VICENZA, Italy -- U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa Commander Maj. Gen. Andrew M. Rohling hosted a senior leader forum here March 16-17. The forum is an annual event, held to drive discussion among SETAF-AF's leaders and ensure they have the current, consistent and comprehensive information necessary to achieve short- and long-term objectives for the organization and its efforts on the African and European continents.
To ensure compliance with local and organizational COVID-19-related distancing policies, the event was held via secure video teleconference, with participants gathered in assigned conference rooms on Caserma Del Din and Caserma Ederle.
This year's discussions focused on changes in responsibilities, functions and tasks necessitated by the organization's November 2020 consolidation with then-U.S. Army Europe, as well evolving mission and training requirements for supporting U.S. Africa Command objectives.
In addition to SETAF-AF's role within the consolidated organization, presentation topics included security force assistance brigade employment, deployable combined joint task force headquarters requirements and objectives, and updated training policies and procedures to ensure training maximization for existing and new missions.
In his remarks, Rohling acknowledged that there would be a learning curve to seamlessly support both U.S. Army Europe and Africa and AFRICOM's objectives, and called the event an opportunity for the command to reset and encouraged frank discussion throughout the forum, emphasizing that now is a critical time in determining how the command fulfills its mission in the short and long term.
"This is our opportunity to spend time together and make sure we are heading in the same direction and in the right direction," he said. "We are at a point where it's important to determine where we are, where we want to go, and where we need to adjust."
