Leadership of the United States Africa Command
This is a list of all commanders, deputy commanders, senior enlisted leaders, and chiefs of staff of the United States Africa Command.

Seal of the United States Africa Command
Current headquarters staff
Stephen J. Townsend, Commander
Kirk W. Smith, Deputy Commander
Joel Tyler, Chief of Staff
Melvin G. Carter, Director, Intelligence (J2)[1]
Gregory K. Anderson, Director, Operations/Cyber (J3/6)
Kevin Jones, Director, Logistics (J4)[2]
Kenneth Ekman, Director, Strategy, Engagement, and Programs (J5)
Mark J. Hovatter, Deputy Director, Strategy, Engagement, and Programs (J5)
List of commanders of the United States Africa Command
Commander of the United States Africa Command | |
---|---|
![]() Emblem of the United States Africa Command | |
Abbreviation | CDRUSAFRICOM[3] |
Reports to | President of the United States Secretary of Defense |
Appointer | The President with Senate advice and consent |
Term length | 3 years |
Constituting instrument | 10 U.S.C. § 164 |
Formation | 1 October 2007 |
First holder | William E. Ward |
Deputy | Deputy Commander, United States Africa Command |
No. | Commander | Term | Service branch | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | ||
1 | William E. Ward (born 1949) | General1 October 2007 | 9 March 2011 | 3 years, 159 days | ![]() U.S. Army | |
2 | Carter F. Ham (born 1952) | General9 March 2011 | 5 April 2013 | 2 years, 27 days | ![]() U.S. Army | |
3 | David M. Rodriguez (born 1954) | General5 April 2013 | 18 July 2016 | 3 years, 104 days | ![]() U.S. Army | |
4 | Thomas D. Waldhauser (born 1953) | General18 July 2016 | 26 July 2019 | 3 years, 8 days | ![]() U.S. Marine Corps | |
5 | Stephen J. Townsend (born 1959) | General26 July 2019 | Incumbent | 2 years, 262 days | ![]() U.S. Army |
Commanders of U.S. Africa Command by branch of service
- Army: 4
- Marine Corps: 1
- Air Force: none
- Navy: none
- Space Force: none
- Coast Guard: none
List of deputy commanders of the United States Africa Command
No. | Deputy Commander | Term | Service branch | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | ||
1 | Vice Admiral Robert T. Moeller[5] (1951–2011) | October 10, 2007 | April 12, 2010 | 2 years, 184 days | ![]() U.S. Navy | |
2 | Vice Admiral Charles J. Leidig[7] (born 1955) | August 2010 | June 2013 | ~2 years, 304 days | ![]() U.S. Navy | |
3 | Lieutenant General Steven A. Hummer (born 1952) | June 2013 | ~June 2015 | ~2 years, 21 days | ![]() U.S. Marine Corps | |
4 | Vice Admiral Michael T. Franken (born 1957) | ~June 22, 2015 | ~August 2, 2017 | ~2 years, 41 days | ![]() U.S. Navy | |
5 | Lieutenant General James C. Vechery (born 1966) | ~August 2, 2017 | ~August 4, 2020 | ~3 years, 2 days | ![]() U.S. Air Force | |
6 | Lieutenant General Kirk W. Smith | ~August 4, 2020 | Incumbent | ~1 year, 253 days | ![]() U.S. Air Force |
List of senior enlisted leaders of the United States Africa Command
No. | Senior enlisted leader | Term | Service branch | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | ||
1 | Command Sergeant Major Mark S. Ripka[9] | November 1, 2007 | March 11, 2011 | 3 years, 130 days | ![]() U.S. Army | |
2 | Chief Master Sergeant Jack Johnson Jr.[11] | March 11, 2011 | July 2013 | ~2 years, 112 days | ![]() U.S. Air Force | |
3 | Command Sergeant Major Darrin J. Bohn[13] | July 2013 | September 27, 2016 | ~3 years, 88 days | ![]() U.S. Army | |
4 | Chief Master Sergeant Ramón Colón-López[15] (born 1971) | September 27, 2016 | November 2019 | ~3 years, 35 days | ![]() U.S. Air Force | |
