Smugglers, narcotics and weapons. Royal Marine keeps Kenya safe.
Lance Corporal Dodd, part of 43 Commando Royal Marines, is currently deployed with the British Peace Support Team (BPST) in Kenya, teaching the Kenyan Coast Guard how to patrol the waters.
I am currently attached to the board and search school from HMS Raleigh. My day-to-day routine involves training and working closely with; the Kenyan Police, the Maritime Police, the Kenyan Defence Force and the Kenyan Coast Guard.
“The aim of this deployment is to assist with the coxswaining and getting the Kenyan coxswains up to a decent standard so that they patrol the Kenyan waters effectively.“
By the way, a coxswain is the person who steers the boat.
The role of the newly formed Kenyan Coast Guard is an important role as they patrol the waters in order to prevent piracy, smuggling of narcotics, weapons and even people in and out of the country.
“These kinds of deployments are important. They allow us to share our skills, empower other nations and for us to build good relations.”
Over the last two years, I have been deployed with HMS Ocean, firstly on a Mediterranean trip and then to the Caribbean on disaster relief helping those affected by Hurricane Irma (Op Ruman).
The highlight of my recent deployment was while I was out in the Caribbean. There was a small island off of the mainland’s whose only source for supplies, which was a ferry, had been blown ashore during the hurricane. Our role was to free the ferry and get it back in the water. We managed to do this in just over 2 days.
“The hardest thing about being deployed anywhere is missing family. The first thing I’m going to do when I get home is spend time with my wife and kids. My little girl turns one the day before I get back to the UK so I’ll be spending the weekend celebrating.”
Find out where else the UK Armed Forces are deployed here:
