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Obama Inauguration Will Honor Black Civil War Volunteers

Jan 19, 2009 · America.gov

January 19, 2009, Martin Luther King Day, is a U.S. federal holiday to celebrate the accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the U. S. civil rights leader who inspired Americans of all ethnicities to protest against racial discrimination in the 1950s and '60s. In turn, the U.S. civil rights... (Full Story)

U.N. Forms Group to Coordinate Actions Against Maritime Piracy

Jan 16, 2009 · america.gov

Twenty-four nations and five international organizations have formed a group at the United Nations to strengthen efforts to thwart piracy off the coast of Somalia. "The contact group notes with deep concern that piracy off the coast of Somalia grew significantly in 2008, and that attacks on shipping... (Full Story)

Task Force Prepares for Horn of Africa Mission

Jan 15, 2009 · American Forces Press Service

Leaders preparing to deploy to Djibouti next month got a sense of the challenges they will face as the next headquarters staff at Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa during a realistic training exercise at U.S. Joint Forces Command's Joint Warfighting Center, January 10-15, 2009 in Norfolk,... (Full Story)

U.S. Africa Command Health Conference Focuses on Cooperation to Achieve Goals

Jan 15, 2009 · Military Health System

Working together toward the same end--strengthening the health care capacity and crisis response capabilities of African nations to ultimately empower Africans to improve their health and security--was the theme of a conference in Washington, D.C., hosted by the Military Health System that introduced... (Full Story)

TRANSCRIPT: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Speaks on Africa Command during Press Interview

Jan 14, 2009 · U.S. AFRICOM Public Affairs

Departing Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice discussed U.S. Africa Command while answering questions during an interview with April Ryan of American Urban Radio, January 14, 2009. The interview looked back on the accomplishments of the Bush administration and discussed the upcoming change of administration,... (Full Story)

POLICY STATEMENT: Contact Group on Piracy Off the Coast of Somalia

Jan 14, 2009 · Office of the Spokesman, U.S. Department of State

(Editor's note: The following statement by the U.S. Department of State, is provided to further public understanding of U.S. foreign policy toward African security. U.S. Africa Command plays a subordinate role to the State Department in supporting U.S. diplomacy) The following is a press... (Full Story)

Russian Federation Delegation Tours Marine Forces Africa

Jan 14, 2009 · U.S. Marine Forces Africa

A group of three delegates from the Russian Federation military visited the headquarters of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Africa (MFA) on January 13, 2009 for an official evaluation under the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) Confidence and Security Building Measures (CSBM).... (Full Story)

Showing the most recent press releases.

For the past month's articles, released Wednesday, December 17, 2008 through Saturday, January 17, 2009, see the Articles page.

For ALL press releases, see the U.S. AFRICOM News Archives

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KIGALI, Rwanda - Technical Sergeant Cairo Santiago (back), 722 EABS, 17th Air Force, directs Lieutenant Peter Uweaizi, Rwanda Defense Forces (driver), as a water purification unit is loaded onto a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft on January 15, 2009. Water tank trailers, tents and spare parts, were airlifted by the U.S. Air Force to Rwandan peacekeepers deployed to the Darfur region of Sudan in support of the United Nations - Africa Union mission there. (Photo by Staff Sergeant Samuel Bendet, U.S. Africa Command)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Ambassador Mary C. Yates, U.S. Africa Command's Deputy to the Commander for Civil-Military Activities (head of table, center), and Major General Michael Snodgrass, U.S. Africa Command's Chief of Staff (head of table, right), brief a group of 40 people, consisting of congressional staffers, U.S. business representatives, and academics at a luncheon, January 12, 2009, at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Topics discussed included U.S. Africa Command's mission, its structure, and past and current engagements on the continent, as well as a question and answer session. (Photo by Major Van Thai, U.S. Africa Command)

KIGALI, Rwanda - Songa Verenaa, a nurse with the non-governmental organization Population Services International (PSI), draws blood from Corporal Vincent Ruzibukira at the Kanombe Military Hospital in Kigali Rwanda, January 15, 2009. The Department of Defense has partnered with PSI to help the Rwanda Defense Forces in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS within its ranks. Services funded by DoD programs include HIV testing, HIV/AIDS prevention counseling and treatment. Currently, U.S. military programs are coordinated as part of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which is a commitment of $48 billion from 2003 to 2013 to fight the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. (Photo by Staff Sergeant Samuel Bendet, U.S. Africa Command)

JINJA, Uganda - Members of the Ugandan Senior Command and Staff College pose with U.S. Naval War College professors at the college in Jinja, Uganda on January 12, 2009. The professors made a week-long visit to promote professional military education at the request of U.S. Africa Command. They delivered lectures and collaborated with the Ugandan military faculty to develop ideas for the college curriculum on national security and leadership. (U.S. Navy photo by Derek Reveron)

