Inside a green canvas military tent near the rural town of Anzi, U.S. Air Force Maj. Kyle Sansom, a general dentist with the 151st Medical Group, Utah Air National Guard, prepared to perform a tooth extraction. This makeshift dental clinic is one of 18 sections of a fully operational field hospital set up by U.S. and Moroccan forces as part of African Lion 2025(AL25), the largest multinational military exercise on the continent.
Sansom is among several U.S. military healthcare providers offering vital dental services to local Moroccans through a humanitarian civic assistance (HCA) initiative central to the exercise. AL25 focuses not only on military readiness and multinational cooperation but also on real-world engagements that build trust and deliver essential services to underserved communities.
“This is my first African Lion trip,” said Sansom. “Everything has exceeded my expectations—from the food and the environment to the people and fellow military members. It’s been a really good experience.”
The temporary hospital is equipped with mobile dental chairs, sterilization units, and lighting, allowing providers to conduct procedures like fillings and extractions in challenging environments. For residents of remote Moroccan villages, these services are often unavailable due to distance and limited access to care.
“If a tooth is restorable, we’ll do a filling,” explained Sansom. “But if it’s infected or broken, we must extract it. It may seem simple, but to someone in pain, it’s life-changing.”
The mission has treated thousands of patients, thanks to a diverse U.S. dental team that includes a pediatric dentist and an oral surgeon. U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Paul Anderson, the dental lead for HCA, emphasized the importance of the services: “We feel fortunate to have the skills needed in places like this.”
Among the many patients, a mother with a visible cavity in her front tooth stood out. Initially fearing the tooth would be pulled, she was relieved to learn it could be filled instead. While she received treatment, Sansom entertained her young daughter with simple magic tricks to ease her anxiety, showing the team’s commitment to compassionate care.
“Working with our Moroccan counterparts has been a real highlight,” Sansom added. “They’ve brought great energy and expertise, and we’ve collaborated on several complex cases.”
While language barriers posed challenges, embedded interpreters facilitated communication between the American team and patients, who spoke Arabic, French, or Berber dialects. U.S. forces also coordinated closely with the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces to ensure smooth operations and patient comfort.
Dental and optometry services have proven to be the most in-demand across the six African Lion missions Anderson has participated in. “It’s an amazing feeling to provide something that truly benefits the local people,” he noted.
For U.S. military personnel, the field hospital also serves as a valuable training ground. Providers sharpen their expeditionary skills, learning to adapt to different environments, limited resources, and unfamiliar teams.
“Getting familiar with this field dental equipment is essential,” said Sansom. “We could be called up at any moment to support our country in an emergency. This experience prepares us for that.”
In addition to healthcare delivery, the event drew visits from U.S. Embassy officials in Morocco, reinforcing the diplomatic and humanitarian dimensions of the mission.
As operations continue during African Lion 2025, the 151st Medical Group remains focused on its core mission: delivering high-quality care, deepening international partnerships, and sustaining operational readiness in a joint, multinational environment.
African Lion 2025 is the largest annual U.S.-led military exercise in Africa, involving more than 50 nations, including seven NATO allies and about 10,000 troops. The exercise, running from April 14 to May 23, 2025, spans multiple countries—Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) on behalf of U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM), AL25 is designed to strengthen military readiness, foster interoperability, and restore the warrior ethos through joint, multi-domain operations.
