Africom Stands Up 2006-2017

[Tom Odom]

Or them like us, to complete the toast, my friend.

Hopefully an Africa command would build over time--just like any unified command and take advantage of those who have been on the ground in manning.

Remember, Stan, that guys like COL Fields and LTC Ball in 1993 and 1994 were allowing DHS to close African stations without comment. DHS closed the African Bureau and consolidated it with the Middle East Bureau. Fields wanted to close us; I saw MG Leide in Pretoria in Nov 93 and convinced him to keep us open. And then the fight to stand up a station in Rwanda took me 18 months to win--and cost me any chance of getting anything but another "prize" assignment, regardless of how much Jim Clapper, Jack Liede, or Pat Huges liked me. Those are the kind of guys (Ball and Fields) an African Command does not need.

Manned correctly, a dedicated command would do much to make courtship of the country teams an easier romance. For one thing, it would serve as a counterpart to State's African Bureau as well as Langley--and you know how much I love Langley.

Best regards my friend,

Tom

PS Your hardcopy book went in the mail today

[Stan]

Remember Ambassador Wells ? She could have been a Sergeant Major with diplomatic skills !!!

She not only was one hell of a lady, she also knew how to run the shop and could quickly identify people accomplishing their missions even in the sight of death. She later came to Estonia shortly after my retirement.

Although the Flags of the DHS were indeed tending to their own agendas (I hated what they were doing to you and, as an E7 other than my abilities and experience, had little to offer you), I still believe that if the Ambo is professional as was Mellisa (sp?) and able to recognize who was pulling their load, and keep the other bone-heads in check (that she did well) our bung hole in Goma would have been far easier to cope with and we probably would have had immediate help.

I think you told me on several occasions, that our ordeal in Goma would be settled or handled inside the Beltway. How correct you were. Goma simply provided the excitement and tourists.

I would then have to conclude that Flags will once again provide that fatal penstroke and fate of some fellow NCOs and Officers.

Thanks in advance for the Xmas gift ! I am pondering over yours.

Regards, Stan

[Tom Odom]

Wells I never met. I remember you speaking of her wisfully everytime you had to deal with the Charge or his Deputy.

But Dave Rawson in Rwanda followed by Bob Gribbin were completely different than the clutch of village idiots we faced in K Town. Just as the RPA impressed us both when we crossed the border, so Rawson (and later Gribbin) impressed me. It was almost like the "diplomats" in K-Town were mimicking the FAZ while we operated like the RPA in Kigali.

I remember blowing my stack one day in Goma because the Deputy accosted me and complained that General Nix and I were not keeping him informed of what we were doing. He in his very best British accent* proclaimed, "Tom, I am a 3 Star equivalent!"

I was tired and you were not there to drag me away. I told him, "You are a 3 Star Asshole!" and then followed with as polite an explanation as I could muster that the General and I were busy doing things like bringing in aircraft and God knows what else. He was so shocked by my initial burst that he actually listened and nodded his head at everything else I had to say. But he did leave the next day

It all goes back to leadership--if the leaders are self-interested prima donnas, the rest of the mission will tend to follow in their paths.
Best

Tom

*the gentleman in question was from Oklahoma

[Stan]

Thanks Eddie !
I enjoyed the refreshing opinion you have RE AFRICOM. Even as late as 84, the NGOs and CDC were buried in AIDS. We at least thought that "somebody's doing something" even though the task was far beyond reality and any funding.

I think (you know what they say about opinions and A holes) Pretoria is probably too far away from Central Africa, but from an NCOs point of view, would have to say it's at least stable enough for your team to come back to and relax. That, or burn out. Tom knows what that does....he watched me progress to that point with no way out. Sounds kinda dumb, but little details seem to be often overlooked on the beltway. Even in 85 we carried 2 passports. One with a South African visa and the other with whatever.

Medical and R&R required a South African visa.

I think that holds true to this day in that neck of the woods.

