Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa


caption=
dates=October 19, 2002–present
country= United States
allegiance= United States
branch=Combined command
type=
role= Capacity building - Helping Africans Help Themselves
size= Task force
command_structure= United States Africa Commandcite news
title=Africans Fear Hidden U.S. Agenda in New Approach to Africom
url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,430564,00.html
publisher=Associated Press
date=2008-09-30
accessdate=2008-09-30 ]
current_commander=Rear Admiral Philip H. Greene, Jr.
garrison= Camp Lemonier, Djibouti
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
identification_symbol=
march=
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=
decorations=

Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) is a joint task force of United States Africa Command. It is a component of the United States response to the September 11, 2001 attacks. CJTF-HOA focuses its efforts on conducting unified action in the combined joint operations area of the Horn of Africa to prevent conflict, promote regional stability, and protect Coalition interests in order to prevail against extremism.

The people of CJTF-HOA focus on military-to-military training, civil-military operations, and senior leader engagement to fulfill the CJTF-HOA mission. They provide short-term assistance by providing clean water, functional schools, improved roadways and improved medical facilities. Long-term goals include working with Partner nations to improve national security. Regional stability is built through capacity-building operations such as civil affairs and military-to-military training; engineering and humanitarian support; medical, dental and veterinarian civil action programs (MEDCAP, DENTCAP, VETCAP); security training for border and coastal areas; and maritime training with host nations.

The CJTF-HOA command philosophy is to empower Partner nations to create and maintain a stable, secure environment—a place where education and prosperity are within each individual’s grasp, and where extremist ideology has no place. CJTF-HOA’s regional focus centers on ensuring Partner nations have the capacity to secure their homeland and contribute to a prosperous future for the Horn of Africa.

About 1,800 people from each military branch of the U.S. military, civilian employees, and representatives of Coalition and Partner nations make up CJTF-HOA. The area of responsibility for CJTF-HOA includes the countries of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Yemen. Other areas of interest are Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar.

In January 2004, Brigadier General Mastin Robison of the United States Marine Corps, then commanding the Task Force, had support, medical, and admin staff from the Marines, Navy, Army, and Air Force, a Marine helicopter detachment of four CH-53 Super Stallions, a U.S. Army infantry company, a U.S. Army Reserve civil affairs company, Navy cargo planes, military engineers, and a special operations unit under his command. [Chris Tomlinson, 'U.S. wages quiet battle in Africa,' Associated Press, in The Washington Times, January 15, 2004]

Commanders

The commander of CJTF-HOA from November 2002 to August 2003 was United States Marine Corps Major General John F. Sattler.cite news
title=Guelleh Visits CJTF-HOA Commander
url=http://www.somalilandtimes.net/2003/68/6817.shtml
publisher=Somaliland Times
date=2003-05-07
accessdate=2007-02-07 ]

The commander of CJTF-HOA from May 17, 2005 to April 12, 2006 was United States Marine Corps Major General Timothy F. Ghormley.cite web
title=United States Marine Corp Biography: Major General Timothy F. Ghormley
url=http://www.usmc.mil/genbios2.nsf/0/9A5FFE5E9C3391A98525680800436D6D?opendocument
publisher=United States Marine Corps
date=2007-11-14
accessdate=2007-11-14]

The commander of CJTF-HOA from April 12, 2006 to February 14, 2007 was United States Navy Rear Admiral Richard W. Hunt.cite web
title=United States Navy Biography: Rear Admiral Richard W. Hunt
url=http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=150
publisher=United States Navy
date=2006-06-28
accessdate=2007-02-06]

The commander of CJTF-HOA from February 14, 2007 to February 3, 2008 was United States Navy Rear Admiral James M. Hartcite web
title=United States Navy Biography: Rear Admiral James M. Hart
url=http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=137
publisher=United States Navy
date=2007-02-21
accessdate=2007-03-28] .

On February 8, 2008, United States Navy Rear Admiral Philip H. Greene, Jr.cite web
title=United States Navy Biography: Rear Admiral Philip H. Greene
url=http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=354
publisher=United States Navy
date=2008-04-01
accessdate=2007-03-28] assumed command of CTJF-HOA.

Background

CJTF-HOA was established at Camp Lejeune, N.C., on Oct. 19, 2002. In November 2002, personnel embarked on a 28-day transit to the region aboard USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20), and arrived in the Horn of Africa on Dec. 8, 2002. CJTF-HOA operated from the MOUNT WHITNEY until May 13, 2003, when the mission transitioned ashore to Camp Lemonier in Djibouti City, Djibouti. Since then, CJTF-HOA personnel have built numerous schools, clinics and hospitals; conducted dozens of MEDCAPs, DENCAPs and VETCAPs; drilled and refurbished more than 113 water wells; and trained in collaboration with most Partner nation militaries. Additionally, members of the Task Force have assisted with at least 11 humanitarian assistance missions, including recovery efforts after the collapse of a four-story building in Kenya in 2006, the capsizing of a passenger ferry in Djibouti in 2006, and floods in Ethiopia and Kenya in 2006.

Transfer to Africom

On October 1, 2008, responsibility for the task force was transferred from the United States Central Command to the United States Africa Command also known as Africomas it assumed authority over the african theater of operations.cite news
title=Africans Fear Hidden U.S. Agenda in New Approach to Africom
url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,430564,00.html
publisher=Associated Press
date=2008-09-30
accessdate=2008-09-30 ]

Operations

References

External links

Point of Contact: CJTF-HOA Public Affairs Office, PSC 831, FPO AE 09363;DSN [phone]; Commercial ([phone] E-mail: [e-mail] website: http://www.hoa.africom.mil
* [http://www.hoa.africom.mil/ CJTF-HOA Official Site]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/oef-djibouti.htm Global Security]
* [http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=98421&ran=194309 Pilot Online]

Notes