Former Major General Scott Gration speaks on his career as a warrior and diplomat, former advisor to President Obama, Envoy to Sudan and Ambassador to Kenya . Belfer Center Library (L369), from 10:00 to 11:30 AM, Thursday December 1st.
"Scott Gration has flown the skies of war, worked the halls of power, negotiated with kings and generals, and survived terrorist bombings and diplomatic back-stabbing. What a remarkable life of service, resilience, courage, and faith."[John Abizaid, General, USA (Ret), Commander, US Central Command (2003-2007)]
Ambassador Scott Gration spent his childhood years in Belgian Congo and Kenya, the son of missionaries. Upon graduation from Rutgers University in 1974, Ambassador Gration joined the United States Air Force as a fighter pilot. He served around the globe in places like Turkey, Iraq, Alaska, the White House, and NATO.
From January to June 2003, he commanded the Combined Joint Task Force-West during Operation Iraqi Freedom. From June 2004 to October 2006, he served as Director, Strategy, Plans, Policy, and Assessments Directorate of United States European Command. Ambassador Gration speaks Kiswahili and has an MA from Georgetown University in National
After retiring from the Air Force, Ambassador Gration served as the CEO of Millennium Villages (an organization dedicated to reducing extreme poverty), and COO of the Safe Water Network. Ambassador Gration was a national security adviser to the Obama Presidential campaign and served as a Special Assistant to the President. He also served as the President's Special Envoy to Sudan from March 2009 to April 2011. On 19 April 2011, Ambassador Gration was sworn in as the US Ambassador to Kenya-he served in that role from May 2011 until August 2012.
Amb Gration is the author of “Flight Path: Son of Africa to Warrior-Diplomat.” He and his wife, Judy, live in Kenya where he is the executive chairman of Champion Afrik. This seminar is open to the public on a first come first served basis.
The seminar is off the record and nothing said can be published or recorded without the speaker’s consent.
