Biographies - Copy - Copy - Inter American Defense College

Biographies – Copy – Copy

Department Heads

Col Alexandre Ribeiro

Chief, Institucional Effectiveness

Colonel Alexandre is originally from the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He joined the Brazilian Air Force in January 1994. He is a graduate in Aeronautical Sciences (Brazilian Air Force Academy, AFA, 1997) and post-graduation in Aerospace Military Sciences, with emphasis on Air Force preparation and employment (Brazilian Air Force University, UNIFA, 2015). He has two MBA degree: Public Management – UFF and Logistics in Organizations – UNINASSAU. And an Extension Courses: Course of Fundamentals of Public Logistics Management – ENAP, Project Management Course – Estácio de Sá, Superior Course on Defense – ESG, Command and General Staff Course – ECEMAR and Advanced English Language Course – Concordia University – Montreal/Canada. Before he has been designated as a Head of the Effectiveness Institute at the Inter-American Defense College for two years, he attended the Brazilian War College during 2022, being graduated in High Studies Course in Politics and Strategy.

Main positions:

– Head of the Programming and Control Subsection of the Puma Squadron- 3rd/8th GAV;

– Head of the Social Communication Section of the Smoke Squadron (Esquadrilha da Fumaça);

– Head of the Operations Sections of the 2nd Air Training Squadron, the Air Force

Academy and the Smoke Squadron (Esquadrilha da Fumaça);

– Assistant to the Head of Staff of the Air Force Commander’s Office (GABAER);

– Commander of the Helicopter Operational Training Squadron – 1st/11thGAV;

– Head of GABAER’s Information Technology and Communications Advisory;

– Air Transport Officer of the Presidency of the Republic;

– Commander of Galeão Air Base;

– Deputy Officer of the Joint Operations Doctrine Institute of Brazilian War College (ESG).

Has over 5,100 flight hours, generally divided into 3,000 hours in airplanes, solo or as an instructor, 600 hours in jets, 1,200 hours in helicopters, and 300 hours as a student. Performing real searches and rescues, transporting Presidents of the Republic in airplanes and helicopters, aerial demonstrations in Brazil and abroad as an external right wing, and leading the Smoke Squadron. Besides leading squadrons and teaching all phases of aerial instruction at the Air Force Academy and at the Rotor Wing Operational Specialization Course at the 1st/11th GAV in Natal-RN.

Colonel Christopher M. Carson

Deputy Chief of Studies

Col. Christopher Carson is an accomplished c-17 pilot, professor, and the Deputy Chief of Studies at the Inter-American College (IADC). As the department head, he is responsible for the IADC’s academic program execution and providing expert advice to the IADC Director and Chief of Studies. Col. Carson leads a team of 30 permanent faculty, assistant faculty, and staff with an unwavering commitment to achieving the IADC strategic objectives.

Before his current position, Col. Carson served as the Director of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Southern Office for Office for Aerospace Research and Development (SOARD) in Santiago, Chile, where he also served as the U.S Air Force (USAF) science and technology attaché to the U.S. Embassy in Santiago.

Col. Carson has also served as the Chief of the Statistics Division at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO, where he led the faculty in delivering six core curriculum courses to over 1000 cadets annually. He has over 2800 hours of flight experience in the T-37, T-1, C-17, and T-53.

Col Joshua Chambers

Chief, Administration

Col Joshua Chambers is Chief of Administration at the Inter-American Defense College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. As the senior U.S. operations, personnel, resource management, and information management officer on the international staff, he advises the Director, IADC and 200 international staff members and students on efforts involving administrative matters, to include employment laws, regulations, contracts, and benefits. The colonel also develops strategic level administrative, personnel and logistics guidance in support of the Organization of American States, Inter-American Defense Board, College, and US policies. He leads a multi-service and international directorate, providing administrative and personnel services to over 200 senior international military and civilian personnel from 34 member nations of the Western Hemisphere, and is responsible for communication and coordination with US Department of State, and United States Southern Command.

Col Chambers entered the Air Force in 2002 as a graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, N.Y. Col Chambers has served as a first-assignment instructor pilot at JSUPT in the T-1A and afterwards an instructor, evaluator, and weapons officer in the KC-135R/T, NATO staff officer, CAOC operations staff, headquarters air staff, and commanded a deployed squadron. Prior to his current position, the colonel was a student at the College of Information and Cyberspace at National Defense University.

