State Partnership Program

Video by Staff Sgt. Carter Acton, Staff Sgt. Willie Reese IV

Interview: Sgt. 1st Class James Maltais - Justified Accord 2024

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

Feb. 28, 2024 | 5:08

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class James Maltais, a Massachusetts National Guardsman with the 772nd Military Police Company, discusses the importance of the National Guard participating in Justified Accord 2024 (JA24), why he joined the military, and what it’s like working with international partners during JA24 at the Counter Insurgency Terrorism and Stability Operations Training Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya, Feb. 28, 2024. JA24 is U.S. Africa Command's largest exercise in East Africa, running from Feb. 26 - March 7. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), and hosted in Kenya, this year's exercise will incorporate personnel and units from 23 nations. This multinational exercise builds readiness for the U.S. joint force, prepares regional partners for UN and AU mandated missions, and increases multinational interoperability in support of humanitarian assistance, disaster response and crisis response. (U.S. Department of Defense video by Staff Sgt. Carter Acton)