AFRICOM begins taking over Africa-based activities, programs

[unhappycamper]

AFRICOM begins taking over Africa-based activities, programs
By Charlie Coon, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Tuesday, October 2, 2007

STUTTGART, Germany — The U.S. Africa Command on Monday declared itself to have initial operating capability and began bringing the military’s activities on the continent under its umbrella.

The announcement came on the day the command said it would, and just three days after Gen. William E. Ward was approved by the Senate to become AFRICOM’s first commander.

No formal ceremony took place to mark the moment, according to Vince Crawley, a spokesman at AFRICOM headquarters in Stuttgart. Instead, the command simply announced it would start taking over African-based programs from the European, Central and Pacific commands. Those joint commands, located in Stuttgart, Tampa and Honolulu, respectively, currently oversee programs on various parts of the continent, at least for now.

“The actual transfers of responsibility are expected to take place in a series of phases over the next 12 months,” Crawley said.

~snip~

AFRICOM is scheduled to become fully operational on Oct. 1, 2008. The command, which is expected to number approximately 800 to 1,000 people, including servicemembers, civilians and contractors, has been forming in Stuttgart since February. The command is planning to assimilate State Department, U.S. Agency for International Development and other government agencies into itself.


Rest of article at: http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=49197



uhc comment: I didn't realize Army commands could assimilate State Department, U.S. Agency for International Development and other government agencies into itself.