Col Chambers is a Command Pilot with more than 3,600 flight hours in the T-37, T-1A, and KC-135R/T. He has flown over 800 hours of combat air refueling missions in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, and INHERENT RESOLVE

EDUCATION

2002 Bachelor of Science, Information Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology, N.Y.

2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

2007 Master of Science, Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Fla.

2010 USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.

2012 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence

2016 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

2016 Masters of Military Operational Art and Science, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

2018 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence

2023 Master of Science, Strategic Information and Cyberspace Studies, National Defense University, Washington, D.C

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS

1. July 2016 – July 2017, Chief of Tanker Operations, Combat Operations Division, 609th Combined Air and Space Operations Center, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, as a lieutenant colonel

2. June 2023 – Present; Chief of Administration, Inter-American Defense College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., as a colonel

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Rating: Command Pilot

Flight hours: More than 3,600

Aircraft flown: T-37, T-1A, KC-135R/T

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster

Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters

Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters

Aerial Achievement Medal with oaf leaf cluster

Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster

Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant May 29, 2002

First Lieutenant May 29, 2004

Captain May 29, 2006

Major Aug. 1, 2012

Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2017

Colonel Aug. 1, 2023

Col (Retired), United States Army, Ricardo Lebron

Director of External Relations

Ricardo Lebron, Colonel (Retired), United States Army, serves as the Director of External Relations for the Inter-American Defense College (IADC) since January 2024. Prior to assuming this position, he served the Infantry Branch, Logistics Branch, Quartermaster Corps, and the United States Army with distinction for over 34 years. His last active duty military assignment was with the IADC where he served as Chief of Staff from July 2019 to August 2022. In December 1992, he graduated from the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Managerial Economics, and he was honored as a Distinguished Military Graduate by the University of Puerto Rico’s ROTC Program. Subsequently, he received a Regular Army Commission with an initial two-year branch-detail tour in the Infantry Branch prior to entering the Quartermaster Corps. His graduate-level education includes a Master Degree in Business Administration from Webster University, Saint Louis, Missouri, and a Master of Science degree in Inter-American Defense and Security from the Inter-American Defense College, Fort McNair, Washington D.C. He is fluent in English and Spanish languages. During his thirty-year active duty military career, Mr. Lebron served in a variety of leadership and staff positions including Bradley Platoon Leader, Mortar Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer, Company Commander, Group S4, Battalion Support Operations Officer, Battalion Executive Officer, Brigade S3, Logistics Planner at the Division level, Battalion Commander for the 498th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Assistant Chief of Staff G4 and Chief of Staff, for the United States Army Special Operations Aviation Command (Airborne). Other distinguishable assignments include Professor of Military Science at the University of Puerto Rico in San Juan; Instructor/ Writer at the United States Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Command Inspector General for the Puerto Rico National Guard, where he started his career an enlisted Soldier; Tours of duty with the 1st Cavalry Division, the 593rd Corps Support Group, the 2nd Infantry Division, the 82nd Airborne Division, the 18th Airborne Corps, and the United States Army Special Operations Command. Furthermore, he completed two combat tours in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. COL (R) Lebron has two sons: Jarrett and Jayson, and two daughters: Joelishka and Lianny.

Col Saba, Bill N.

Chief of Staff

Colonel Bill Saba is a U.S. Army Foreign Area Officer specializing in the Middle East and Central Asia with a light infantry background. Bill graduated from the National Defense University with a master’s degree in National Security and Resource Strategy. Bill also holds a master’s degree in international policy from George Washington University and is currently pursuing a PhD in Foreign Policy from Liberty University. He speaks fluent Turkish and Arabic and can communicate in Russian. Bill attended Salisbury State University in Maryland for his undergraduate degree in psychology and played three years of football as a defensive end. In the infantry, Bill served as a platoon leader/executive officer in the 82^nd Airborne Division and as a Company Commander in the 10^th Mountain Division. As a Foreign Area Officer, Bill has served as a Liaison Officer to the Israeli and Turkish militaries, Assistant Army Attaché in Iraq, Army Attache in Turkey and the Senior Defense Official/Defense Attache in Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Kenya. Over the past twenty years, Bill has deployed to Kosovo, Bosnia, Afghanistan and twice to Iraq. He is married Dr. Christine McConaughey, who is a graduate of the University of Hawaii, speaks Chinese and is a professor at Liberty University and Lancaster Bible College.

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Inter-American Defense College