Anyone have a recent NG deployment to Djibouti? How was it?

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 10:51:17 -0500

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2017 11:06 AM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 11:06:30 -0500

Not much of a tourist spot but the base has grown a lot and has all the amenities you would expect. Have not deployed there in a long time but we maintain the master base plan for the Navy.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2017 12:28 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 12:28:08 -0500

It's was nice when I deployed, but I was active duty but it's all the same to me when you deploy. Just be ready for hot winds

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 11 at 2017 5:03 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 11 Mar 2017 05:03:12 -0500

I'm there now. I'm guessing you're part of the unit relieving us. The "Camp Lemonnier Survival Guide" would be a good start. If you can't find it send me an email on Enterprise and I'll send you the 2016 version I have. Deployment to CLDJ is a good opportunity to do PT, take college classes, do volunteer work, etc. My BN is planning to do two EIB events while we're here, along with sending people to the French Desert Commando Course. Your experience here will depend on what mission set you end up with. Generally speaking you'll have shift work and then the rest of the day to do whatever. It's not much of a war zone. I haven't touch my rifle since mobilization.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 11 at 2017 10:22 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 11 Mar 2017 10:22:41 -0500

It is a weird base with an odd culture. Run by the Navy, so expect some new terms like Quarterdeck and liberty chit.
It is ungodly hot there. I typically ran at midnight to avoid the heat in the afternoon and the humidity in the morning.
There are dozens of sub missions there, and each sort of keeps in their own box. Base support is the biggest one. Then there is physical security, regional QRF, Civil Affairs, anti-piracy, JTF-HOA, SOF stuff... etc.

In my opinion, the best gig there is the rotational training missions done in support of AMISOM. ACOTA and otherwise funded missions that send a handful of Soldiers to Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, and other countries that deploy forces to Somalia in support of the peacekeeping mission there. You get to train the African Soldiers on tactical stuff, Counter-insurgency, first aid... all sorts of things are in the POI. And when the day is done, you often (not always) have an opportunity to look around and check out the scenery.
I will tell you that it is what you make of it. If you just mark time there going to the gym and surfing the internet, you are missing an opportunity.
Good luck.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 12 at 2017 12:18 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 12 Mar 2017 00:18:54 -0500

I was there, it was pretty easy. I was a PFC when I went and for the most part enjoyed the stay. Our battalion had each of it's batteries performing a different aspect of the forcepro mission (ecp, erf, qrf, flightline, port, random strips in the middle of nowhere) and we never swapped.

If you have the forcepro mission, be prepared man, there is nothing glamorous about it. However, unlike doing FA stuff or sapper stuff where you are never officially free whilst training, at Lemonnier as soon as your shift is done, and your weapon is clean, the rest of the day is yours. So be sure to try and go out into the city every chance you get and take advantage of your four days by going and doing some MWR stuff.

It is very hot there. I'm talking about the humidity making it feel like its 130 plus during the summer, so try to acclimate as much as you can and hope you don't get screwed by leaving in the winter.

Look out for the different missions. We had mil to mil and SST that were better than just forcepro. SST in particular was something somebody that wants to look into SOF might want to investigate because of the units you will be attached to whilst training.

It isn't entirely without danger. I think it was about the midway point of 1stIDs stay in country (they relieved us) suicide bombers blew themselves up and killed about three people at a restaurant we used to eat at.

I really stopped eating in town once they opened up that Subway on post though.

All in all wasn't a bad experience, and I am told it was a good opening deployment for young soldiers.

Response by SPC Corbin Doades made May 8 at 2017 1:52 AM

SPC Corbin Doades — Mon, 08 May 2017 01:52:28 -0400

Everyone there now has better living conditions than what was originally there. I was there in 2004-2005. This is where we slept. Granted we made some minor changes (added partitions). I will admit though, for being a tent with a/c, it stayed a nice 72*F even in the middle of the day.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 24 at 2017 10:17 PM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 24 Aug 2017 22:17:22 -0400

I was there in '12. Nothing left to say that hasn't been said. I'll just leave you with this shot of my Kestrel. Heat index: 132.4°F.

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Sep 10 at 2019 4:03 PM

SGT Ben Keen — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 16:03:49 -0400

What is going on in Djibouti? This is seriously the third or fourth post I saw today asking about things in Djibouti.