Shannon Beebe

Lieutenant Colonel Shannon Beebe, 42, of Alexandria, Virginia was taken August 7, 2011. Shannon is a graduate of Lake Hamilton High School; United States Military Academy-West Point and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Recognized internationally as an expert authority on human security, he was instrumental in the development of the unified command for Africa, AFRICOM. He co-authored The Ultimate Weapon is No Weapon: Human Security and the New Rules of War and Peace and served numerous duty positions including: Army Attaché, Luanda, Angola; Senior Africa Analyst, Office of United States Army Deputy Chief of Staff; combat and stability deployments to the Balkans; commander, Operation Desert Fox where he was awarded the Army Superior Unit Award; and prepared units for deployment to Kosovo. Shannon is a Jumpmaster-Senior Parachutist; Expert Infantry Member and Air Assault officer. As a leading thinker on 21st Century security architectures, he has been commended for reaching across traditional bureaucratic boundaries opening dialogues on developing world security. He is also recognized as an authority on climate change and environmental security on the African continent. Shannon is an adjunct professor at George Washington University's Elliot School of International Affairs in Washington and a frequent guest lecturer on Africa and human security. He has contributed or been featured in National Geographic; NBC News; Fox News; the BBC; MSNBC; L.A. Times; Washington Post; New York Times; and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Shannon, an avid aviator and bush pilot, has logged over 1000 hours of backcountry flying in Alaska and Africa, across the Arctic Circle and Equator. He holds an FAA Commercial Pilot rating and is recognized as the Commonwealth of Virginia's Aviation Ambassador after successfully completing a circuit of 66 general aviation airports in a record six days. Shannon is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Beebe; brother and sister-in-law, Shawn and Crystal Beebe; and sister, Shayla Beebe. In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made to the: LTC Shannon Beebe Memorial Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 137, Pearcy, Ark. 71964. Visitation is Friday, 19 August, 5pm-8pm, at Davis-Smith Funeral Home; services are Saturday, 20 August, 10am, at Center Fork Baptist Church, both in Hot Springs. Friends and family are welcome. Guest registry is at www.davis-smith.com.