Exercise Kwanza Angola 06-2010 (17)
Exercise
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www.usaraf.army.mil

U.S. Army Africa officers take notes during Kwanza 2010

By Rick Scavetta, U.S. Army Africa

VICENZA, Italy – As Angolan women and children waited in a military hospital triage area during exercise Kwanza 2010, a U.S. Army Africa officer took note.

Maj. George K. Allen, Jr. 40, of Lynnwood, Wash., was one of four international observers at the weeklong exercise, conducted in early June in Cabo Ledo, Angola.

The exercise was held by the Central African Multinational Force in order to validate the unit. Known as FOMAC, the force is one of five brigade-size elements that make up the African Union’s African Standby Force.

The FOMAC is built around forces from the Economic Community of Central African States (French acronym CEEAC). Troops who took part in the exercise came from Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sao Tome and Principe and Chad.

Incorporating a medical mission to offer humanitarian assistance during the exercise exemplifies FOMAC’s progressive level of planning and coordination, Allen said.

“It shows that Africans are ready to help Africans,” Allen said. “They had a multi-national staff of military medics representing several central African countries – all working together to help local people. That’s impressive.”

Allen along with Lt. Jonathan Goerk, of U.S. Naval Forces Africa, were among a group of observers that included Maj. Gen. Samaila Iliya from the African Union. As the U.S. military representatives, the American observers were interested in how the force is organized, its logistical and signal capabilities and how FOMAC plans and conducts operations.

“We were there to observe and to learn from the countries within the FOMAC,” Goerk said. “We were grateful for the opportunity to attend.”

The role of the U.S. participants was to observe the event and assess how the United States can best engage with CEEAC and its member states to enhance regional peace and security capacity, including maritime security, disaster response, humanitarian relief operations, and peacekeeping missions.

During the exercise, the multi-national force faced a “real-world” exercise scenario based on events and experiences gained in previous African crisis situations. That meant the primary focus was establishing security and offering care to local people.

Amphibious forces landed at a beach in rib boats from ships just off the coast. Paratroopers leapt from a Cameroonian C-130 transport plane. Medics set up two field hospitals, where local Angolans received care that included pediatric visits, women’s health checks, dentistry and minor surgery.

“They had naval, air and ground forces working with police, civilian components and nongovernmental organizations – all whom worked together to create positive effects,” Allen said. “FOMAC showed that it has the ability to promote security in central Africa.”

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Congratulations on your being pregnant! You are smack dab in the center of probably the most wonderful and rewarding periods in your life. Now you want to try and do everything you can to have a fit maternity and a healthful newborn (and look great doing it). So what’s the secret to a fit and fantastic pregnancy? Antenatal exercises!

What exactly is antenatal exercise? It’s simple really. Any exercises you engage in while pregnant are antenatal exercises. Numerous expecting mothers question if it’s sound practice to engage in an exercise program in pregnancy. It most certainly isn’t only safe but suggested by such leading research bodies as the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG).

Being physically active and in excellent condition can help you to deal with the rigors of childbearing and delivery. Engaging in physical exercise when expecting has numerous advantages for both mother and baby. Research has shown that babies delivered to mothers who were active while pregnant experience a reduced rate of obesity. Exercising during pregnancy also keeps your weight inside suggested limits and helps to prevent gestational diabetes. It also helps you to get back into shape much more easily after your baby comes into the world.

So seeing that we proven that doing exercises in pregnancy is good for you and explained the advantages why don’t we take a look at some physical exercise possibilities and guidelines for expecting women.

For starters for those who have not engaged in an exercise program before pregnancy you should consult with your physician before you begin antenatal exercises, in order to be on the safe side. Nearly all women can begin a non-strenuous exercise routine without any problem, but it never hurts to check with the doctor initially.

If you’ve been actively training before you became pregnant you can feel free to continue your exercising routine throughout the first trimester of your pregnancy. If your routine consists of challenging exercise you will need to begin taking it easy as you progress into your second or third trimester.

In case you are just starting out some good antenatal exercises for you would consist of a mixture of aerobic exercise, muscle tightening work, stretching exercises, and exercises that will assist to strengthen the pelvic floor. Kegels are a good pregnancy exercise that will help you strengthen your pelvic muscles to assist in delivery.

Your pregnancy exercise routine ought to only last about thirty minutes. Make sure you keep yourself well hydrated by drinking plenty of water. You may want to try to do your routine in the morning to prevent causing extra difficulty to what might be your already shaky sleeping situation. As your pregnancy advances, your center of gravity is going to be thrown off just a little by your growing tummy. Make sure you do not take part in any antenatal exercises that require a good feeling of balance (like biking or skiing) as you get into your third trimester.

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