Source: Africa Regional Media Hub |

June 22 Briefing with Gabonese Armed Forces Brig. Gen. Olame Ndong Ferdinand Gaspard, Deputy Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Kenneth H. Moore, Deputy Commander of U.S. Army Africa.

WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America, June 20, 2016/APO (African Press Organization)/ --

EVENT:

Please join us on Wednesday, June 22, 2016, at 1300 GMT for a telephonic press conference with Gabonese Armed Forces Brig. Gen. Olame Ndong Ferdinand Gaspard, Deputy Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Kenneth H. Moore, Deputy Commander of U.S. Army Africa and co-director of Exercise Central Accord 2016. The speakers will discuss partnership opportunities between U.S. and African militaries, security building and countering violent extremism across the African continent.

BACKGROUND:

Central Accord 2016 is an annual, combined, joint military exercise that brings together partner nations to practice and demonstrate proficiency in conducting peacekeeping operations. The end goal of Central Accord 16 is to increase interoperability and build capacity, while cementing partnerships in the region built from previous exercises. The U.S. military, in partnership with the Gabonese Armed Forces, the Multinational Force of Central Africa (FOMAC), and other partner nations are conducting Central Accord 2016, a command post and field training exercise, in Libreville, Gabon, June 10-24.

Central Accord, formerly known as Atlas Drop and then Atlas Accord, was initiated in 1996 as a U.S. European Command-sponsored exercise, designed to further cross-training and interoperability between participating nation militaries in company-level airborne operations as well as platoon-level live-fire exercises. In 2009, the exercise transitioned to U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM). The exercise employs a scenario that replicates the operational environment of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and is principally focused on staff and troop contributing countries scheduled to support this mission.

The purpose of the exercise is to increase African regional security capabilities to conduct peacekeeping operations in the Central African Republic (CAR), respond to natural disaster scenario and enhance military relationships and the ability of U.S. forces to operate in austere environments with potential coalition partners.

DETAILS:

Speakers:                           Gabonese Armed Forces Brig. Gen. Olame Ndong Ferdinand Gaspard, Deputy Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and director of Exercise Central Accord 2016.

                                             U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Kenneth H. Moore, Deputy Commander of U.S. Army Africa and co-director of Exercise Central Accord 2016.

Date:                                   June 22, 2016
Time:                                   13:00 GMT

* Please use Time Zone Converter to determine the start time of the event in your time zone.

Language:                          English.  French and Portuguese interpretation will be offered.

Ground rules:                   On the record

Dial-in Info:                       To be provided once you RSVP

RSVP:                                  RSVP to afmediahub@state.gov.  Please indicate if you will dial in (specify

English/French/Portuguese line), or request that we dial out to you (provide the phone number and language to be used).

Twitter:                               We will use the hashtags #CentralAccord and #AfricanHorizons for the call. Follow us on @AfricaMediaHub and @USArmyAfrica.

LOGISTICS:

Callers should dial-in to the conference call 10-15 minutes early. 
When an individual journalist dials-in, the operator will collect the caller’s name, press affiliation, and location.  When an embassy dials in, the operator will ask the embassy’s name and location.
The moderator will facilitate the Q and A among the connected callers.  Journalists on the conference call will be instructed to press the “*” and “1” buttons on their phones in order to enter the question queue.  NOTE:  You can press “*1” at any time during the call to join the question queue, even before the moderator begins the Q and A portion.  We ask that journalists limit themselves to one question and indicate to which speaker the question is directed.  Journalists can also submit questions in English to afmediahub@state.gov prior to or during the call. 

BIO:

[Gal OLAME Gaspard] Brigadier General Olame Ndong Ferdinand Gaspard, Deputy Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gabonese Armed Forces

Gabonese Armed Forces Brig. Gen. Olame Ndong Ferdinand Gaspard is the Deputy Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the Gabonese Armed Forces. He joined the army in 1978 and attended the following military schools: Officer Cadet at Bouake, Ivory Coast in 1978; Infantry Officer Basic Course and Infantry Officer Advance Course at Fort Benning, Georgia; Airborne-Pathfinder qualified, 1980 and 1988; American Language studies at the US Defense Language Institute, Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas; Intelligence Course, first and second degree, in Pretoria, South Africa; Law of armed conflict in San Remo, Italy; Staff College in Kenitra, Morocco; War College in Paris, France; Civil-Military Strategy for Internal Development at the Joint Special Operations University, USAF Special Operation School, Hurlburt  Field, Florida in 2005; Conducting Military and Peacekeeping Operations, the rule of law.  

Brig. Gen. Olame previously served as a light infantry platoon commander, instructor at the army training school, airborne company commander, chief of operations and training in the army headquarters, director of operations and training in the joint force headquarters, Army 6th and 7th South Region Commander, deputy chief of staff of the army, Prime Minister military counselor, Deputy of Military Governor.

He previously served in three missions to the Central African Republic as the Gabonese Contingent Commander, in United Nations Peacekeeping Mission (1998), Gabonese Contingent Commander, in CEMAC Peacekeeping Mission (2006), and Gabonese Contingent Commander, and Battalion Commander Counsellor in charge of communication, in ECCAS Peacekeeping Mission.

Brig. Gen. Olame has been awarded civilian and military medals from Gabon in addition to the United Nation Mission medal in the Central Africa Republic, CEMAC mission medal in the Central Africa Republic, and the ECCAS mission medal in the Central Africa Republic.

Brigadier General Kenneth H. Moore, Jr., Deputy Commander, U.S. Army Africa

Brig. Gen. Kenneth H. Moore, Jr. is the Deputy Commanding General for U.S. Army Africa and Commander of its Army Reserve Engagement Cell. He was commissioned as an infantry officer in the Army Reserve in 1983. His military education includes the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Combined Arms and Services Staff School, the Civil Affairs Officer Advanced Course, the United States Army Command and General Staff Staff College,the United States Army War Collegeand the Advanced Joint Professional Military Education. He has over 26 years of active federal service as an Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) Officer serving in various command and staff positions from 1987-2013.

Brig. Gen. Moore holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Virginia Tech, a Masters in Public Administration (cum laude) from Kutztown University, and a Masters of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College.

Brig. Gen. Moore is a Master Parachutist and has earned the Expert Infantryman Badge. His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Achievement Medal (1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal (1 Bronze Service Star), Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (Gold Hourglass), the Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon (Numeral 4); and German, Canadian, Greek, and Irish foreign parachutist badges.

He was previously the Director, Civil Affairs Branch, U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, Fort Bragg, North Carolina from 2011-2013 and commanded the 321st Civil Affairs Brigade, Fort Sam Houston, Texas from 2009-2011. Aditionally, Brig. Gen. Moore served as the Assistant Chief of Staff, Force Development, United States Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina from 2007-2009, Civil Affairs Assessment Officer, United States Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida from 2005-2007, Psychological Operations Plans Officer, Special Operations Command and Control Element (SOCCE), Special Operations Command, Central Command, Camp Victory, Iraq (Jul-Oct 06), Chief, Reserve Component Force Management Division, United States Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina from 2003-2005, CA/PSYOP Plans Officer,United States Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina from 2001-2003, and European Command Operations Branch Chief, United States Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina from 1999-2001.

Brig. Gen. Moore is a Master Parachutist and has earned the Expert Infantryman Badge. His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Achievement Medal (1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal (1 Bronze Service Star), Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (Gold Hourglass), the Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon (Numeral 4); and German, Canadian, Greek, and Irish foreign parachutist badges.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Regional Media Hub.