Photo By Sgt. Maj. Casey Nelsen | U.S. Army Sgt. Major Moussa Doukoure, Deputy Chief of Staff, Engineers sergeant major,...... read more read more
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ABIDJAN, Cote d’Ivoire -- The 11th iteration of the African Land Forces Summit was very special for one Ivorian-born U.S. Soldier.
U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, along with the Armed Forces of Côte d’Ivoire, co-hosted ALFS in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, May 8-12, 2023. The summit brought together delegates and land force commanders from 46 total countries, 39 from Africa, five European nations, the U.S. and Brazil. Together with academic thought leaders and government officials, they participated in a candid dialogue on issues facing land forces in Africa.
The summit also brought home a native son: U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Moussa Doukoure, SETAF-AF's engineer directorate senior enlisted leader. Doukoure served as a planner for ALFS 2023.
As an Ivorian, Doukoure said he grew up in one of the worse parts of Cote d'Ivoire. At 25, he received a student visa and immigrated to the U.S. to further his education.
"I planned to study overseas and return to Côte d'Ivoire to be a university professor and help build my country," said Doukoure.
However, as he walked home from school one afternoon, Doukoure passed an Army recruiting station and saw the Army's campaign slogan, "Be All You Can Be." He decided to investigate further. He had a conversation with a recruiter about Army benefits and the opportunities of being a Soldier. They discussed job stability, education and travel. Two months later, on April 14, 1994, Doukoure enlisted as a combat engineer.
“I was happy and grateful,” said Doukoure. "However, being in the Army was not easy because I did not have role models in my family who served in the military before me. Also, I did not have my parent's support, especially from my mother.”
Doukoure said his mother asked him to return home, then stopped talking to him. Not knowing much about the Army, she feared he was going to die, he said.
However, Doukoure's mind was made up.
"I just trusted that everything would work out," said Doukoure. "I was motivated because I knew the benefits of being a Soldier."
After graduating from basic training, Doukoure was assigned to Fort Cavazos, Texas. At that point, he had not spoken to his mother in over a year and he wanted her to know how he was doing, how he was living and how he had become a better person.
Doukoure mustered the courage to invite his mom to visit him in Texas. To his surprise, she accepted the invitation.
When she arrived, she was pleased to see how he was living and how the Army had changed him. The Army furthered his education and took care of his son. Additionally, Doukoure’s mom was able to receive medical treatment for some health problems she had while in the U.S.
Finally, she understood some of Doukoure's reasons for enlisting in the Army.
"Mom became my biggest supporter and defender," said Doukoure. "No one could say anything negative about me without her setting them straight."
Thirty years later, Doukoure returned to Cote d’Ivoire during ALFS.
He shared how his family and friends finally got to see him for the first time as a Soldier in uniform. He explained that some were uncomfortable and did not know what to expect from him. But after a few minutes of talking and reconnecting, people warmed up and became more comfortable.
"The Army gave me the opportunity to reconnect with my family and friends who had never seen me in uniform," Doukoure said.
Reuniting with long lost friends and family made the ALFS experience a highlight of his Army career.
"Being one of the lead planners for ALFS 2023 was a great honor," Doukoure said. "As a native Ivorian, I know the culture and the ins and outs of Abidjan and was able to advise my teammates on how best to plan the seminar."
The conference gave U.S., European, South American and African land force leaders a chance to collaborate on addressing the most challenging issues facing Africa. It brought people together, reuniting them in some cases.
"Coming back as a Soldier in uniform was a win-win," concluded Doukoure.
| Date Taken: | 05.12.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 05.30.2023 11:56 |
| Story ID: | 444984 |
| Location: | ABIDJAN, CI |
| Web Views: | 63 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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