1st year cadets at Ecole formation d'officiers, Kananga, Congo (Democratic Republic)

"The president is the commander-in-chief, and since 1969 Mobutu has held the portfolio of Minister of Defense. The army contains fourteen infantry, seven paratrooper, one mechanized, and four guard battalions. They have received training at different times from Belgian, French, U.S., Chinese, North Korean, and Israeli military technicians." [F. Scott Bobb, 1999: Historical Dictionary of Democratic Republic of Congo, The Scarecrow Press, Inc.]. During his trip to Congo (now Democratic Republic of Congo), Elisofon visited the military training center at the Ecole de formation d'officiers, Kananga, capital of Kasai Occidental Province. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon traveled to Africa from March 17, 1970 to July 17, 1970.