Retired commander to speak at UMaine

ORONO – The retired commander of Allied forces in Europe, Adm. Gregory G. Johnson, will speak Nov. 27 at the University of Maine.

Johnson will be in Orono for a luncheon lecture on “Lessons of Bosnia and Other Conflicts.”

He is retired commander in chief of Allied Forces, Southern Europe, and commander of U.S. Forces, Europe.

Johnson will speak from noon to 1:15 p.m. in the McIntire Room of Buchanan Alumni House.

His appearance is sponsored by the William S. Cohen Center for International Policy and Commerce.

The event is free and open to those with a reservation. Call the Cohen Center at 581-1988 or e-mail Peter Fandel at peter.fandel@umit.maine.edu or Rebecca Sedgwick at rebecca.sedgwick@umit.maine.edu.

Johnson was born in Westmanland in Aroostook County and is a UM graduate.

Shore duty assignments have included serving with the Joint Chiefs of Staff as head of the European Command and Central Command Branch of the Joint Operations Division.

In 1999, he became the senior military assistant to then-Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen.

Admiral Johnson’s previous assignments included commanding the U.S. Sixth Fleet and Naval Striking and Support Forces, Southern Europe. Johnson assumed duties as commander of U.S. Naval Forces, Europe, and commander in chief, Allied Forces, Southern Europe in 2001.