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Senegalese Armed Forces Soldiers participate in Live Fire Demonstration during African Land Forces Summit

Senegalese Armed Forces soldiers participate in a live fire demonstration during the African Land Forces Summit 15 near Thies, Senegal. Land forces chiefs of staff from 36 nations are attending ALFS 15 in Dakar, Senegal from Feb. 9-12. ALFS 15 brings together land force commanders from across Africa to solidify relationships, exchange information on current topics of mutual interest and concern, and seek cooperation in addressing common security concerns. (U.S. Army Africa photo by Pfc. Craig Philbrick)

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Photo by: Pfc. Craig Philbrick 

U.S. Army Gen. David G. Perkins knows a thing or two about complex environments. He’s the commander of Training and Doctrine Command, the command developing the Army Operating Concept. The AOC, as it’s known, is about winning in a complex environment.

Perkins spoke at the African Land Forces Summit, held in Dakar, Senegal, Feb. 9-12, where the AOC concept is well understood.

Land force commanders from 36 nations attended the summit. Multiple languages, cultures and ethnicities were represented.

“I can’t think of a location in the world that is more complex than Africa, quickly changing all the time, a lot of unknown variables,” said Perkins.

With an environment this complex, some of the commanders saw the summit as an opportunity to do more than just discuss topics of mutual interest.

Maj. Gen. Gotsileene Morake, Botswana land forces commander said the summit was a chance to meet commanders from outside of his region, giving them an opportunity to put fresh eyes on the different issues they share.

“This is a very important occasion to meet one-on-one with other commanders and ask those things about which you always had doubt and questions and clarify your mind,” Morake said.

Perkins said it’s the number of countries, cultures, languages, religions and the different topography that causes Africa to throw all the variables you can think of at a commander.

“And it’s the scope of these variables,” Perkins said, “including just the size of the continent, I think, that really make Africa a uniquely complex problem.”

Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Sipho Tshabalala, Swaziland land force commander, said conducting African Land Forces Summit was a good beginning.

“We have realized that if we continue this way we will be able to engage future problems on the continent,” Tshabalala said.