Port Elizabeth Ceremony Kicks Off Largest Ever Joint U.S.-South African Military Exercise

U.S. service members and South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers came together July 22, 2011 to mark the opening of Exercise Shared Accord 2011 with a brief ceremony. <br /> <br />Shared Accord is a bilateral military training and



By U.S. Marine Corporal Jad Sleiman U.S. Marine Corps PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa Jul 25, 2011
U.S. service members and South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers came together July 22, 2011 to mark the opening of Exercise Shared Accord 2011 with a brief ceremony.

Shared Accord is a bilateral military training and civil assistance mission held annually throughout Africa. This year's evolution represents the first joint U.S.-South African military exercise of significant size held in more than a decade and the largest to date.

"We're making a bit of history here," South African Navy Rear Admiral Hanno Teuteberg, commander of Exercise Shared Accord, told the American and South African troops.

Approximately 700 U.S. service members, composed mainly of members of the Marine Corps Reserve along with a number of Guard and Reserve soldiers, sailors and airmen, have joined more than 1,400 SANDF troops for the event. Over the next week, the forces will engage in live-fire exercises at a training center in Grahamstown and civil assistance programs across the Eastern Cape before the exercise concludes early next month.

"I look forward to sharing and learning from each other," U.S. Marine Colonel Sam Strotman, the task force commander, told the formations, adding that both nations "value individual freedom and equality."

Scheduled are medical, dental and veterinary service programs as well as the refurbishing of a South African animal shelter.

"We can show that we don't just do combat," said Teuteberg, referring to the humanitarian services. "We also look after our people."


More in Media Room
Morocco Purchases AH-64 Apache Helicopters
Morocco marked its initial purchase of AH-64E Apache helicopters in a ceremony at Sale Air Base near Rabat, March 5, 2025.
Read more
Military Flight Supports Partner Training, Projects Global Power
U.S. Africa Command, supported by U.S. Strategic Command, conducted a unique training opportunity with Libyan military tactical air controllers to promote the process of reunification of Libyan military and security institutions Feb. 26 in the vicinity of Sirte, Libya.
Read more
Federal Government of Somalia engages al Shabaab with support from U.S. Forces
At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted collective self-defense airstrikes against al Shabaab on March 1, 2025.
Read more
More in Media Room
Morocco Purchases AH-64 Apache Helicopters
Morocco marked its initial purchase of AH-64E Apache helicopters in a ceremony at Sale Air Base near Rabat, March 5, 2025.
Read more
Military Flight Supports Partner Training, Projects Global Power
U.S. Africa Command, supported by U.S. Strategic Command, conducted a unique training opportunity with Libyan military tactical air controllers to promote the process of reunification of Libyan military and security institutions Feb. 26 in the vicinity of Sirte, Libya.
Read more
Federal Government of Somalia engages al Shabaab with support from U.S. Forces
At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted collective self-defense airstrikes against al Shabaab on March 1, 2025.
Read more
More in Media Room
Morocco Purchases AH-64 Apache Helicopters
Morocco marked its initial purchase of AH-64E Apache helicopters in a ceremony at Sale Air Base near Rabat, March 5, 2025.
Read more
Military Flight Supports Partner Training, Projects Global Power
U.S. Africa Command, supported by U.S. Strategic Command, conducted a unique training opportunity with Libyan military tactical air controllers to promote the process of reunification of Libyan military and security institutions Feb. 26 in the vicinity of Sirte, Libya.
Read more
Federal Government of Somalia engages al Shabaab with support from U.S. Forces
At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted collective self-defense airstrikes against al Shabaab on March 1, 2025.
Read more