A U.S. Air Force STAFF Sergeant assists Mali Army troops from the Economic Community Military Observation Group 13 (ECOMOG) Mali Army troops as they board a U.S. Air Force C-130E from the 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany at Bamako/Seou Airport, Mali. The troops are being airlifted to Robert's International Airport, Liberia for a six month deployment on U.S. military aircraft participating in Operation Assured Lift, a 17- day United States airlift and support mission assisting the West African states deploying more than 1100 troops to Liberia as part of the region's ongoing peacekeeping force