A clearinghouse of the U.S. Africa Command's senior leader's updates on issues important at AFRICOM.
We encourage your comments and feedback.
Click here to see our public feedback
On 1/25/2008 1:02:01 PM Vince Crawley, U.S. AFRICOM Public Affairs wrote
Visiting Washington, D.C. this week, I stopped by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies to hear a speech by Lamine Cissé, the retired Senegalese general and former chief of staff who is in charge of the United Nations Office for West Africa.
Cissé spoke to 56 African officers attending the "Next Generation for African Military Leaders Course," a four-week class in Washington, D.C. He stressed that a nation's military must represent all the people within a nation, not one particular ethnic group. A military must be subordinate to civilian control, he added. In return for this allegiance, the civil authorities should not interfere with military discipline by asking the military to favor a particular political party or ethnic group.
Cissé also explained why it is important for militaries to sometimes work closely with civilian communities, especially during natural disasters. The military is a servant of the nation, Cissé said, and that relationship is symbolized by civil-military missions that provide protections against natural tragedies, which kill many more people than war.
He discussed a way for African nations to deal with their post-colonial border legacies, in which national borders so often cut through traditional communities. In some cases, Cissé said, two nations could agree jointly to administer cross-border regions where people from both countries have strong tribal and cultural connections. This arrangement might lead to stronger regional administration and cooperation, which in turn could empower pan-African government institutions.
Also giving a speech to the class was Richard Myers, the retired U.S. Air Force general and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Myers stressed the importance of military people staying under civilian authority. He pointed out that American military officers swear an oath of allegiance to uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution, not the president. For example, he said, while serving in several assignments as a four-star general, he chose not to vote in presidential elections so that he could remain out of the political process and offer unbiased military advice to the nation's elected leader.
The "Next Generation for African Military Leaders Course" at the Africa Center for Security Studies, ACSS, runs through mid-February.
The goal of the four-week course is to enhance professionalism, ethics and leadership. The course is aimed at mid-career officers in the ranks of major and lieutenant colonel. The 56 students include 55 military officers and one police officer from 41 African countries. They include 26 French speakers, 25 English speakers and five speakers of Portuguese. ACSS provides simultaneous translation; for example, Ciss spoke in French and Myers spoke in English. Listeners wore headphones to hear the simultaneous translation.
ACSS was founded by the U.S. Defense Department in 1999 as an academic institution that links military and civilian people involved in the security sector in Africa, Europe and the United States, with the goal of creating a global network of professionals with a shared commitment to address security-related challenges across Africa. ACSS will become U.S. Africa Command's "think tank" once the command becomes fully operational in October 2008. ACSS is headquartered on the campus of the National Defense University in Washington but conducts many of its seminars and classes on the African continent.
(Vince Crawley is a civilian employee of U.S. Africa Command. He works in the AFRICOM Public Affairs Office, where he helps to arrange media interviews and manage the www.africom.mil website).
On 10/5/2008 3:02:44 AM Carol in Virginia USA wrote This is absolutely wonderful May God bless this Command and bless and keep you and your families.
On 2/3/2008 5:40:02 AM Stephen Mukabya in Iraq wrote Im peace kepper in Iraq but im from east Africa. that it Ugangda. I like to join this programe after finshing my contract.
PA mission to Ethiopia 1/8/2011 · By Airman 1st Class Jevon Smith
Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa strategic communication combat camera videographer
VETCAP in Negele 1/8/2011 · Captain David Creech
402nd Civil Affairs Battalion functional specialty team veterinarian
Visiting Our Teams over the Holidays 1/4/2011 · Rear Admiral Brian Losey, commander, and Captain John Dixon, chief of staff, Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa
From LTC David Knellinger on 9/10/2012 2:02:03 PM "The Central Africa Region Environmental Security Symposium, hosted by the United States Africa Command Environmental Security Program and the United Nations Environmental Programme..." (Read Full Entry)
From Brigadier General Stayce Harris on 7/19/2012 8:54:32 AM "The following blog is by Brigadier General Stayce Harris, U.S. Africa Command's mobilization reserve assistant to the commander.
Over the past 2 years, I have had the..." (Read Full Entry)
Hamza in Gabes, Tunisia wrote on 10/2/2012 11:09:13 AM "I LOVE US ARMY I DREAM TO BE SOME ONE FROM MARINS ITS JUST DREAM..." (Read Full Entry)
Pamela in Virginia wrote on 10/2/2012 10:28:15 AM "This command much needed not only to ustain African governments ,but to also be an aide to our United States stability and protection. Many hostile in that area ,especially on East..." (Read Full Entry)
Herman in Pretoria wrote on 9/23/2012 5:46:33 PM "Awesome aircraft, thank you for the display! It is most appreciated...." (Read Full Entry)
Paul in UK wrote on 8/22/2012 9:16:10 AM "I was also involved in the communications training at Kisangani and share Michel Beya's comments I'm sure we met. What I saw was a very well trained battalion and hope that..." (Read Full Entry)
Mark in Fort Leavenworth wrote on 8/21/2012 10:25:29 PM "False allegations against Commander USAFRICOM appear to be in fashion. It is shameful that someone felt the need to assassinate the character of the previous commander — one ..." (Read Full Entry)