Diplomat named to help lead Africa Command

[unhappycamper]

Diplomat named to help lead Africa Command
By Matt Moore - The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Oct 29, 2007 16:58:25 EDT

FRANKFURT, Germany — The military has named a senior American diplomat to serve alongside a Navy admiral as deputies to the general leading its new Africa Command, an acknowledgment of the importance of the civilian aspects of the operation.

The appointment of Mary Carlin Yates, a former ambassador to Ghana and Burundi, was believed to be the first time a senior government civilian from outside the Defense Department was named to be part of a U.S. regional military headquarters command structure, according to the military.

“Certainly it’s a first among the unified combat commands,” said Vince Crawley, a spokesman for Africa Command, where Yates will be the deputy for civil-military activities.

The command began operations Oct. 1 with a staff of 175 under Gen. William E. “Kip” Ward and will increase to about 800 through 2008.

“It’s been our intent from the beginning to have a civilian aspect to the command,” Africa Command spokesman Maj. Steven Wollman said. “The appointment of Ambassador Yates signifies ... the resolve behind the intent to make that happen.”

~snip~

The Africa Command headquarters, which started operations earlier this month, is meant to help African security forces tackle regional crises and terrorist threats — recognizing the continent’s increasing strategic importance.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/10/ap_africom_071029/



uhc comment: They must be getting serious about oil.