MALABO, Equatorial Guinea - Sailors from the Equatorial Guinean Navy practice firefighting techniques with U.S. sailors aboard USS Robert G. Bradley (FFG 49), January 13, 2009 in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. The U.S. Navy crew arrived in Malabo on January 12 to conduct familiarization and orientation exercises with the Equatorial Guineans, as part of the ongoing mission of Africa Partnership Station (APS) in the Gulf of Guinea. APS is a U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa sponsored initiative that works to improve maritime safety and security in Africa by helping build capacities and relationships in the region. (U.S. Navy photo by Ensign Rajiv Seth)

KIGALI, Rwanda - A C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft, carrying 30 tons of vehicles and equipment, takes off for the Darfur region of Sudan on January 14, 2009. The equipment will be used to support United Nations - Africa Union peacekeepers there. (Photo by Staff Sergeant Samuel Bendet, U.S. Africa Command)

KIGALI, Rwanda - Technical Sergeant Edmund Harris, 615th CRW, attaches the axel of Rwandan heavy recovery vehicle to a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft on January 14, 2009. Nine of these vehicles, as well as water purification systems, water tank trailers, tents and spare parts, are being airlifted by the U.S. Air Force to Rwandan peacekeepers deployed to the Darfur region of Sudan in support of the United Nations - Africa Union mission there. (Photo by Staff Sergeant Samuel Bendet, U.S. Africa Command)

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U.S. AFRICOM Activities Fact Sheets

FACT SHEET: United States Africa Command

U.S. AFRICOM Public Affairs Office

United States Africa Command, AFRICOM, one of six of the Defense Department's regional military headquarters, was declared a fully unified command on October 1, 2008. As such, Africa Command has administrative responsibility for U.S. military... (Full Fact Sheet)

FACT SHEET: U.S. Africa Command Emblem and Insignia

U.S. AFRICOM Public Affairs

Emblem Description: On a light blue oval edged white, two palm fronds Proper crossed at base supporting a red oval-shaped shield coming to a point at the top and bottom, surmounted by a blue shield edged white bearing the... (Full Fact Sheet)

U.S. Africa Command Informational Brochure

U.S. AFRICOM Public Affairs

Document is in PDF format (Full Fact Sheet)

FACT SHEET: The United States and Africa - Partnering for Growth and Development

Bureau of Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs, U.S. Department of State

Editor's Note: The following fact sheet is provided by the Department of State's Bureau of Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs. Where appropriate, U.S. Africa Command coordinates military support of these U.S. government policies and initiatives... (Full Fact Sheet)

U.S. Africa Command Website Hosts Interactive Map of Africa

U.S. AFRICOM Public Affairs

Serving as a public source of Africa-related information, the U.S. Africa Command website, updated daily, hosts the latest news and updates on command activities and initiatives. The website has recently become more interactive, serving as a forum... (Full Fact Sheet)

For additional U.S. AFRICOM Fact Sheets please see the U.S. AFRICOM Activities page.

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AFRICOM Dialogue

From Gen William "Kip" Ward

Welcome.

As we build U.S. Africa Command, we want to talk to people about what the U.S. military is doing in Africa.
(Read Full Entry)

Recent Posts by AFRICOM Staff

On 1/16/2009 10:08:42 AM
From Major General Paul Capasso
"United States Africa Command kicked off the initial planning conference (IPC) of AFRICA ENDEAVOR 2009 (AE09) this week in Dakar, Senegal. AFRICA ENDEAVOR is a cooperative C4 interoperability..."
(Read Full Entry)

On 1/16/2009 10:04:50 AM
From Natalie Lampert, Elon University
" Editors Note: Natalie Lampert is a sophomore at Elon University, where she is majoring in International Studies with a regional concentration in Africa. She graduated from the..."
(Read Full Entry)

On 1/15/2009 9:17:10 AM
From Deborah Ripka
"Editor's note: Deborah Ripka, wife of Command Sergeant Major Mark Ripka, senior enlisted leader for U.S. Africa Command, is a gifted resource teacher in the Norfolk School District..."
(Read Full Entry)

Recent Posts by Internet Public

On 1/15/2009 10:52:44 AM
Claude Suggs in Stuttgart, Germany wrote
"I would like to know when the Heraldry office is going to approve the Pocket Device for the Dress Uniform????? We have been a Unified Command for over three months now and this sho..."
(Read Full Entry)
On 1/15/2009 10:24:05 AM
Africa Endeavor IPC 09 in Dakar, Senegal wrote
"Greetings from Dakar. Happy New Year to you. We are team building and working hard to a successful exercise event. The coffee is good. ..."
(Read Full Entry)
On 1/15/2009 1:01:40 AM
Steve in Florida wrote
"I am wondering if AFRICOM is going to have a shield for aircrew to wear on their flight suits? Or is the current guidance is to wear the shoulder sleeve insignia on the right sleev..."
(Read Full Entry)
On 1/14/2009 11:45:49 PM
Anonymous in Unspecified wrote
"how is that some of the actions of AFRICOM can be extolled, while people fail to recognize the advantage we now hold over africa's oil markets? while this may be good for ameri..."
(Read Full Entry)
On 1/14/2009 4:49:14 PM
Maha in Stuttgart, Germany wrote
"Thank you for the comment Major. I am an American Civilian from African descent too. I agree and second your opinion. All involved should school themselves and be prepared to meet ..."
(Read Full Entry)