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FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - The U.S. military has named a senior American diplomat to serve alongside a Navy admiral in leading its new Africa Command, an acknowledgment of the importance of the civilian aspects of the operation.
The Stuttgart-based command said Monday that Mary Carlin Yates, a former ambassador to Ghana and Burundi, was appointed its deputy for civil-military activities. She is the first senior government civilian from outside the Department of Defense to be part of a U.S. regional military headquarters command structure, according to the military.
"It's been our intent from the beginning to have a civilian aspect to the command," Africa Command spokesman Maj. Steven Wollman said. "The appointment of Ambassador Yates signifies ... the resolve behind the intent to make that happen."
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