U.S. Africa Command was recognized January 5, 2010 for winning the championship of a series of sporting events known as the U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart's Commander's Cup.

The Commander's Cup , a sports program for units in Stuttgart, is part of the U.S. Army's Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program. Sporting events included community runs, soccer, basketball, flag football, volleyball, golf, and bowling.

The award was presented to U.S. AFRICOM's Chief of Staff Major General Richard Sherlock by Colonel Carl Bird, commander of U.S. Army Garrison, and U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart's Command Sergeant Major Anthony Bryant, during U.S. Army Installation Management Command's first tenant meeting of 2011 at Patch Barracks.

"There were soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines and civilians from AFRICOM who were involved in a variety of sports," explained Sherlock. "This year AFRICOM was able to come out victorious on the majority of the events."

This is the second year that U.S. Africa Command has participated in the sporting events. Last year's winner of the Commander's Cup was U.S. European Command (EUCOM).

According to Gunnery Sergeant Dennis Dougherty Jr., U.S. AFRICOM's sports council representative, the accomplishment was not an easy one.

"We were neck and neck with EUCOM until the very end," he said. "Not only did Africa Command have a good showing for the Great Pumpkin Race and Indoor Soccer, our flag football team sealed the deal with a perfect season--8 wins and 0 losses--and 4 playoff wins to take the championship."

The Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program is a program that focuses on five pillars--physical, emotional, social, family, and spiritual--to equip and train Army civilians, soldiers, and their families. The Commander's Cup fulfills the physical pillar of this program.

"We're very happy to be a part of the Stuttgart military community," said Sherlock as he accepted the award. "We're also very proud to be the holder of the commander's cup for this year."