OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso -- The Military Intelligence Non-Commissioned Officer’s Course - Africa (MINOC-A), currently being held in Burkina Faso, is as much about the study and application of intelligence as it is about building strong multilateral relationships between attending students and the countries they represent. This is not an American maxim, but rather a summation of the comments provided by the Burkinabe J2, Colonel Bachirou Farta during the opening ceremonies of the course on 21 October 2013.
As a display of his commitment to this idea, Burkinabé Colonel Bachirou Farta invited the 26 students and seven person training cadre that represent five African nations and U.S. Africa Command, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa to the 53rd Anniversary of the Burkinabe Military Parade. The anniversary, held 1 November, and the parade was the culminating event for a week’s worth of celebration, reinforcing the bond between the Burkinabe and their military.
The ceremony began with the awarding of several decorations to Burkinabe military members for their performance and contributions to multilateral operations while forward deployed to Haiti, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Farta continued to be a gracious host, placing the students and training cadre in the first rows of the shaded parade seating, typically saved for distinguished military members and senior government officials. The joy and appreciation of the students to be considered with such high regard was apparent throughout the group. Burkinabe, Chadian, Nigerien, Senegalese, Tunisian Students, and the training cadre sat intermixed together, with the commonalities of military celebration, awarding of decorations, and the feelings of pride in service apparent throughout. Though the weather was warmer than what was expected, not a single student expressed a degree of dissatisfaction and seemed pleased to be amongst friends and brothers in arms.
The parade had elements of traditional military display and well as entertaining components, to include a motorcycle acrobatic tactics, techniques and procedures that included two Burkinabe per motorcycle – one driving and one standing on the seat covering a designated field-of-fire, a feat nothing short of truly impressive.
Immediately following the parade, an outdoor party was held on the grounds of a nearby sports facility. The party was attended by Burkina Faso’s President, President Blaise Campaore. Though security remained very tight around the president, some of the students had the opportunity to have their photo taken with him. Additionally, the Military Intelligence Basic Officer’s Course- Africa officer-in-charge and Staff-noncommissioned-officer-in-charge had the opportunity to meet and briefly discuss the goals of the course with US Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Ambassador Tulinabo Mushingi who appeared pleased with the course’s focus on security cooperation and relationship building. The jovial attitudes of the students continued throughout the party, apparent through the high number of photos taken and laughter amongst the group.
MINOC-A is a classroom centric course, full of practical exercise, structured lesson plans and discussion. Students and faculty alike, though it goes unspoken, fully understand that trust and partnership cannot be fully accomplished through the classroom alone; it requires a deeper level of engagement and mutual understanding to codify the required bond. Farta’s invitation, and the MINOC-A student’s attendance of the 53rd Anniversary of the Burkinabe Armed Forces, was just that, an intangible experience as important to multilateral security as any slide deck or presentation.
Editor’s Note: This is a courtesy submission from the perspective of a Marine engaged with our Military Intelligence Noncommissioned Officer’s Course- Africa (MINOC-A) being held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.