Armed forces of Liberia Pfc. Samuel Johnson, 23rd Infantry

Armed forces of Liberia Pfc. Samuel Johnson, 23rd Infantry Brigade Headquarters Company, left, and AFL Pfc Emmanuel Paygar, 1st Engineering Company, participate in the first ever unit public affairs training at Edward Binyah Kesselly Military Barracks, April 4. During the one week course, soldiers learned basic news writing techniques, interview processes, media relations and basics of photographic journalism, along with other skills for use in telling the AFL story. The training was conducted by 1st Lt. Dessaline Allison, headquarters AFL public affairs officer, a 2010 graduate of the public affairs qualification course at the U.S. Defense Information School, Ft. George Meade, Md., and U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Mark Lazane of Apple Valley, Calif., a public affairs mentor to the AFL and member of Operation Onward Liberty, a a group of approximately 50 U.S. military personnel who mentor and advise the AFL in order to develop a national military that is responsible, operationally capable, respectful of civilian authority and the rule of law, and is a force for good among the Liberian people.