Regards, Stan

[Stan]

Tom,
I would only later read about you and Rawson. I wondered, should I contact Tom, see what the F is going on there ? My DATT, a Navy 05 told me Rawson was not one to leave things idle and watch, rather get the troops in the mud. Hence all the press in DC.

Likewise, I said to the Commander, if the Colonel is still there, the troops are already in the mud !

I think we cooked this thread !
Regards, Stan

[Eddie Beaver]

Is the US relationship with Rwanda stable and viable enough then for some form of proposed AFRICOM detachment there? I have heard a lot of promising things about their performance in Dar Fur....

Understood about the distance with South Africa, but one wonders about a post-Mugabe Zimbabwe... which I suppose the South Africans may want to handle much as they did Mozambique in the 90's....

[Stan]

Eddie,
Back when I was handling the SAO training for Rwanda, we were gold. We were the candy men, bringing in our resources and (ahem) advice.
Rwanda was peaceful on the outside and we had no clue what was brewing inside.

I would think we still have a place there, but I am by no means an expert. I simply try to get along with people, even if I can't stand them. I have no idea how I do that.

These folks were professionals and expected the same from us. Perhaps why we were always welcome. Even the Zamish Chief remembered to bring beef jerky to the Rwandan Military Commander. Relatively small and a cheap jesture, but it worked. I think that would hold true today, but I have no desire to return and see if my assumptions are correct, even with beef jerky !

All of this BS aside, you're on the right track. Relatively close, air and sea ports and hopefully a friendly reception. Travel from there is a tad harder, but you would now be central and have a few exit strategies in hand.

Going to bed, too late to type !
Regards, Stan

[Tom Odom]

Is the US relationship with Rwanda stable and viable enough then for some form of proposed AFRICOM detachment there? I have heard a lot of promising things about their performance in Dar Fur....

Understood about the distance with South Africa, but one wonders about a post-Mugabe Zimbabwe... which I suppose the South Africans may want to handle much as they did Mozambique in the 90's....

Eddie,

I can only relate what had happened there while I was on the ground and what happened in the immediate aftermath. I would also recommend you look at Bob Gribbin's book on Rwanda--he was my 2nd Ambassador and worked with my replacement, then MAJ Rick Orth, a superb officer and now I happy to say a full Colonel who has 3 DATT tours under his belt. Rick has published some papers on Rwanda that you can find via Google.

I do know that we have been planning the Darfur deployment with the Rwandans; I say that because there was an MPRI advertisement four an MDMP instructor to go to Kigali. Frankly I that is much like shipping coal to West Virginia: the Rwandans can plan and execute quite well, thank you very much. At times I despair over our inescapable arrogance when it comes to that sort of thing, as if we are the experts on planning...

What they would really need would be coaching on how to integrate operations with us and international organizations.

best

Tom

[jcustis]

Caught this snippet over at Lightfighter.net:

Pentagon’s African Command: Will It Float?

By Sandra I. Erwin and Grace V. Jean

While Pentagon officials fine-tune plans to create a new military command to oversee Africa, Navy leaders are floating a proposal to base that command’s headquarters on a ship at sea.

Supporters contend that a Navy ship offers extra security and flexibility to move around as crises erupt. The high-tech vessel envisioned for this role also would be uniquely equipped to handle all forms of top-secret communications and command-and-control functions, says Rear Adm. Barry J. McCullough III, director of Navy surface warfare.

For many years, the Navy has wavered on the idea of building a state-of-the-art “joint command-and-control ship,” and the project in recent years lost momentum as the Navy struggled to fund other ships. But the African Command would be a reason to resurrect a joint command-and-control ship, McCullough says. “Everyone knows we are going to stand up AFRICOM … But where are we going to headquarter that command?” An “afloat command” is one option being mulled over, he says. “You have to have something to put the commanders and staff on with the right C4ISR to execute the mission.”

If not aboard ship ("standby for heavy rolls"), where might an AFRICOM set down stakes. CONUS? Egypt or Djibouti?

If I ever had to suck down a joint tour, I could see myself doing it at a new command such as this.