Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa

Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa
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Active	October 19, 2002–present
Country	United States
Allegiance	United States
Branch	Multiservice (joint) formation
Role	Military operations and civil and military Capacity building
Size	Task force
Part of	United States Africa Command
Garrison/HQ	NSA Djibouti, Djibouti
Commanders
Current commander	Rear Admiral Brian L. Losey

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 tourism as well as 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 civic action programs (MEDCAP, DENTCAP, VETCAP); security training for border and coastal areas; and maritime training with host nations. The most notable physical structure at NSA Djibouti is the J9 Strategic Communications Sign, erected in homage to the key role played by Joint Stategic Communications Directorate in achieving mission success. This beacon of U.S. military might, has been a key component to stopping the spread of piracy ashore.

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.

Commanders

• November 2002 to August 2003 -- United States Marine Corps Major General John F. Sattler

• May 17, 2005, to April 12, 2006, -- United States Marine Corps Major General Timothy F. Ghormley

• April 12, 2006, to February 14, 2007, -- United States Navy Rear Admiral Richard W. Hunt

• February 14, 2007 to February 3, 2008 -- United States Navy Rear Admiral James M. Hart

• February 8, 2008, to February 5, 2009, -- United States Navy Rear Admiral Philip H. Greene, Jr.

• February 5, 2009, to March 27 2009, -- United States Navy Rear Admiral Anthony M. Kurta

• March 27, 2010, to present, -- United States Navy Rear Admiral Brian L. Losey

Background

File:PSL on range.jpg

Ethiopian Pvt. Abebaw Damte fires a PSL sniper rifle at a shooting range outside Camp Ramrod, Ethiopia

CJTF-HOA was established at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina on October 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 December 8, 2002. CJTF-HOA operated from the Mount Whitney until May 13, 2003, when the mission transitioned ashore to Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti City, Djibouti. Since then, CJTF-HOA personnel have built numerous schools, clinics and hospitals; conducted dozens of MEDCAPs, DENTCAPs 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. Task Force personnel assisted the Government of Uganda in locating and recovering the wreckage of a Russian-built IL-76 transport plane that crashed into Lake Victoria in early 2009.

Transfer to USAFRICOM

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 Africom as it assumed authority over the African theater of operations.

Operations

Main article: Operation Enduring Freedom - Horn of Africa

External links

Point of Contact: CJTF-HOA Public Affairs Office, PSC 831, FPO AE 09363; DSN (318) 824-2342; Commercial (+253) 359-523 E-mail: cjtfhoapao@hoa.africom.mil

• CJTF-HOA Official Site
• Global Security
• Pilot Online