Africom Stands Up 2006-2017

[sgmgrumpy]

21st Century Marines In Africa
published by the USMC Combat Developments Command
For
Commanding General,
Marine Corps Combat Development Command


https://www.mccdc.usmc.mil/featureto...esinAfrica.pdf

Because Africa’s daunting economic, demographic, environmental, and political challenges appear to defy resolution, the issues of that continent will continue to pose potential threats to international stability and the interests of the United States. The sheer size and environmental complexity of Africa pose humanitarian needs and requirements for effective governance seemingly beyond the capacity of either individual governments or regional organizations to address. Ethnic and religious divisions produce frequent and severe incidents of disorder. Transnational entities seeking sanctuary for their terrorism or to exploit political weakness and foment discontent exacerbate existing instability. This paper provides a continental perspective, seeks to explore the nature of African challenges, and provides recommendations for the Marine Corps to better posture itself to meet those challenges.

[Stan]

Hello SGM !

Overall, I think it's very thorough, but a tad too general.
Some of the information is a bit dated. Areas such as FMF and IMET and worse, HIV/AIDs.

Congo (then Zaire) for example, where we annually sent upwards of 70 people to the States under IMET, only produced a few bright stars. FMF related equipment was truely sad if the equipment stayed around long enough.

The paper lists Congo's HIV/AIDs Prevalence Rate at the 5 to 15% range. CDC's studies in the late 80's indicated 35%. I suppose it could have declined, but I'm not sure how.

Regards, Stan

[Tom Odom]

Stan

you are correct on the AIDs rate; it is higher. Also spot on assessment of IMET and other security assistance; it has to be done by country, otherwise it is not only useless, it is dangerously misleading.

I did note that the report did discuss Attache and FAO slots and that is a good thing.

more later when I get to read it in detail

best all

Tom

[Stan]

Tom,
As always, dead on the money. How the Hotel do we classify the entire continent as one ?
My trips to Chad would open my eyes. Holes in every building. Hell it looked like an impact zone for M1s.

What did LTC Babbit say in one of his profound reports on the Congo civil war ? Wait for it !

I got it, "A solid shot tank round was found in a residencial area."

How hard did we laugh ? I had cramps for weeks They are now considered UXO

OK, I'm done (for now).
have a safe trip !

Regards, Stan

[Tom Odom]

What did LTC Babbit say in one of his profound reports on the Congo civil war ? Wait for it !

Yep!

Also I remember the "nixon" routine when he flew back in from Bukavu--"I was not spying"--as we steered him onto the plane out of Goma.

Then again he ended up advising VP Al Gore on Africa

After I was over in Rwanda and went back to the States for a couple of weeks with VP Kagame's visit to see the SecDef, I ran into one of my classmates from French in 1983, Gus Lorenz He was working OSD-ISA-Africa and we of course worked on Kagame's visit as ISA was the action office. Gus had gone to ZAMISH (for the uninitiated that was the US security assistance offcice in Zaire); you probably knew him.

Anyway he was somewhat upset because I had over the past year--as you know--hammered the point that the FAZ (Zairian military) was broken. He felt that I was too harsh; I suspect because he wrongly felt it reflected on ZAMISH personnel. Of course, my replacement in Zaire did her best to rebuild the FAZ's reputation in the next 2 years; 1996 thru 1998 proved just how correct we were and how wrong they were.

But again on Brazza, I often wondered as they were our escape hatch and we were their escape hatch, what would have happened had the two Congo's gotten their rhythm of discontent in synch. I guess we could have hijacked the ferry and hid in the middle of the river.


Best

Tom

[Stan]

Tom,

You recall, that ferry nearly sank leaving her passengers in the prop wash as the ship's Captain gunned the motors in a feeble attempt at escaping the onslaught of passengers. I had the APO mail from Brazza and decided to fly that morning.

Yes, I know Gus. He was there when things were smokin' to the tune of 7 million. We even had our very own English language teacher under contract from CONUS. Gus was optimistic, even when our boss, an AF O-6 was not ! We would settle disagreements with a weekend party Sam, the English teacher would get drunk, cry and, consistent with his *African-American spirit would sing "Swing low, Sweet Chariot, Coming for to carry me home" and I would fall over from laughing as the Army Admin Officer (a huge Ranger) would perform bodily gestures as if we were all deaf.

Also I remember the "nixon" routine when he flew back in from Bukavu--"I was not spying"--as we steered him onto the plane out of Goma.

This reminds me of the current thread RE DIA and her personnel. We did our job, got slammed and he moves on to create the acronym UXO with Gore and party. Truely, a sad state of affairs.

Regards, Stan