Veteran Kevin Morgan of Jackson Township recently spoke at Afar Day in Columbus on his deployment to Djibouti as a Civil Affairs Team Sergeant in the Army in 2012.
Afar Day is a rotating American event that aims to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the Danakil, an ethnic group native to the Horn of Africa. They primarily reside in Ethiopia’s Afar Region, northern & southern Djibouti, and along the southern coast of Eritrea. The American Afar Diaspora organization supports the Afar community in the USA.
Kevin Morgan with wife Becca at Afar Day 2026 in Columbus
📸 Afar Day
Morgan, a retired U.S. Army First Sergeant and former firefighter/EMT, spoke about his team’s work in Djibouti City, Tadjoura and Randa.
“When I first walked in, with Becca, I felt like I had walked back into Djibouti,” Morgan said in an interview. “The sights, smells, and language were all very distinct reminders of my time there, from June 2012-February 2013.”
“I had stressed over making sure the presentation was ‘just right’ so as to show respect to the Afar people as well as my Afar friends here in the U.S. and abroad,” he said.
“I scrapped my plans, removed a few extra PowerPoint slides that weren’t that important and left my notes on the table where we sat. I spoke from memory of the event shown on the slides, but also added personal remembrances where and when appropriate.”
The event was broadcast worldwide to participants in Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa (East Africa).
Morgan was selected for the presentation with the help of his former interpreter in Djibouti. “He was able to watch it from Ethiopia and told me later he was very proud of me and my presentation as well as being impressed that I could put it together as I did.”
Morgan was honored with a certificate of appreciation for his participation in the event and his “enduring partnership with the Afar people.”
📸 Afar Day
Morgan’s presentation focused on how his team built an outstanding relationship with the Afar people — a partnership that led local tribal leaders and the Afar Forum to formally recognize the team for its support of the Afar community.
📸 Afar Day
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