From 1991 to 2001, the West African country of Sierra Leone went through a brutal civil war that left over 50,000 people dead. In September of 2010, the UN Security Council lifted its last remaining sanctions against the country, saying the government had fully re-established control and former rebel fighters had been disarmed and demobilized. But the disastrous effects of the civil war are still felt as reconstruction efforts slow economic recovery.

United States Air Force Lt. Col. Jennifer A. Rollins, a B1-B Weapon Systems Officer and instructor for 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, was stationed in Sierra Leone nearly a decade after the civil war ended. Her work included managing both military projects and humanitarian efforts as a U.S. Senior Defense Official and Air Attaché. 

On Saturday, July 12th, Lt. Col. Rollins is a guest of the Black Hills Veterans Writing Group and will discuss her time Sierra Leone and the personal and professional growth she experienced. Rollins is also a lifetime member of Girl Scouts and a competitive downhill skier. She joined Dakota Midday to share some of her experiences in the African country.