VICENZA, Italy (March 26, 2012) -- Lt. Gen. Raymond V. Mason, the U.S. Army deputy chief of staff for logistics, visited U. S. Army Africa during a tour of Europe-based military installations March 20.
Mason met with USARAF Commander Maj. Gen. David R. Hogg and his staff for a briefing about Army Africa's structure and recent activities.
"The Chief of Staff of the Army has asked the Army staff to stay engaged with the Army Service Component Commands. We're here to support these commanders. As a result, I'm visiting U.S. Army Africa, U.S. Army Europe and European Command," Mason said.
He said the Department of the Army staff exists to support field commanders.
"My trip here is to gather a list of challenges and see where I can help from a logistics standpoint from the Department of the Army," Mason said.
He said USARAF is following the Chief of Staff of the Army guidance and offered kudos to the command.
"USARAF's engagement across Africa is absolutely key to the Chief of Staff of the Army's maxim of prevent, shape and win. USARAF is shaping the environment, engaging with countries of our allies and establishing capabilities that will hopefully prevent war in this part of the world. What I've seen here is impressive. You get a lot of bang-for-the-buck with USARAF.
"USARAF is doing great work. All the things USARAF is doing from medical training to air drop training, engagements, and theater security cooperation programs are all very impressive and I think they are making a huge difference in terms of the lives of people in this part of the world. It's not a big headquarters, but very effective and very focused," Mason added.
Mason said Army G-4 may be able to help USARAF acquire alternative energy technology to reduce its logistic footprint in isolated field locations.
"One of the things Maj. Gen. Hogg and I talked about was operational energy. I have the Army staff lead on that. It's about reducing the Army footprint and the consumption of fuel by providing capabilities such as high-energy, efficient generators, solar energy and water recycling that are all important and very critical in Africa.
"There are alternative sources of energy that can be useful in these remote places that are tough to get to and where we want to reduce our logistics footprint as much as possible," Mason said.
Mason added that U.S. Army Africa is a great organization and very impressive.
"Keep doing what you are doing, and we at DA will do the best we can to help," he said.
Social Sharing