AFRICOM steadfast on aiding local security

AFRICOM steadfast on aiding local security
By John Vandiver, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Tuesday, October 21, 2008

STUTTGART, Germany — Navy Rear Adm. Philip H. Greene Jr. — rounding into the home stretch of a yearlong deployment as the lone operational commander on the ground in Africa — doesn’t foresee any big changes to the military’s ongoing mission in eastern Africa.

Greene, who leads Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, said during a Friday visit to U.S. Africa Command headquarters in Stuttgart that the focus will continue to be a soft power approach to conflict prevention under a new unified command.

"What I see as we look to the future is strengthening the programs we have and maximizing this opportunity that’s in place with a new combatant command — U.S Africa Command," Greene said.

Under AFRICOM, Greene’s task force will continue to work on training programs designed to help develop local military leaders, bolster coastal security, and foster regional security cooperation, he said.

"These are long-term ways of building security capacity that will endure over time and have sustained longevity," Green said. "We have put a very good strategy into place and will continue to build security capacity."


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=58276