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| General David M. Rodriguez , incoming commander, delivers remarks during the U.S. Africa Command’s change of command ceremony, April 5, 2013, Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Adam Gramarossa, U.S. Africa Command) |
STUTTGART,
Germany,
General David M. Rodriguez assumed command of U.S. Africa
Command (AFRICOM) from General Carter F. Ham Friday, April 5.
Rodriguez is AFRICOM’s third commander since the command
was established in 2008 to coordinate U.S. military relations and activities
with African nations, regional organizations, and the African Union. General
Martin E. Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, presided over the
ceremony.
“(General Rodriguez) is one of our nation’s most highly
regarded senior officers and strategic thinkers,” Dempsey said during his
remarks. “At every level of command, in peace and war, he has proven his mettle,
He is smart and decisive, he cares about the mission, but he also cares deeply
about his people. With more than 36
years of experience, he knows the importance of building relationships and
establishing trust.”
Before an audience of more than 1,000 AFRICOM service
members, civilian employees, and invited guests, Dempsey praised Ham for
leading Africa Command since March 9, 2011.
Click here to see a video of the ceremony.
“You found new ways to deepen partnerships and to build
capability. Your support has enabled African-led coalitions to tackle some of
Africa’s most complex challenges. And
together, you have critically weakened Al-Shabaab, put the Lord’s Resistance
Army on the run, and helped beat back extremism in Mali.”
Dempsey added that AFRICOM’s achievements are “the
product of your principled and grounded leadership.”
Ham, who traveled to 42 African nations during 101 trips
to Africa, is retiring later this year after 39 years of service, including two
years as an enlisted infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division.
In his remarks, Ham said the day he took command he
pledged to then Secretary of Defense Robert Gates that the command would “do
our best each and every day to uphold the trust and confidence” of the
nation. “I report to you now that we
have fulfilled that pledge. I depart the command confident that the women and
men assembled here today and those deployed across the wide expanse of Africa,
are indeed, moving forward together.”
Ham said challenges remain ahead, “but I remain wholly
confident that the Africa Command team, under General Rodriguez’s most capable
leadership, will meet each and every one of those challenges with agility,
imaginative thought, and unselfish dedication.”
Rodriquez comes to AFRICOM from Fort Bragg, North
Carolina, where he was the Commanding General of U.S. Army Forces Command. Previously, he served as commander of the
International Security Assistance Force Joint Command (IJC) and deputy
commander of U.S. Forces-Afghanistan (USFOR-A) from November 12, 2009, to July
11, 2011.
Rodriguez is a 1976 graduate of the United States
Military Academy at West Point and holds a Master of Arts in National Security
and Strategic Studies from the United States Naval War College and a Masters of
Military Arts and Science from the United States Army Command and General Staff
College.
“It is a privilege and an honor to be here today and to
take command of United States Africa Command,” Rodriguez said. “General Ham has done a tremendous job
leading this command. I will continue this effort and work to build on the
relationships that General Ham has established with our African, European, and
all our international partners. These partnerships are essential to achieve our
shared objectives.”
About AFRICOM
AFRICOM is one of six of the U.S. Defense Department's
geographic unified commands and is responsible to the Secretary of Defense for
military relations with African nations, the African Union, and African
regional security organizations. AFRICOM oversees all U.S. Department of
Defense operations, exercises, and security cooperation with African nations.
AFRICOM’s core mission of assisting African states and regional organizations
to strengthen their defense capabilities better enables partner nations to
address their security threats and advances U.S. national security interests
through focused, sustained engagement with partners in support of shared
security objectives.
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