U.S. Army Europe, U.S. Army Africa consolidate to form unified command

Nov. 23 (UPI) -- U.S. Army Europe and U.S. Army Africa are now consolidated into a single command, an Army statement announced.

The new command will be referred to as U.S. Army Europe and Africa, or by its acronym USAREUR-AF, an official statement on Friday said. All units assigned to U.S. Army Africa will be reassigned to USAREUR-AF, led by a four-star general as commander.

The U.S. Army Africa/Southern European Task Force has been re-designated as the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, or SETAF-AF, and its two-star commanding general will also serve as USAREUR-AF's deputy commanding general for Africa.

The statement noted that four-star Gen. Christopher Cavoli will command USAREUR-AF, while Maj. Gen. Andrew Rohling serve as SETAF-AF commander and USAREUR-AF deputy commander.

"This consolidation enhances global and regional readiness in support of the National Defense Strategy," said Ryan D. McCarthy, Secretary of the Army. "The new structure will increase command and control effectiveness, flexibility and the capability to conduct large-scale, joint and multi-domain operations."

The change will allow the combined command to more easily focus on strategic-level tasks in Europe and Africa.

The Army noted that the recently reactivated V Corps, with a forward deployed rotational unit in Poznan, Poland, "will be integral to the planning and synchronization of operations in Europe."

The enlarged command will be headquartered in Wiesbaden, Germany, current base of U.S. Army Europe. While U.S. Army Africa is currently based in Vincenza, Italy, the statement did not specify if that headquarters will be moved.