U.S. Ambassador to Mali Mary Beth Leonard kicked off the Veterinary Readiness Training Exercise (VETRETE) on February 19 in Siby. The training was provided by the U.S. military veterinarians to their Malian military colleagues on vaccinating and de-worming  lambs and sheep for local Malian farmers. The exercise involved a U.S. Civil-Military Affairs Team, Malian Armed Forces, and USAID. Similar trainings took place in Nossombougou and Kassela, villages near Bamako, during February 17-19 as well.