Pepper to speak at Veteran’s Day ceremony

Clarion Top News

Thursday, 07 November 2024 13:41

VFW post 6073 and American Legion post 30 are hosting the Scottsboro/Jackson County Veteran’s Day Program beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, November 11, 2024 with a monument dedication at the Scottsboro Jackson County Veteran’s Memorial Park, located at 1616 Heroes Drive. Light refreshments will follow inside the VFW/ American Legion Post.
The main program will feature speaker Brigadier General Allen J. Pepper. Pepper is the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command (USASAC). The Command leads the Army Materiel Command Security Assistance Enterprise; develops and manages security assistance programs and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cases to build partner capacity; supports Combatant Command (COCOM) engagement strategies; and strengthens U.S. Global Partnerships.

As the Commanding General, he oversees the command’s $281 billion foreign military sales portfolio with more than 136 nations and 11 agencies.

Pepper previously served as the Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché, United States Defense Attaché Office, Iraq. Pepper served in various Foreign Area Officer assignments to include Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché, United States Defense Attaché Office, France; Commander, United States Military Group, Washington, D.C.; Senior Service College Fellow, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Defense College, Italy; Senior Defense Official/Defense Attaché, United States Defense Attaché Office, Democratic Republic of the Congo; International Military Affairs Chief, Security Cooperation Directorate, United States Army Africa, Italy; Branch Chief, Central and Southern Africa, Security Cooperation Division, United States Army Africa, Italy; Chief, Office of Security Cooperation, United States Africa Command Security Assistance Organization, Mali; and Foreign Area Officer, United States Defense Attaché Office, Botswana.

Earlier assignments as a Company Grade Officer included multiple Infantry positions including Commander, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 7th Army Training Command, United States Army Europe, Germany; Commander, A Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 7th Army Training Command, United States Army Europe, Germany; and Scout Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer, and Rifle Platoon Leader, 2-35 Infantry, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

He was commissioned as an Infantry Officer in 1993 at the U.S. Military Academy, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. He holds a master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Strasbourg, France.

His military education includes the Joint and Combined Warfighting School, United States Army War College, and the United States Army Command and General Staff College.

His awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Expert Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, Ranger Tab and Army Staff Identification Badge.

Pepper will speak at the Collins Intermediate School auditorium, located at 102 Legion Street beginning at 10:45 a.m. The program will include music performed by the Scottsboro High School Band.

Please join the community in honoring those who have sacrificed to protect our freedoms.