CJTF-HOA welcomes a new commander

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Lapthe C. Flora, the outgoing Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa commanding general, transferred responsibility to U.S. Army Maj. Gen. William L. Zana during a change of command ceremony May 15. U.S. Army Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, commander of the U.S. Africa Command, presided over the ceremony.


“We are collectively much stronger, more capable and ready to handle the complex challenges these nations face when we work together."
By Senior Airman Morgan Brown Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti May 18, 2021
View Gallery
fallback
Gallery contains 4 images

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Lapthe C. Flora, the outgoing Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) commanding general, transferred responsibility to U.S. Army Maj. Gen. William L. Zana during a change of command ceremony May 15. U.S. Army Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, commander of the U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM), presided over the ceremony.

Townsend thanked Flora for leading the command with steady leadership and recognized his accomplishments in leading his staff in support of USAFRICOM over the past year.

Townsend praised Flora’s command during the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted how a year ago he had asked the command to stay focused on the mission, to stay true to our military values and to hold the line.

“All of you have been steady professionals, holding the line and that is exactly what has been needed,” said Townsend. “We counted on you, and you delivered. Thank you all for that.”

During his closing statement, Flora thanked the members of the command and visitors in attendance for their hard work and dedication, making his time at CJTF-HOA a rewarding experience.

“Thank you to our Djiboutian, French, coalition partners and colleagues for your warmest hospitality and steadfast support,” said Flora. “To my CJTF-HOA teammates, I thank you for making my job much easier. You never faltered and accomplished everything I asked of you. It has been a privilege and an honor to serve alongside you as your commander.”

With the passing of the flag, the change of command was complete. Zana will now be responsible for overseeing CJTF-HOA’s efforts in continuing to develop enduring partnerships, helping to build the defense capabilities of our African partners and regional organizations, and the ongoing efforts to deter and defeat trans-national threats operating in Africa.

Townsend remarked on Zana’s continued efforts and dedication in supporting CJTF-HOA’s mission and its importance in East Africa as a whole.

“Bill Zana is no stranger to Africa,” said Townsend. “With your previous experience as the Deputy Commanding General of CJTF-HOA and your recent duties as the Joint Staff J5, Deputy Director of Africa, you have my full confidence that CJTF-HOA will continue to execute every mission with precision and professionalism.”

Zana expressed his appreciation for being able to once again join the CJTF-HOA team and our allied nations. Zana noted that he is looking forward to reconnecting with old friendships and making new ones with those he hasn’t served with yet.

“We are collectively much stronger, more capable and ready to handle the complex challenges these nations face when we work together,” said Zana.

Zana finished his closing statement by thanking his new CJTF-HOA team for their hard work and dedication to the mission in East Africa.

“To my new CJTF-HOA team, I know the time away from your family and loved ones is challenging, but you are doing important work for your nation, our allies and partners. I am proud to join this team. There is no doubt we will be called upon and when we are, we will be ready.”

