Lt. Colonel Matthew Sousa Honored

General Abdoulaye Fall awards Lt. Colonel Matthew Sousa the rank of Commander of the Order of the Lion. [Photo US Embassy]

Lieutenant Colonel Sousa congratulated by Lieutenant Colonel Dan Jones, his successor. [Photo US Embassy]

On June 19, 2012, Camp Dial Diop, headquarters of the Senegalese armed forces, hosted a ceremony to mark the departure of Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Victor Sousa, the Senior Defense Officer Defense Attaché and Chief Office of Security Cooperation at the United States Embassy in Dakar.  Indeed, after three years of service, Lt. Colonel Sousa is leaving Senegal to take on a new assignment.

The event was an opportunity for General Abdoulaye Fall, Armed Forces Chief of Staff, to acknowledge Lt. Colonel Sousa’s work.  General Fall said that the Lt. Colonel “distinguished himself by his commitment, his energy, his generosity and his sense of accomplishment."  He particularly stressed Lt. Colonel Sousa’s efforts to strengthen the operational potential of the Senegalese Armed Forces – Land, Sea, and Air.  Lieutenant Colonel Sousa also led training and capacity-building workshops, and helped organize numerous international exercises.

In recognition of all he has done, General Fall, on behalf of Mr. Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal, awarded Lt. Colonel Sousa the rank of Commander of the Order of the Lion, the highest decoration ever received by a U.S. official in uniform upon completion of their tour of duty.

Lieutenant Colonel Sousa will be replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Dan Jones, who has already arrived in Dakar and taken over his duties.