Southern European Task Force – U.S. Army Africa — What is it?

‘A team like no other,’ the United States Southern European Task Force (SETAF) is the Army’s premier organization dedicated to achieving positive change in Africa. As the Army component to U.S. Africa Command, SETAF, in concert with national and international partners, conducts sustained security engagement with African land forces to promote peace, stability and security in Africa. As directed, SETAF will deploy as a contingency headquarters in support of crisis response.

What has the Army done?

Acknowledging the emerging strategic importance of Africa, U.S. Africa Command was formed Oct. 1, 2007. The U.S. Army has worked with the Defense Department to further develop, organize and unify the military capability for U.S. Africa Command. SETAF, stationed in Vicenza, Italy, since 1955, has a long history of operating on the continent and partnering with African nations. For the past 15 years, SETAF has provided crisis response, disaster relief and humanitarian assistance on the African continent.

What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future?

SETAF is learning, growing and building capacity and capability to meet the requirements needed to coordinate U.S. Army activities in Africa. SETAF will build and strengthen relationships with African army organizations, along with national and international partners to promote a stable and secure Africa.

Specifically, SETAF will continue to refine its operational practices while focusing in four areas: Grow, Partner, Engage and Act. It will lay the foundation for future success while preparing to assume full responsibility for all U.S. Army operations in Africa. SETAF will also become a trusted and reliable partner for African militaries and security institutions, our allies, our U.S. Africa Command teammates, and other U.S. government agencies and international organizations working in Africa. SETAF will collaborate with African partner nations to transform security forces into contributors to peace with the capabilities and capacity required to accomplish the mission in support of lawful authorities.

Amid this transformation, SETAF will sustain and grow its enduring bilateral relationships with Italian military and civil institutions and among the Italian communities where we live.
Why is this important to the Army?

Since the 1990’s, SETAF has teamed with African nations as part of its operational focus. SETAF routinely conducted military-to-military training activities in Africa and performed humanitarian relief operations in Africa; Liberia, Rwanda, Uganda, Congo and former Zaire. The transformation to U.S. Army Africa allows SETAF to focus primarily on emerging African nations and build the capacity of our African partners, and better enable them to both improve security and prevent conflict.

Italy To Host AFRICOM Headquarters, By Lisa M. Novak, Stars and Stripes, December 5, 2008 NAPLES

Italy has agreed to host the Army and Navy headquarters units of the recently created U.S. Africa Command.

The official announcement was made Wednesday evening in a joint statement at the U.S. Embassy in Rome by the U.S. Ambassador to Italy Ronald P. Spogli and the Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini.

The headquarters units might see slight personnel increases over the next few years. The Army’s Southern European Task Force — located in Vicenza — could increase by about 50 active-duty personnel, bringing the active-duty staff to about 300 soldiers, according to Col. Marcus De Oliveira, SETAF chief of staff.

In Naples, Naval Forces Europe was expanded to include the AFRICOM component. The new Navy designation is NAVEUR NAVAF. With a staff of about 500, that number could increase over the next few years by about 140, according to Navy officials.

Officially established Oct. 1, “AFRICOM was created to provide a strategic, holistic DOD approach to security on the African continent,” according to AFRICOM commander Gen. William Ward, in his first posture statement to the House Armed Services Committee this past March.

To that end, much of the Navy’s engagement in Africa has focused on building regional cooperation on the continent. Combating piracy is a continuing focus for the Navy and for AFRICOM.

“The model you want to see is the regional states band together, and that’s what we’re trying to do in the Gulf of Guinea: set up regional partnerships down there so we can get them to work together,” said Adm. Mark Fitzgerald, commander of NAVEUR NAVAF.

The Navy’s Africa Partnership Station helps train African navies to combat regional problems such as drug smuggling, piracy, illegal immigration and human trafficking. While Fitzgerald doesn’t see APS being absorbed by AFRICOM, the new command may provide strategic direction. For example, it could request medical training in one area or security training in another.

“We … have always supported both Africa and Europe in our missions and goals,” Fitzgerald said. “With the stand-up of AFRICOM, what changed was our administrative aligning, but not really the way we do business.”

“I think Italy recognizes and certainly appreciates the complexities of Africa,” Fitzgerald said regarding the location for the Navy component. “The bottom line is that Italy is as concerned about Africa as the United States is.”

War On Terror’s Hidden Front, (Chicago Tribune)…Paul Salopek, Nov 18, 2008
U.S. military quietly trying to wage peace in Africa.

African Armies Receive U.S. Expertise, Ammo, (Chicago Tribune)…Paul Salopek, Nov 18, 2008.
In hundreds of military training programs from the Sahara to the Seychelles, the U.S. is quietly bolstering Africa’s ragtag armies to fight extremism so the Pentagon won’t have to.

AFRICOM To Remain At Stuttgart For Now, (Mideast Stars and Stripes)…John Vandiver, Nov 1, 2008

After a review of numerous potential locations for the establishment of U.S. Africa Command headquarters, Defense Secretary Robert Gates has elected to keep the new command in Stuttgart, at least for now, the Pentagon announced late Thursday.

Use Civilians, Not Soldiers, For Peace(Philadelphia Inquirer)…Reuben E. Brigety, Nov 2, 2008.

…Stung by criticism from nongovernmental organizations and African governments, AFRICOM’s leaders have recognized that conflict prevention is a task requiring close coordination among the three D’s of American foreign policy – defense, development and diplomacy. The military cannot, and should not, do it all.

Area May Be A Finalist For Military HQ
(Charleston (SC) Post and Courier)…Ron Menchaca, Oct 24, 2008.

The Lowcountry is in the running to become the headquarters for a major U.S. military command focused on Africa that could inject hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars of investment into the Charleston area.

“Unlike traditional Unified Commands, Africa Command will focus on war prevention rather than war-fighting,” according to the Web site. “The creation of U.S. Africa Command does not mean the U.S. military will take a leading role in African security matters, nor will it establish large U.S. troop bases.”