More in Partnerships
Army lawyers provide training on rules for armed conflict at exercise Justified Accord
NAIROBI, Kenya – Among the flurry of tactical live fires and squad movement drills, air ground integration and even the humanitarian initiatives at exercise Justified Accord 2025 (JA25), lies the one thing those who serve in any armed force must follow: The Law. The Law of Armed Conflict, or LOAC, is a key aspect of training for any military. JA25’s academics course aimed at learning from the international legal lessons of previous wars in an effort to reduce the amount of human suffering in future conflicts. “The soldier’s rules are a broad set of rules that we have pulled from the large breadth of international law,” said U.S. Army Maj. Tim Olliges, an operational law attorney assigned to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), the lead U.S. Army command and planner of JA25. “The LOAC is extensive and can be complex, so we pull out the ten most critical concepts that every soldier, right down to the private, should know before they go into combat.”
Read more
US, Kenya prepare for the unimaginable CBRN threat
NAIROBI, Kenya – Imagine two scenarios. Scenario 1: Dawn breaks over the capital of Kenya. A U.S. diplomat leaves his residence for the embassy. After a 20-minute ride, his car arrives at the gate and he enters. He sits in his office to begin the day when, all of a sudden, he hears an explosion through the open window. It seems far off; it is not a large explosion. He thinks maybe it was just a car accident, but minutes later he smells something bitter in the air. His eyes water, sirens blare and a U.S. Marine Corps security detail enters his office wearing gas masks. They put a mask on him and tell him they must evacuate immediately because a deadly chemical is blowing over the compound. Scenario 2: U.S. intelligence receives credible information that radiological material is being loaded onto a ship in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa. Time is short and no one knows which ship, only that it will embark soon, possibly bound for the hands of violent extremists or other state actors looking to imperil the U.S. homeland. There is no time to send U.S. security forces to intercept the package. Instead, the Kenyan Disaster Response Battalion (DRB) mobilizes and arrives at the port. Using tactics and tools gained from years of training with the United States, they find the ship and the weapon, placed there by a violent extremist organization, and prevent its departure, defeating the threat to America and its citizens. Similar scenarios have happened before in other areas of the world.
Read more
36th Annual International Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference and First Chaplain Africa Forum held in Brussels
The U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and Belgian Ministry of Defence, in partnership with U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and U.S. Indo Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) Chaplain Directorates, hosted the world’s largest annual meeting of senior military religious leaders at the 36th Annual NATO & Partner International Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference (IMCCC) in Brussels, Belgium, January 27-31, 2025.
Read more
More in Partnerships
Army lawyers provide training on rules for armed conflict at exercise Justified Accord
NAIROBI, Kenya – Among the flurry of tactical live fires and squad movement drills, air ground integration and even the humanitarian initiatives at exercise Justified Accord 2025 (JA25), lies the one thing those who serve in any armed force must follow: The Law. The Law of Armed Conflict, or LOAC, is a key aspect of training for any military. JA25’s academics course aimed at learning from the international legal lessons of previous wars in an effort to reduce the amount of human suffering in future conflicts. “The soldier’s rules are a broad set of rules that we have pulled from the large breadth of international law,” said U.S. Army Maj. Tim Olliges, an operational law attorney assigned to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), the lead U.S. Army command and planner of JA25. “The LOAC is extensive and can be complex, so we pull out the ten most critical concepts that every soldier, right down to the private, should know before they go into combat.”
Read more
US, Kenya prepare for the unimaginable CBRN threat
NAIROBI, Kenya – Imagine two scenarios. Scenario 1: Dawn breaks over the capital of Kenya. A U.S. diplomat leaves his residence for the embassy. After a 20-minute ride, his car arrives at the gate and he enters. He sits in his office to begin the day when, all of a sudden, he hears an explosion through the open window. It seems far off; it is not a large explosion. He thinks maybe it was just a car accident, but minutes later he smells something bitter in the air. His eyes water, sirens blare and a U.S. Marine Corps security detail enters his office wearing gas masks. They put a mask on him and tell him they must evacuate immediately because a deadly chemical is blowing over the compound. Scenario 2: U.S. intelligence receives credible information that radiological material is being loaded onto a ship in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa. Time is short and no one knows which ship, only that it will embark soon, possibly bound for the hands of violent extremists or other state actors looking to imperil the U.S. homeland. There is no time to send U.S. security forces to intercept the package. Instead, the Kenyan Disaster Response Battalion (DRB) mobilizes and arrives at the port. Using tactics and tools gained from years of training with the United States, they find the ship and the weapon, placed there by a violent extremist organization, and prevent its departure, defeating the threat to America and its citizens. Similar scenarios have happened before in other areas of the world.
Read more
36th Annual International Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference and First Chaplain Africa Forum held in Brussels
The U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and Belgian Ministry of Defence, in partnership with U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and U.S. Indo Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) Chaplain Directorates, hosted the world’s largest annual meeting of senior military religious leaders at the 36th Annual NATO & Partner International Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference (IMCCC) in Brussels, Belgium, January 27-31, 2025.
Read more
More in Partnerships
Army lawyers provide training on rules for armed conflict at exercise Justified Accord
NAIROBI, Kenya – Among the flurry of tactical live fires and squad movement drills, air ground integration and even the humanitarian initiatives at exercise Justified Accord 2025 (JA25), lies the one thing those who serve in any armed force must follow: The Law. The Law of Armed Conflict, or LOAC, is a key aspect of training for any military. JA25’s academics course aimed at learning from the international legal lessons of previous wars in an effort to reduce the amount of human suffering in future conflicts. “The soldier’s rules are a broad set of rules that we have pulled from the large breadth of international law,” said U.S. Army Maj. Tim Olliges, an operational law attorney assigned to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), the lead U.S. Army command and planner of JA25. “The LOAC is extensive and can be complex, so we pull out the ten most critical concepts that every soldier, right down to the private, should know before they go into combat.”
Read more
US, Kenya prepare for the unimaginable CBRN threat
NAIROBI, Kenya – Imagine two scenarios. Scenario 1: Dawn breaks over the capital of Kenya. A U.S. diplomat leaves his residence for the embassy. After a 20-minute ride, his car arrives at the gate and he enters. He sits in his office to begin the day when, all of a sudden, he hears an explosion through the open window. It seems far off; it is not a large explosion. He thinks maybe it was just a car accident, but minutes later he smells something bitter in the air. His eyes water, sirens blare and a U.S. Marine Corps security detail enters his office wearing gas masks. They put a mask on him and tell him they must evacuate immediately because a deadly chemical is blowing over the compound. Scenario 2: U.S. intelligence receives credible information that radiological material is being loaded onto a ship in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa. Time is short and no one knows which ship, only that it will embark soon, possibly bound for the hands of violent extremists or other state actors looking to imperil the U.S. homeland. There is no time to send U.S. security forces to intercept the package. Instead, the Kenyan Disaster Response Battalion (DRB) mobilizes and arrives at the port. Using tactics and tools gained from years of training with the United States, they find the ship and the weapon, placed there by a violent extremist organization, and prevent its departure, defeating the threat to America and its citizens. Similar scenarios have happened before in other areas of the world.
Read more
36th Annual International Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference and First Chaplain Africa Forum held in Brussels
The U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and Belgian Ministry of Defence, in partnership with U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and U.S. Indo Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) Chaplain Directorates, hosted the world’s largest annual meeting of senior military religious leaders at the 36th Annual NATO & Partner International Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference (IMCCC) in Brussels, Belgium, January 27-31, 2025.
Read more