US Army Advisor gains valuable experience at African Lion 2025 | Article | The United States Army
Back to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF)
TAMALE, Ghana — Teaching classes in a room full of multinational military partners from 6 different countries could be daunting even for the most senior leaders in the U.S. Army, but for Staff Sgt. Marangely Hein, it’s just another adventure—and a day in the life of an Army Advisor.
The mission of the U.S. Army’s 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade is to advise, assist, liaise, and assess with partner forces in Africa. African Lion 2025, Africa’s largest annual military exercise, provides an opportunity for soldiers like Hein to execute the unit’s mission and gain valuable experience working in different countries. This year AL25 is being held in four countries: Senegal, Morocco, Tunisia, and Ghana.
According to Maj. Grant Whittington, executive officer of 5th Battalion, 2nd SFAB, the 12-member team of advisors in Ghana this year, including Hein, was hand selected to both provide exercise participants with subject matter experts while simultaneously affording soldiers with limited experience outside of the U.S. with the chance to make a global difference.
Hein became resourceful and resilient at an early age. One of three children in a single-parent household in Puerto Rico, she witnessed her mother make numerous tough decisions and navigate financial strains along the way.
“Watching my mother raise our family with love and care, even in a tough environment, instilled in me a strong work ethic and resourcefulness,” said Hein.
At 8 years old, her family moved to the U.S. mainland and settled in St. Augustine, Fla., where she was provided with new opportunities, but also confronted with new challenges.
“Moving required me to adapt quickly to unfamiliar surroundings and make new friends,” said Hein. “These life lessons shaped me into the person I am today.”
Hein wanted to contribute to something greater than herself and was looking for personal growth and a chance to make a difference in the lives of others. The U.S. Army presented her with the perfect opportunity to achieve those goals.
Culinary arts was a passion of Hein’s from an early age, so enlisting as a 92G, Culinary Specialist, was an easy decision. Following basic training and advanced individual training, she spent six years at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington.
However, her career aspirations changed after the birth of her daughter and she decided to enroll in classes at Arizona State University to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources. Coincidingly, although she still enjoyed cooking, her new career aspirations drove her to reclassify in the Army to 42A, Human Resources Specialist.
Graduating from ASU is another milestone she aims to achieve, as she will be the first person in her family to complete a degree. The achievement isn’t just for her, however, it’s for her daughter and for all those who have persevered in life and accomplished their goals no matter how difficult.
“What I have gone through in life motivates me to pursue my education and ensure a brighter future for my daughter,” said Hein. “I strive everyday to balance the responsibilities of parenthood and academics while still serving my country.”
She also wanted new adventures in the Army, and decided to volunteer as an advisor with the 2nd SFAB at Fort Bragg, NC. She arrived at the unit in April 2024 and jumped at the chance to participate in AL25. Her participation in the exercise marks her first time in Ghana and first overseas trip in her nine-year career.
Members of the 2nd SFAB taught academics covering the Joint Planning Process at AL25. Hein played a key role and educated herself on the subject for several months prior to taking the lead in the classroom.
“As someone with little knowledge and experience on JPP prior to being assigned to the exercise, being empowered to teach has enhanced my own knowledge on planning and problem solving,” said Hein. “It built my confidence and made me a better team player not just by becoming an expert on a certain subject, but by working with others to achieve shared goals.”
An important and exciting part of AL25 is working with partner forces and creating shared understanding. The partner countries involved in JPP academics include Ghana, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
“Working alongside partner forces has allowed me to learn different cultures and perspectives,” said Hein. “It has been a rewarding experience to share common interests and exchange ideas.”
Hein hopes to get the chance to participate in future exercises in Africa, and will take what she has learned and experienced back home to share with her family, friends, and other advisors.
The 2SFAB, based at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, is a specialized U.S. Army unit trained to conduct security force assistance missions. Composed of hand-selected, highly trained Soldiers, 2SFAB teams work directly with partner nation militaries around the globe to build capacity, enhance interoperability, and strengthen military-to-military relationships.
U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) prepares Army forces, executes crisis response, enables strategic competition and strengthens partners to achieve U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command campaign objectives.
