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."
JTF-Horn of Africa, based at Camp Lemonier in Djibouti, includes about 2,000 U.S. troops and represents AFRICOM’S largest effort on the continent. The task force is responsible for numerous training and humanitarian missions aimed at curbing extremism and preventing conflicts before they start in the 13 African countries that form its area of operation.
In the coming months, the task force will also be providing guidance to a new African peacekeeping force that is still in the formative stages. The African Standby Force, which is a unit designed to serve as rapid responders to emerging crises, is a continent-wide initiative under the African Union. It will consist of five geographical brigades, pulling troops from all around Africa.
JTF-HOA leaders serve as mentors, helping to set up command and control structures for ASF’s eastern brigade, Greene said.
"It’s helping Africa solve African problems," Greene said, echoing AFRICOM’s oft-repeated mantra.
Brig. Gen. Jean De Martha Jaotody, representing the African Union, spoke to the need for assistance in getting the ASF off the ground during an AFRICOM ceremony on Friday.
"The establishment and consolidation of the African Standby Force is an area where the support of our international partners is much needed," he said.
While Africa has been in the spotlight of late with the emergence of AFRICOM as the military’s sixth unified command, there has been a U.S. force presence in Djibouti for some time. Since 2003, the military has operated out of Camp Lemonier, drilling wells and building schools in various remote locations. The commitment is building up a sense of good will in the local communities, according to Greene.
"I have seen over last eight months a growth in the positive feedback," Greene said. "They (the troops) make these partnerships a reality. They’re out in the field and really interacting."
