HIV/AIDS counseling and testing campaign, October 22, 2009, that took place in part due to U.S. military support.



The campaign, called Operation Survive & Thrive, is an annual, voluntary counseling and testing program designed to make Botswana Defence Force (BDF) soldiers aware of their HIV/AIDS status. Its formal launch in Francistown was the first of several events scheduled to occur during a month-long campaign at all major BDF installations in Botswana, where the HIV prevalence is among the highest worldwide.



Following the parade was a comprehensive morning-long program that included traditional songs and dances as well as speeches by senior BDF leaders. Major General Tumelo Paledi, commander of the BDF Air Arm, flew from Gaborone to Francistown to participate in the march and to address the troops. Focusing on the value of human life, Paledi encouraged the troops to get tested regularly.



A large audience of soldiers, civilian employees of the BDF, and family members attended the event, and many lined up for HIV testing at the conclusion of the opening ceremonies.



During the 2008 month-long campaign, the BDF was successful in surpassing its goal of testing 4,000 soldiers. This year they have raised the bar by increasing the target to 6,000 which equals half of the force's total strength.



The U.S. Defense Department has been supporting HIV/AIDS awareness programs in Africa since 1999. The programs allow African nations to more effectively participate in regional peacekeeping.



In his opening remarks to the BDF soldiers, Deputy 2 Brigade Commander Colonel T. Makolo emphasized the importance of reaching more first-time testers. "Getting you to voluntarily test has been successful, however most of you who come forward are repeat testers. We get too few first time testers. And that is the challenge we must overcome. We must get more reluctant soldiers to come forward, learn the HIV status to help us arrest the spread of HIV."



The 2009 BDF campaign included a comprehensive media program to spread awareness of Operation Survive and Thrive via newspaper advertisements, a television commercial, billboards, and posters. Captain R. Moleofhe, BDF HIV/AIDS Office, encouraged the soldiers to get tested and learn their status, as he thanked the U.S. military for its financial, logistical and participatory contributions to Operation Survive & Thrive and other BDF HIV/AIDS programs.



According to the 2008 UNAIDS Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic, the HIV prevalence rate among adults in Botswana is 23.9 percent, among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa. To help reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS, particularly among military members, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), through the U.S. Office of Security Cooperation at the U.S. Embassy in Gaborone, contributes nearly $2 million annually in financial support to the BDF HIV/AIDS Program.



The DoD implements a variety of initiatives in Botswana and other African nations through its DoD HIV/AIDS Program (DHAPP). DHAPP is a key implementing agency of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS relief (PEPFAR). U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) supports DHAPP through its Partner Military HIV/AIDS Program (PMHAP).