US Forces, Beninese Navy Collaborate on Small Boat Maintenance

US Marines and Coast Guardsmen from SPMAGTF (Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force) for Crisis Response-Africa worked alongside the Beninese Navy, 17-27 November.

U.S. service members instructed Beninese Sailors on mechanical procedures, techniques, and maintenance skills while conducting small boat maintenance on Honda BF225 outboard engines.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Joshua Araujo, a Coast Guardsman with SPMAGTF Crisis Response-Africa, said:

During our time here we discovered a cache of derelict engines stowed on top of storage containers in a maintenance bay.

Together, the international team of Marines, Coast Guardsmen, and Beninese sailors evaluated the collection of broken outboard engines and selected one for repair. Incorporating the lessons they had learned, the group collectively conducted proper troubleshooting procedures, identified the engine’s issues, and performed corrective maintenance and repair. Instead of discarding a faulty engine that had stood inoperative for five years, the service members came together as a team and repaired it—saving money and resources in order to give the Beninese Navy a better operational capability to patrol their coastline.

Marines, Sailors and Coast Guardsmen with SPMAGTF-CR-AF conduct theater security cooperation missions through military-to-military engagements to assist partner nations in addressing security challenges.

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Press release, Image: USCG