ARMY UNIVERSITY
Two Liberian military leaders were inducted into the U.S. Command and General Staff College (CGSC) International Hall of Fame.
Liberian Minister of Defense, retired Maj. Gen. Daniel Dee Ziankahn Jr., and Chief of Staff for the Armed Forces of Liberia, Maj. Gen. Prince Charles Johnson III, received the honor during a May 2022 ceremony at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Both men graduated from a one-year program at the college earlier in their careers.
Ziankahn, class of 2011, has served as Liberia’s defense minister since 2018. He earned a Master of Military Art and Science degree, and his thesis was the runner-up for best in his class. He joined others in calling it the “best year of my life,” saying it prepared him for the challenges he faced in his career.
“My induction is an honor which I owe this very institution that has made me into being who I am today,” Ziankahn said. “Surely, I am proud of my CGSC pedigree.”
Johnson, class of 2012, told attendees at the ceremony that he has relied on the lessons he learned at the college as his region faces a wide variety of threats. “The future holds a lot for us if we are prepared and work diligently,” he said. “My current position as the head of the Liberian military has not been all roses.”
He hopes he can help Liberia stand as a pillar of stability in West Africa. “The West African region has been faced with insurgency, maritime crimes, terror attacks, military coups and civil unrest,” Johnson said. “Amid all these challenges, the Armed Forces of Liberia and other militaries in the region continue to uphold the tenet of democracy.”
International military students have trained at Fort Leavenworth since 1894. The CGSC International Hall of Fame was established in 1973. To be nominated for the Hall of Fame an officer must be a graduate of the college and have attained, by merit, the position of leader of his or her country’s army or defense forces.
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