Brigadier General Erastus Nomongula Kashopola is a retired Namibian military officer. His last command was as the General Officer Commanding 21 Motorised Infantry Brigade.

Erastus Kashopola
Born (1958-07-01) 1 July 1958 (age 66)
Ongonga, Namibia
(then South-West Africa, South Africa)
Allegiance Namibia
Service / branchPeople's Liberation Army of Namibia
Namibian Army
Years of service1990–2017
Rank Brigadier General
Commands21 Motorised Infantry Brigade
262 Battalion
263 Batalion
44 Arty Regiment
Battles / warsNamibian War of Independence Second Congo War

Career

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PLAN

His military career started in the 1970s when he joined the People's Liberation Army of Namibia in exile. He served in various roles until being appointed as an Artillery Unit chief of reconnaissance.

NDF

In 1990 he was a pioneer of the NDF officer corps as he was inducted with the rank of Captain. He served extensively in various command and support roles. He was the Commanding Officer of 44 Artillery Regiment, 263 Battalion, 262 Battalion. He commanded the fourth Namibian Battalion Iteration NAMBATT IV to Angola under MONUA. A combat veteran of the Second Congo War he was the Commanding officer of Battalion Group one the Namibian Army's first battalion rotation to DRC under its operation code-named Operation Atlantic. He also commanded the first and fourth Namibian Battalion Iteration NAMBATT I & NAMBAT IV to Liberia under UNMIL Iteration between 2004 and 2007.

He also was the commandant of the Oshivelo Army Battle School. As a colonel he was also a Deputy Commander for 4 Artillery Brigade (Namibia) and also Deputy commander for 21 Motorised Infantry Brigade. He was then Promoted to Brigadier General and appointed as GOC 21 Motorised Infantry Brigade succeeding Brigadier General Phillip Shikuma Kamati who was appointed as Defence Inspector General.[1] He retired in July 2019 and was succeeded by Brigadier General Martin Shikomba as GOC 21 Motorised Infantry Brigade.[2][3]

 
Brig Gen Kashopola (front) saluting the head of state during a 2015 parade

Qualifications

  • Junior Command Course -India
  • Command and Staff Course-Tanzania
  • Diploma in Defence and Strategic Studies-China
  • Diploma in Modern Management and Administration -United Kingdom

Honours and decorations

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Military offices
Preceded by
Brig Gen Phillip Kamati
GOC 21 Motorised Infantry Brigade
19 July 2011 – 25 July 2019
Succeeded by
Brig Gen Martin Shikomba
Preceded by
Unknown
Commanding Officer 262 Battalion
01 April 2006 – unknown date
Succeeded by
Unknown
Preceded by
Unknown
Commanding Officer 263 Battalion
unknown date – 31 March 2006
Succeeded by
Lt Col Abed Mukumangeni[4]

References

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  1. ^ Ministry of Defence, M (September 2011). "Inauguration of 21 Inf Bde Commander". NDF Journal. 41: 4.
  2. ^ "Lela Mobile Online - Kashopola retires as 21 Brigade commander". Archived from the original on 2019-11-02. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
  3. ^ "Kashopola retires as 21 Brigade commander".
  4. ^ "The Namibian".