africom

"I was struck by how [the SFCG] overlaps so much with the stated articulated mantra of U.S. Africa Command in terms of sustained engagement," said Holmes. "The first item in the approach is making long term commitments using an integrated approach, becoming engaged in order to see the possibilities, become immersed in local culture.

[AFRICOM] is assigned mandate to win friends and influence people; build military-to-military ties; monitor socio-politico-economic trends; engage in intelligence acquisition; compile data bases on would be/could be terrorists -- and their possible enablers, and do some public diplomacy.

'The Western bombardment of Gaddafi's forces in Libya has become an opportunistic public relations ploy for the US Africa Command and a new inroad for US military stronghold on the continent,' writes Horace Campbell

When the United States Africa Command was created four years ago, it was the military’s first “smart power” command. It has no assigned troops and no headquarters in Africa itself, and one of its two top deputies is a seasoned American diplomat.

When the United States Africa Command was created four years ago, it was the military’s first “smart power” command. It has no assigned troops, no headquarters in Africa itself, and one of its two top deputies is a seasoned American diplomat.

The event served to inform the guests on the AFRICOM mission and further develop local German-American relations. Held in the command's new state-of-the-art multi-purpose center, the day began with a German media roundtable covering a variety of topics and answering questions such as why the command is located in Stuttgart.

The clinic, administered by military medical personnel from both countries, would be one of the culminating events of a two-week, U.S.-led exercise meant to improve the FARDC's medical capabilities -- all part of the "soft power" strategy advanced by U.S. Africa Command, based in Germany.

Captain Gabrielle Caldara, of USARAF's command surgeon's office and Major Mike Walter of USAMRU-K joined for a weeklong partnership in Monrovia, Liberia. Their goal was to assess the AFL's laboratory needs to look for ways that U.S. Army medical personnel can help their Liberian counterparts, Caldara said.

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