Africom Will Maintain 'Light Footprint' in Africa
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
STUTTGART, Germany, June 13, 2012 - The United States has no plans to seek
permanent bases in Africa, and, in the spirit of the new defense strategic
guidance, will continue to maintain a "light footprint" on the continent,
the top U.S. Africa Command officer said.
"In Africa, I would say a light footprint is consistent with what we need
and consistent with the defense guidance," Army Gen. Carter F. Ham told the
House Armed Services Committee in February.
With no troops directly assigned to it, Africom relies heavily on its
service components: U.S. Army Africa based in Vicenza, Italy; U.S. Air
Forces Africa, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany; U.S. Marine Forces Africa and
Special Operations Command Africa, both based here.
"It is that proximity to the theater that enables the agility we require,"
Ham told Congress.
Africom has had its headquarters here since it initially stood up in 2007 as
a subcommand of U.S. European Command before reaching full operational
capability in 2008. Then-Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and the first
Africom commander, Army Gen. William E. "Kip" Ward, agreed to defer any
decision on its permanent location until 2012.
A congressionally directed review of alternate basing plans is under way,
and is expected to be delivered sometime this year. None of the plans being
developed involves relocating the headquarters to the African continent, Ham
said.
While not expressing his own preferences, Ham said he believes Africom has
"been very well served" by its Stuttgart headquarters. In addition to good
facilities and proximity to an international airport with direct links to
Africa, he noted, Stuttgart offers the operational advantage of being in the
same time zone as many of Africom's African partners. "We are on the same
daily rhythm," the general said.
In addition, he said, collocating Africom with U.S. European Command makes
sense, promoting their tradition of working together as they share forces,
resources and capabilities.
Ham also underscored the importance of Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, the only
permanent U.S. base in Africa. With about 2,000 U.S. personnel deployed
there as part of Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa, many from the
Army National Guard, it provides a stable platform for U.S. military
operations in a critical part of the world, he said.
"It's a great strategic location," he told American Forces Press Service.
"It facilitates not only our operations for U.S. Africa Command, but also
U.S. Central Command and U.S. Transportation Command. It is a very key hub
and important node for us, a good location that allows us to extend our
reach in East Africa and partner with the countries of East Africa."
Ham said he recognizes concerns among some African countries about an
increased U.S. presence on the continent, but emphasized that cost alone
would preclude the United States from establishing more permanent bases
there.
Meanwhile, a new initiative that Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno
announced last month could increase Africom's engagement opportunities with
no uptick in permanent staffing.
The Army plans to implement a regionally aligned force concept next year to
better support combatant commanders, Odierno said. Africom is expected to be
the first to receive these rotational forces as part of the pilot program to
begin next year, followed by U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Central Command and
U.S. Pacific Command.
<
http://www.defense.gov/DODCMSShare/NewsStoryPhoto/2012-06/scr_3819689757_20
c0e67c19_b.jpg> Click photo for screen-resolution image
Army Pfc. Daniel Baetson, deployed to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, serves as a
mentor with Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa to help African
partners build niche capabilities such as logistics, legal affairs and
medicine, Aug. 6, 2009. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Kelly
Ontiveros
(Click photo for screen-resolution image);
<
http://www.defense.gov/DODCMSShare/NewsStoryPhoto/2012-06/hrs_3819689757_20
c0e67c19_b.jpg> high-resolution image available.
Received on Wed Jun 13 2012 - 14:45:15 EDT
