On May 27, Brookings’s 21st Century Defense Initiative hosted Vice Admiral Robert T. Moeller, deputy to the commander for military operations, United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), for a discussion on the aims, status and future mission for AFRICOM as it approaches its first anniversary this fall.
Vice Admiral Moeller has been directly involved with AFRICOM since its conceptualization as a new regional military command. Beginning in late 2005, Admiral Moeller was the executive director of the AFRICOM Transition Team, and has served as deputy for military operations since August 2007. A surface warfare officer commissioned in 1974, Vice Admiral Moeller has served in a wide variety of sea, shore and joint duty assignments. He commanded the USS Belknap, participating in NATO and Partnership for Peace operations and in Operations Provide Promise and Deny Flight across the former Republic of Yugoslavia. He also commanded the USS Port Royal and the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group. Most recently, he was the director for strategy, plans and policy at U.S. Central Command from 2004-05. He is also served as a Navy Federal Executive Fellow at the Brookings Institution from 1989-90.
Senior Fellow Peter W. Singer, director of the 21st Century Defense Initiative, provided introductory remarks and moderated the discussion. After the program, Vice Admiral Moeller took audience questions.