- | Command Master Chief Ryan P. Burton Acting | November 2019 | February 28, 2020 | ~119 days | ![]() U.S. Navy | |
5 | Sergeant Major Richard D. Thresher | February 28, 2020 | Incumbent | 2 years, 45 days | ![]() U.S. Marine Corps |
List of chiefs of staff of the United States Africa Command
No. | Chief of Staff | Term | Service branch | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | ||
1 | Major General Michael A. Snodgrass[17] | October 1, 2007 | October 7, 2010 | 3 years, 6 days | ![]() U.S. Air Force | |
2 | Major General Richard J. Sherlock Jr.[19] | October 7, 2010 | June 1, 2011 | 237 days | ![]() U.S. Army | |
3 | Major General H. D. Polumbo Jr.[21] | June 1, 2011 | March 23, 2012 | 296 days | ![]() U.S. Air Force | |
4 | Major General O.G. Mannon[23] | March 23, 2012 | February 2014 | ~1 year, 315 days | ![]() U.S. Air Force | |
5 | Major General Michael J. Kingsley[25] | February 2014 | June 2016 | ~2 years, 121 days | ![]() U.S. Air Force | |
6 | Major General Roger L. Cloutier | June 2016 | July 2018 | ~2 years, 30 days | ![]() U.S. Army | |
7 | Major General Todd B. McCaffrey | July 2018 | June 2020 | ~1 year, 336 days | ![]() U.S. Army | |
8 | Major General William K. Gayler | July 2020 | ~21 June 2021 | ~355 days | ![]() U.S. Army | |
9 | Major General Joel K. Tyler | 21 June 2021 | Incumbent | 297 days | ![]() U.S. Army |
References
- "Marine Corps General Officers and Senior Enlisted Leaders". U.S. Naval Institute. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- "Rear Admiral Kevin Jones". www.navy.mil.
- "DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms, January 2021" (PDF). jcs.mil. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
- "Vice Admiral Robert T. Moeller, Former Deputy to the Commander for Military Operations (October 2007 - April 2010) | United States Africa Command". 19 May 2015. Archived from the original on 19 May 2015.
- "Vice Admiral Robert T. Moeller, Former Deputy to the Commander for Military Operations (October 2007 - April 2010) | United States Africa Command". 19 May 2015. Archived from the original on 19 May 2015.
- "VADM Charles L. Leidig". Archived from the original on 6 March 2010.
- "VADM Charles L. Leidig". Archived from the original on 6 March 2010.
- "CSM Ripka". Archived from the original on 20 January 2008.
- "CSM Ripka". Archived from the original on 20 January 2008.
- "CMSgt Jack Johnson Jr". Archived from the original on 13 February 2013.
- "CMSgt Jack Johnson Jr". Archived from the original on 13 February 2013.
- "CSM Darrin J. Bohn". Archived from the original on 13 April 2015.
- "CSM Darrin J. Bohn". Archived from the original on 13 April 2015.
- "CMS Ramón Colón-López". Archived from the original on 4 July 2017.
- "CMS Ramón Colón-López". Archived from the original on 4 July 2017.
- "Maj. Gen. Michael A. Snodgrass". Archived from the original on 19 May 2015.
- "Maj. Gen. Michael A. Snodgrass". Archived from the original on 19 May 2015.
- "Maj. Gen. Richard James Sherlock Jr". Archived from the original on 19 May 2015.
- "Maj. Gen. Richard James Sherlock Jr". Archived from the original on 19 May 2015.
- "Maj. Gen. H. D. Polumbo, Jr". Archived from the original on 19 May 2015.
- "Maj. Gen. H. D. Polumbo, Jr". Archived from the original on 19 May 2015.
- "Maj. Gen. O.G. Mannon". Archived from the original on 9 January 2014.
- "Maj. Gen. O.G. Mannon". Archived from the original on 9 January 2014.
- "Maj. Gen. Michael J. Kingsley". Archived from the original on 13 April 2015.
- "Maj. Gen. Michael J. Kingsley". Archived from the original on 13 April 2015.
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