Pentagon says AFRICOM will be ready for full operations October 1

The U.S. Defense Department says it is committed to launching its new Africa Command on time in October, and with the same capabilities as other major U.S. military commands. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Theresa Whelan made the comment in a VOA interview. VOA's Al Pessin reports from the Pentagon.

The Defense Department's top Africa official says Africa Command, which has been operating in a preparation phase for eight months, will be ready to take responsibility for all U.S. military engagement with the continent on schedule.

"We are confident that by 1 October AFRICOM will be enabled, and will be able to carry out the existing missions of the current combatant commands that are responsible for Africa. And the leadership here in the Pentagon is very committed to doing whatever it takes to make that a reality," she said.

Full VOA story here.

Intro to AFRICOM

The Federation of American Scientists Project on Government Secrecy recently posted a Congressional Research Service report on the new Africa Command.

Little has been written on on DoD's AFRICOM. Someone who should be a regular read, Catherine McRae Hockmuth, asks "Why is DOD struggling to fill civilian interagency jobs at U.S. Africom? A shortage of Africa expertise? A military and diplomatic corps stretched thin by war? Or something else such as outright skepticism about the role of the military in Africa?" Check out her story at Ares.

Sources: CRS Report and Ares