Mark "Hap" Harlow

Mr. Hap Harlow is the Security Cooperation Division Chief (G5) at U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) in Vicenza, Italy. He oversees the team responsible for delivering security cooperation effects in Africa that support U.S. national security objectives.

Mr. Harlow previously served as the Africa Building Partner Capacity Program Manager at the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Washington, DC. There, he was responsible to develop and coordinate programs with the Department of State, Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy, and the U.S. Congress.

Mr. Harlow retired from the United States Air Force in 2010 where he served as a C-130 Navigator Instructor and Examiner and Africa Foreign Area Officer. His assignments included the 40th Tactical Airlift Squadron at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina and the 37th Airlift Squadron at Ramstein Air Base in Landstuhl, Germany. He has over 4,000 hours in the C-130 supporting combat operations in the Arabian Peninsula and the Balkans, as well as peacekeeping operations in Africa and the Middle East. He also served in the Tanker Airlift Coordination Center directing deployed mobility elements around the globe. Mr. Harlow served as a Political-Military Officer in the U.S. European Command and helped stand up the newly formed U.S. Africa Command in 2006-2007. At Africa Command, Mr. Harlow led the regional engagement divisions and the theater security cooperation division.

Mr. Harlow is a graduate of the Central Missouri State University and a private pilot. He received a Master’s degree in National Security Studies focused on Africa at the U.S. Naval Post Graduate School. He is an avid cyclist and bicycle mechanic.