Camp Lemonier is located on the south-west side of Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport, between the runway overflow areas and a French military munitions storage facility. Following use by the French Foreign Legion, the facility was operated by the Djiboutian Armed Forces. While the United States had long understood that Islamic extremists used the large desert areas of northeastern Africa, known as the Horn of Africa, as a base of operations, its efforts to combat the threat had been minimal. Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, the U.S. began to expand those efforts. At first, it was limited to focused attacks, but in 2002, the U.S. government realized that to reduce extremism would require long term engagement with the local governments and populations. As a result, it established the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa to conduct stability operations in the area.
In November 2002, the CJTF-HOA staff, a Marine-based organization, arrived off the coast of Djibouti in the USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20) command ship. While the intent was to move ashore, the Camp Lemonier facilities which had not been used for several years was in a state of considerable disrepair. Some buildings were mere concrete shells and had been stripped of interior fixtures, pipes, and wiring, while the roofs of several structures had collapsed. Goats roamed the property and birds had taken roost in several of the abandoned structures. The Djiboutians used the former swimming pool as a trash dump and was a borderline hazardous material site. As a result, the CJTF-HOA staff remained aboard the USS Mount Whitney as U.S. Army began extensive renovations. This involved building new concrete pads, maintenance facilities and living areas. In May 2003, Camp Lemonier was livable and CJTF-HOA transitioned from the Mount Whitney to the camp. The pool was cleaned, refurbished, and opened in the spring of 2003.
In January 2007, it was announced Camp Lemonier would be expanded from 97 acres to nearly 500 acres. As part of the process of moving the camp from an "expeditionary" base to a long term facility, the camp built a living area, known as CLUville. CLUville consists of long rows of containerized housing unit with concrete sidewalks and gravel roads. As CLUville was slowly expanded, the camp population moved from tents into these hard billets.
Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa began moving all headquarters personnel and equipment from its flagship, USS Mount Whitney, in the Gulf of Aden, into facilities at Camp Lemonier on May 6, 2003. On July 1, 2006, the United States Marine Corps turned over responsibility for Camp Lemonier to the U.S. Navy in a brief change of command ceremony. On October 1, 2008, responsibility for the task force was transferred from the United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) to USAFRICOM as the latter assumed authority over the African theater of operations.
To appreciate the Camp today, one only needs to go back and look at the Camp in its early origins. When medical first arrived in 2002, they initially stayed in the Sheriton Hotel and were scheduled to work out of French hospital, Bouffard. As the Camp got set up, Medical moved into a single room behind where the swimming pool currently is. The DFAC or galley was located where the CJTF-HOA headquarters currently resides along with the Army barracks. Tent City was set up, with the Camp really becoming liveable in 2003. Medical moved into a Tent on the same location where the current EMF resides. The initial camp only went to the horseshoe, where the current Camp Lemonier headquarter operations resides. This section initially was as barracks for the Djiboutian military involved with mine removals in the country. Mainstreet, the fitness center, Bob Hope Galley, etc. would come later. The Camp's ability to produce it's own potable water is relatively recent.
The following sections gives you insight into the early days of Camp Lemonier and makes one appreciate what we have available today.
In November 2002, the CJTF-HOA staff, a Marine-based organization, arrived off the coast of Djibouti in the USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20) command ship. While the intent was to move ashore, the Camp Lemonier facilities which had not been used for several years was in a state of considerable disrepair. Some buildings were mere concrete shells and had been stripped of interior fixtures, pipes, and wiring, while the roofs of several structures had collapsed. Goats roamed the property and birds had taken roost in several of the abandoned structures. The Djiboutians used the former swimming pool as a trash dump and was a borderline hazardous material site. As a result, the CJTF-HOA staff remained aboard the USS Mount Whitney as U.S. Army began extensive renovations. This involved building new concrete pads, maintenance facilities and living areas. In May 2003, Camp Lemonier was livable and CJTF-HOA transitioned from the Mount Whitney to the camp. The pool was cleaned, refurbished, and opened in the spring of 2003.
In January 2007, it was announced Camp Lemonier would be expanded from 97 acres to nearly 500 acres. As part of the process of moving the camp from an "expeditionary" base to a long term facility, the camp built a living area, known as CLUville. CLUville consists of long rows of containerized housing unit with concrete sidewalks and gravel roads. As CLUville was slowly expanded, the camp population moved from tents into these hard billets.
Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa began moving all headquarters personnel and equipment from its flagship, USS Mount Whitney, in the Gulf of Aden, into facilities at Camp Lemonier on May 6, 2003. On July 1, 2006, the United States Marine Corps turned over responsibility for Camp Lemonier to the U.S. Navy in a brief change of command ceremony. On October 1, 2008, responsibility for the task force was transferred from the United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) to USAFRICOM as the latter assumed authority over the African theater of operations.
To appreciate the Camp today, one only needs to go back and look at the Camp in its early origins. When medical first arrived in 2002, they initially stayed in the Sheriton Hotel and were scheduled to work out of French hospital, Bouffard. As the Camp got set up, Medical moved into a single room behind where the swimming pool currently is. The DFAC or galley was located where the CJTF-HOA headquarters currently resides along with the Army barracks. Tent City was set up, with the Camp really becoming liveable in 2003. Medical moved into a Tent on the same location where the current EMF resides. The initial camp only went to the horseshoe, where the current Camp Lemonier headquarter operations resides. This section initially was as barracks for the Djiboutian military involved with mine removals in the country. Mainstreet, the fitness center, Bob Hope Galley, etc. would come later. The Camp's ability to produce it's own potable water is relatively recent.
The following sections gives you insight into the early days of Camp Lemonier and makes one appreciate what we have available today.
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