Regionally Aligned Forces: DOD Could Enhance Army Brigades' Efforts in Africa by Improving Activity Coordination and Mission-Specific Preparation
Abstract
In support of the Department of Defense s (DOD) increasing emphasis on strengthening partner nations security forces, the Army is aligning its forces with geographic combatant commands to provide tailored, trained, and responsive forces to meet the commands requirements. In 2013, AFRICOM became the first combatant command to be allocated an Army regionally aligned brigade combat team the first of three to date which was tasked to the command primarily to support security cooperation. The House Report accompanying a bill for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 included a provision that GAO assess DOD s efforts to plan for and employ these brigades in Africa. This report assesses, among other things, the extent to which (1) AFRICOM has clearly identified and synchronized security cooperation activities for the brigades in Africa and (2) the brigades have been prepared to meet mission requirements in Africa. The term synchronize refers to coordination efforts by AFRICOM and its components to achieve unity of effort across the command. GAO reviewed documents and data and interviewed DOD and Department of State officials. GAO recommends that DOD develop a coordination mechanism to improve planning for activities, assess missionspecific training for aligned forces, identify and provide mission-specific equipment for the brigades, and that DOD and the Department of State coordinate on providing passports to the brigades. Both concurred with the recommendations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2015
- Accession Number
- ADA621095
Entities
People
- Amie Steele
- Cary Russell
- David Adams
- James Reynolds
- Joanne Landesman
- Kasea Hamar
- Michael Silver
- Tracy Barnes
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office