European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 28, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 stars and stripes wednesday March 28 2007 Aricom shapes up As support Model by Jeff Schogol stars and stripes Arlington a about a dozen service members Are expected to go to Liberia this year to help train that country military said Theresa Whelan Deputy assistant defense Secretary for Afri can affairs the troops Likely to come from us european command will help the liberians with Small unit training As part of the us governments ongoing efforts since 2003 to help Liberia de mobilize its old army and raise a new one of 2000 troops Whelan said in a thursday interview with stars and stripes the Mission is typical of what us service members can expect to perform once us Africa com Mand becomes fully operational by 2008 she said the Model of the us in a sup porting role using a few people to support the Afri cans in addressing their Security needs which in turn will help address ours that essentially the Model that were looking at she said on feb 6 de sense Secretary Robert Gates announced the creation of Afri com which will ultimately be responsible for All of Africa except Egypt which has existing Mili tary ties with us Central com Mand right now most of the Conti nent Falls under Euc oms Pur View with Cen com responsible for seven nations in Northeast Africa and us Pacific command responsible for Madagascar and other islands off the continents East coast Afri coms purpose is to make Africa the primary concern of one combatant command instead of a secondary or tertiary concern for three other commands Whelan said still some people have a misconception about Aricom As a massive concentration of us troops on the african continent she said Aricom int a Force i guess is the main Point she said some people dont quite under stand that they seem to think some kind of us military Divi Sion is going to Roll across the Sahel Northern Africa or some thing the Overall us troop presence on the african continent now about 1800 is not expected to change much once Aricom be comes fully operational Whelan said we will have Small training teams just like we do now right now in the Sahel Whelan said we still have our troops at Camp lemonier we still have the us Navy making ship visits and port Calls up and Down the coasts and us Navy person Nel conducting training mis Sions the commands goal will also be to help africans improve their own Security Whelan said its not the United states doing it for everybody its the United states being there with them and being support Ive she said As such mis Sions us troops can expect to per form in Africa in clude helping train african forces to conduct peacekeeping operations and secure their Border Whelan said the command also plans to refocus efforts to help african navies and coastal forces Cut Down on illegal fishing especially in the Gulf of Guinea and Southwest Indian Ocean she said As for responding to crises that arise on the african continent any missions that Aricom would undertake would be part of the Overall response from the us government Whelan said it wont just be an Aricom decision about what it would do or would not do in a particular Cri Sis she said it would be a broader us policy decision and Aricom would be a component of the Overall response if it was determined that a crisis required some kind of military response asked How Aricom would Deal with the volatile Horn of Afri Ca where islamic insurgents Are fighting government forces and african peacekeepers in Somalia Whelan reiterated that Afri com would be part of Overall us policy not a policymaker in its own right Aricom will not be responsible for solving the problems of the Horn of Africa she said email Jeff Schogol at the states doing it for everybody its the United states being there with them and being Theresa Whelan Deputy assistant defense Secretary for african affairs Soldier questioned after car vandalized Seoul South korean police say they nabbed a 26yearold us Soldier on suspicion of smashing the windows of a luxury car in an affluent residential neighbourhood Early saturday morning Socho police station officials would not name the Soldier but said Hes accused of drunkenly smashing the windows of a parked lexus around 1 am sat urday after an initial round of questioning the Soldier was released to us custody police say  continue their investigation the us military declines to name soldiers who Are under investigation and will do so Only if charges Are filed from staff reports Erik and stripes it col Avi Weiss right talks with Cpl Suk Manyun at the Kilbourne dining facility on Camp red Cloud South Korea on thursday Weiss a rabbi is preparing the upcoming passover program while fulfilling his new role As the 1st signal brigade chaplain preparing for passover Yon san garrisons chaplain readies for jewish holy Days while meeting 1st signal brigade needs by Erik Slavin stars and stripes Camp red Cloud South the pass Over Holiday approaches next week a new chaplain is gearing up to Host the Holiday while juggling his responsibilities As a brigade chaplain during the Peninsulas biggest exercise beginning april 2 it col Avi Weiss a rabbi will Lead the program for passover an eight Day remembrance of the escape and Victory of Moses and his people Over egyptian slavery More than 3300 years ago the Story is recounted each passover Dur ing the first two nights at the seder meal As an important part of the old testament the seder also interests some christians Many biblical schol ars suggest that Jesus last supper was a seder meal because passover has meaning for both christians and jews its a great Opportunity for building Bridges and having joint programs Weiss said the area ii and us forc Korea chaplains have is gone out of their Way to sup port the jewish program he said in ancient times rabbis adjusted the traditional jewish lunar Calendar to coincide with the solar Calendar so that passover would always come in the Spring Weiss said this makes passover a Holiday of rebirth and a reminder of being free Weiss said Weiss who served As Post chaplain in fort Lewis sign up for seder passover seders will be held april 2 and april 3 beginning at 7 pm at the religious Retreat Center located a few Miles from Yon san Garrison additional prayer services will be held april 2 and april 3 at am seating for the first night seder is limited those wishing to attend Are asked to make reservations by Contact ing it col Avi Weiss at Alweiss Korea Raymil or by calling Dan 7236707 Dor style rooms at the religious Retreat Center Are available commanders can authorize 72hour leave passes for service members or Grant leave during passover if there is no Adverse Impact on Mission accomplishment according to a March 4 us forces Korea memo Kosher for passover meals ready treat can be requested through unit Supply sergeants Weiss said Eri Slavin Wash before arriving at Yon san Garrison recently also has been Busy As the 1st signal brigades chaplain Hes been out in his helmet and body Armor climbing Hills and towers and travelling All Over the Peninsula to posts with signal detachments during the current reception staging Onward movement and integration exercise he also accepts a role As a rabbi within souls jewish Community but emphasizes that the military Community is first among his profession Al priorities Weiss completed the army War colleges de sense strategy course earlier this year he also May have been the first rabbi to earn his airborne wings while serving As battalion chaplain for the 82nd air borne divisions 2nd Battal Ion 504th infantry regi ment in 1981 and 1982 he first served in South Korea in 1978 and 1979 at the then121st evacuation Hospital on Yon san Garri son at the time there was Only one Bridge spanning the Han River there want much traffic and few tall buildings and amenities were Low tech we had a maid that would Wash our clothes in the Bathtub Weiss said Weiss who was born in California but raised in Chicago is living on Yon san Garrison with his wife Elcya he has three children and four grand children who live in Israel email Erik Slavin at