An Army veteran who served in Afghanistan has moved to Africa in a bid to stop poaching. Kinessa Johnson from Yelm, Washington State, works for the Veterans Empowered to Protect African Wildlife (VEPAW), training park rangers to catch and detain the wildlife killers. The organisation was founded by an ex-Marine and is made up of former soldiers who signed up post-9/11. She joined the group last November after a four-year stint in the services as a weapons instructor and mechanic. She was also deployed for one tour of Afghanistan. Scroll down for video . Kinessa Johnson from Yelm, Washington State, works for the Veterans Empowered to Protect African Wildlife (VEPAW), training park rangers to catch and detain the wildlife killers . Photos on her Instagram and Facebook of her holding a rifle have been met with criticism online. However she insists their intention is not to harm anyone and refutes claims she is a 'poacher hunter'. She told 11 Alive: 'Our intention is not to harm anyone; we're here to train park rangers so they can track and detain poachers and ultimately prevent poaching. 'Most of the time anyone that is in a reserve with a weapon is considered a threat and can be shot if rangers feel threatened. 'Our goal is to prevent trigger pulling through strategic movements and methods of prevention.' According to her Instagram, she is on the ground outside Arusha in Tanzania. She has also slammed other people questioning her experience and motives on social media. She joined the group last November after a four-year stint in the services as a weapons instructor and mechanic. She was also deployed for one tour of Afghanistan . 'I must say that I find it extremely disheartening to see so many bashing my ability based on my gender,' she wrote. 'I work with so many awesome and capable female park rangers here in Africa, who put their lives on the line every day right next to male park rangers, and I think these comments are also disrespectful to these amazing women.' On Saturday, alongside a picture and two colleagues, she wrote: 'The team and I along with the park rangers had a pretty successful few days , caught some guys and seized some firearms. 'We're all really excited even though we are all crammed into a land cruiser, haven't bathed in a few days and hardly slept.' Photos on her Instagram and Facebook of her holding a rifle have been met with criticism online . Johnson insists the organisation's intention is not to harm anyone and refutes claims she is a 'poacher hunter'
Kinessa Johnson served four years as a weapons instructor and mechanic . Now she works for Veterans Empowered to Protect African Wildlife . Patrols with park rangers and assists in intelligence operations . Insists she is not a 'poacher hunter', and only catches and detains them .