June 5, 2020

Joint medical team combines for critical transport, care for COVID-19 patients

AL UDIED AIR BASE, Qatar — In the midst of challenges that COVID-19 has brought to the United States and countries around the world, the Department of Defense has taken multiple measures to combat the spread of the new virus and ultimately protect their most valuable asset, American service members. When U.S. service members recently tested positive for COVID-19 in the U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility, it prompted quick and professional patient care. With robust healthcare measures already in place by both U.S. military and host nation medical providers, the service members received the highest levels of care, ensuring their safety while protecting the health of other service members.

May 30, 2020

AUAB evolving to be air base of future

AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar — When many people picture or reminisce on deployments, they visualize rugged conditions. While outposts in austere environments do still exist, many other locations such as Al Udeid Air Base have seen significant development in the past 20 years. The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing leads the way on installation upgrades here. With a multi-billion dollar commitment from the host nation of Qatar, future joint and coalition service members at AUAB will soon see completed projects. With 10 state-of-the-art dormitories, two dining facilities, and three mission support facilities slated for completion in the near future as well as over 170 projects in the next decade, these new buildings will improve the quality of life for service members and improve the effectiveness of operations.

May 26, 2020

U.S. Army and Jordan Armed Forces continue partnership mission despite COVID-19 challenges

JOINT TRAINING CENTER, JORDAN — The United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan have continued to cement their military partnership through the Jordan Operational Engagement Program (JOEP) in past months.

May 22, 2020

UAE Military Pilots Conduct Landing Qualifications aboard USS Lewis B. Puller

ARABIAN GULF — The expeditionary landing base ship USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3), assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), conducted combined naval and air integration operations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Joint Aviation Command (JAC) in the central Arabian Gulf, May 11-12. UAE JAC pilots successfully completed deck landing qualifications (DLQ) aboard the Puller, conducting day and night landings and refueling operations with their CH-47F and UH-60M helicopters.

May 21, 2020

CENTCOM’s Navy leaders give back to Tampa Bay healthcare heroes

TAMPA, Fla. — This year’s celebration of the chief petty officers birthday at U.S. Central Command’s (CENTCOM) headquarters did not look like the typical traditional celebration.

May 19, 2020

CSG-10 Bids Farewell to Schlise, Welcomes McLane during Change of Command at Sea

ARABIAN SEA — Rear Adm. Brendan McLane relieved Rear Adm. Paul Schlise as commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10 during a ceremony aboard the CSG’s flagship, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (IKE) (CVN 69) while the ship is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations (AOO), May 19. Beginning last summer, the Sailors, ships, squadrons and staffs of IKE Carrier Strike Group executed an accelerated pre-deployment training and certification syllabus, including a complex Group Sail, which integrated Royal Navy and Dutch ships. The strike group was certified for deployed operations during a Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMTUEX), which incorporated Danish, French and Canadian ships in tiered, complex training serials.

May 19, 2020

Mother Sends Masks to EOD Soldiers

CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT — Support for the military isn’t in short supply these days, but one service member's mom went the extra mile to help U.S. service members and their partner nations and allies. Annette Frye helped make more than 1,000 masks for service members deployed overseas to the Middle East. "I reached out to my mom and said we could use some masks, so she got with her friends and they made the masks in about a week," said Master Sgt. Ronnie Brickey, a U.S. Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician (EOD) assigned to Task Force Hellhound, which falls under Task Force Spartan.

May 12, 2020

Lebanon and Jordan partner with U.S. civil affairs amid global pandemic

COVID-19 has created a radically different set of problems for U.S. Special Operations Forces and their host nation partners across the globe. Already under considerable strain from hosting large numbers of refugees from Syria and facing mounting economic trouble, Lebanon and Jordan are confronting an invisible and insidious enemy - COVID-19. However, the Lebanese and Jordanian militaries are confronting this invisible enemy hand-in-hand with their American SOF counterparts. U.S. Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT) has built and maintained strong partnerships with the Lebanese and Jordanian Armed Forces over a generation.

May 10, 2020

U.S., UK conducting mine countermeasure exercise in the Arabian Gulf

ARABIAN GULF — U.S. and UK Royal Navy mine countermeasures and surface assets are conducting Mine Countermeasures Exercise 2020 (MCMEX 20-3) in the Arabian Gulf April-May.

May 8, 2020

AFCENT continues to deliver airpower while combatting COVID-19

AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar — For more than four months, COVID-19 has drastically impacted the lives of millions of people from nations all around the globe. Despite the pandemic’s impact on the United States, U.S. Air Forces Central Command continues to deliver war-winning airpower across the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, while at the same time protecting the men and women who command and control our air, space, and cyber missions. For the joint and coalition team at the Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC), the command and control hub of air operations throughout the region, shutting down combat operations is not an option.