Most Americans would be hard pressed to locate Djibouti or the Horn of Africa on a map. But area resident Harry Jenkins would have no problem finding either one.

Jenkins recently returned from a six-month stint with the Army Reserves, providing care to those that needed it most.

“I was a physical therapist with the Army, serving with the combined joint task force in the Horn of Africa,” he said. “I was based at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti.”

Jenkins, a board certified orthopedic clinical specialist, said that most of those he treated were of military age but on the young side with some senior people as well.

“I was seeing muscular skeletal cases, orthopedic stuff,” he explained.

“The surgeon cell was mostly National Guard from Arizona,” he continued, “but that’s according to how the Army rotates the mission. I [also] served with the Illinois National Guard and the Puerto Rico National Guard [along with] a lot of active duty and special forces as well.”

The workload was intense.

“At one point I saw 87 people in six days. It’s a very rapid pace,” he recalled. “I’m a lieutenant colonel and they wanted an experienced person because it was going to be very busy.”

“I was assigned to the task force surgeon cell, responsible for the health of the task force and traveling from Camp Lemonnier to one of our sites in Somalia, traveling every week more or less,” he said. “We saw combat engineers that had hurt themselves and some were combat related.”

Camp Lemonnier supports approximately 4,000 U.S. joint and allied forces, military and civilian personnel and U.S. Department of Defense contractors.

“Camp Lemonnier is the main base [in the area],” Jenkins said. “It’s almost like being in the U.S., almost, [with] good showers, water, air conditioning, [all necessary because] it was hot and humid, pretty much everywhere I was along the coast.”

“There’s a beach in Djibouti and 90 percent humidity,” he continued, “and the outstations are much more austere. That’s where the anti-terrorism missions are being carried out.”

“I was responsible for covering six sites in Somalia, Kenya and Djibouti in austere environments,” Jenkins said. “It was a joint mission, so we had all four branches, Army, Marines, Air Force and Navy.”

“I saw a lot of special forces,” he continued. “A lot of the National Guard were doing nine-month rotations.”

Camp Lemonnier provides support and security for combat readiness that enable operations in the Horn of Africa while fostering positive U.S.-African Nation relations.

“It’s an ongoing mission, an anti-terrorism mission,” Jenkins explained. “The Horn of Africa is very vital for international shipping to and from Europe, the Suez Canal to the Red Sea and to the Gulf of Aiden, so there’s traffic both ways. The Horn of Africa is very vital to world security.”

Jenkins had never been to Africa before.

“It’s a massive continent and there are a lot of cultural differences, and the terrain is very different,” he said. “Camp Lemonnier used to be a French Foreign Legion site, and they speak French.”

“My experience with the local people in Djibouti was very positive,” Jenkins said. “I enjoyed interacting with them. They were very friendly.”

The terrain and the weather differ dramatically.

“In Djibouti it didn’t rain the whole time I was there but in Somalia and Kenya, there were downpours. Kenya is more lush and green than surrounding areas.”

The unforgettable experience was meaningful but without luxury.

“There was a Somali refugee camp [where] I was in a two-by-four tent, like a shack with a roof,” he said. “It made me appreciate what we have in America. A lot of Americans don’t appreciate how good we have it.”

Jenkins minimized the length of his stay.

“I was gone for six months, [but] I was in Iraq for more or less a year,” he said. “I got there in February and left in July.”

Back at his civilian post on Route 309, Jenkins was reflective.

“I’ve been in the reserves for over 25 years. Then this came up,” he mused. “They more or less invited me. They needed a senior physical therapist. I got my orders the same day.”

“I thought it was a great experience,” Jenkins said. “I got to see a part of the world I had never been. We were encouraged to interact with the locals. Everybody was friendly.”

“It’s always rewarding to help out our troops that are in harm’s way,” he continued. “They’re in a combat zone, hurting and in pain, and they appreciate the help.”

“A lot of them are in their late teens, [while] others are senior officers that had been there for a long time. [Our job was] to be able to help them put on their uniform again. That’s why you raise your right hand.”

This phase of Jenkins’ life will soon come to an end.

“I put in for retirement,” he said. “This deployment was a great way to wrap up my career.”

“I met a lot of great people, and it was rewarding to use my skills. The fact that I could do PT again and do it on a high note is very rewarding.”