About

SETAF-AF provides U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Army Europe and Africa a dedicated headquarters to synchronize Army activities in Africa and scalable crisis-response options in Africa and Europe.

Who We Are 

Headquartered in Vicenza, Italy, U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) is a family of Soldiers and Department of Army Civilians committed to Army Values and supported by Italian hosts. Comprised of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, the 207th Military Intelligence Brigade, the 414th Contracting Command and the 509th Signal Battalion, SETAF-AF provides a diverse range of capabilities for three combatant commands. 

What We Do 

Download the SETAF-AF Campaign Support Book to learn more about what we do.

SETAF-AF stands ready to deploy, fight, win, and respond to crises. With a focus on Africa, SETAF-AF provides U.S. Africa Command with a joint task force headquarters capability and the North and West Africa Response Force (NARF) poised to respond to any contingency to protect U.S. persons, facilities and interests. 

SETAF-AF partners with African land force militaries, directs and supports all Army activities on the continent, conducts security cooperation events, including joint and multinational exercises, and sets the theater to ensure strategic readiness. SETAF-AF coordinates the African Land Forces Summit, the Chief of Staff of the Army’s annual conference with African land chiefs, and African Lion, U.S. Africa Command’s largest multinational, joint, all domain exercise.

Annually, SETAF-AF conducts hundreds of theater security cooperation activities in dozens of countries in Africa. SETAF-AF resources training with partners across all warfighting functions, building partner capacity and improving interoperability. SETAF-AF also conducts a series of multilateral exercises with African troop-contributing countries supporting United Nations and African Union peacekeeping missions. In addition, SETAF-AF executes medical exercises that enhance the readiness of U.S. Army medical professionals. 

Strong partnerships and sustained engagements forged over time support well-trained and disciplined land forces that contribute to a secure and stable environment where development can flourish. African nations, the United States and the world benefit from a secure, stable and prosperous African continent. 

Why It Matters

Africa matters to the security and stability of the United States and also matters to our allies, to the global community, and most especially to the 1.3 billion people who call Africa home. African nations are facing a range of complex security issues that require capable, competent, professional land forces that are accountable to civilian leadership and respectful of rule of law and human rights. 

SETAF-AF builds partnerships with African nations through security cooperation, strength through friendship and shared, long-term commitment. Africa matters to the U.S. and to our allies. The U.S. Army is committed to security and stability in Africa.