Vermont National Guard conducts key leader engagements with Senegal partners ahead of 2027 medical exercise

THIÈS, Senegal — Vermont National Guard leaders conducted a pre-deployment site survey in Thiès, Senegal, May 3-4, to assess regional healthcare capabilities and coordinate planning for Medical Readiness Exercise 2027, or MEDREX 27.

The visits included meetings with the zone's military commander, municipal officials, healthcare administrators and medical providers across Thiès.

At health posts, maternity care facilities and municipal offices, Guard leaders met face-to-face with Senegalese healthcare workers and civic leaders to better understand the region’s medical needs ahead of MEDREX 27.

At each location, Senegalese healthcare officials described staffing shortages, equipment limitations and growing demand for maternal and community healthcare services across the region while the Guard delegation assessed facilities and discussed future medical training opportunities.

“If you’re looking to build trust with a partner, one of the first places you go is in the medical field,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Gene Enriquez, State Partnership Program director with the Vermont National Guard. “It builds immediate access with the population and leadership in ways that are difficult to replicate in other training environments.”

The Vermont National Guard has partnered with Senegal through the Department of Defense National Guard State Partnership Program since 2008, building long-term military, civil and community relationships through recurring exchanges, training events and collaborative engagements. The partnership also includes a sister-city relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and Thiès.

The delegation included Enriquez; U.S. Army Col. Chris Gookin, Medical Readiness Detachment commander; and U.S. Army Lt. Col. Joe Phelan, deputy state surgeon with the Vermont National Guard and a lead planner for MEDREX 27.

During meetings at the Thiès West Medical Center and the mayor’s office, delegation members discussed healthcare priorities, infrastructure challenges and opportunities for future collaboration with municipal and medical leaders.

“We are very happy to receive you and hope this cooperation will be beneficial for our community,” said Ousmane Diagne, mayor of Thiès. “We have needs in equipment and resources, and this partnership can help strengthen our capabilities.”

Phelan said the site visits were designed to help planners better understand the realities of the local healthcare system while identifying opportunities for collaboration during future medical engagements.

“This is about building relationships and understanding what capabilities exist and what the requirements are,” Phelan said. “That allows us to take that information back and develop a plan that integrates with their system for future engagements.”

Officials said the discussions will help shape future planning efforts expected to include U.S., Senegalese and European medical personnel operating alongside local healthcare providers.

Part of African Lion 2026 (AL26), the engagement supports future medical readiness planning while preparing U.S. military health professionals to operate outside traditional clinical settings alongside African partners.

AL26 is U.S. Africa Command's largest annual joint exercise, designed to strengthen collective security capabilities of the U.S., African nations and global allies. Co-led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) from April 20 to May 8, 2026, and hosted in Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, AL26 involves over 5,600 personnel from more than 40 nations, using innovation to drive partner-led regional security.