- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
On Sunday, November 16, 2025, the United Houma Nation welcomed French Army General François Lecointre, Grand Chancellor of France's Legion of Honor, to its Tribal Office in Houma, Louisiana. A reception was held to commemorate the historic bond that has existed between the Houma Nation and France since historic times.
General Lecointre and his family, who traveled from Paris, and Consul General of France in Louisiana Randolph Sambou, were greeted by the United Houma Nation Tribal Council at the Tribal Office and by Principal Chief Lora Ann Chaisson, who joined the event via web conference from the 82nd Annual National Congress of American Indians Convention in Seattle, Washington. Chief Chaisson gifted General Lecointre a traditional Houma palmetto basket.
The Legion of Honor is France's highest civilian and military honor and was instituted by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802. Former United Houma Nation Principal Chief Brenda Dardar Robichaux was awarded the Legion of Honor Medal in 1999.
General Lecointre was appointed by French President Emmanuel Macron to oversee the Legion of Honor in February 2023. He previously served as Chief of Defense Staff, France's top military position, from 2017 to 2021.
Born on February 6, 1962, in Cherbourg, General Lecointre graduated from the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr and chose to serve in the Infantry Marine troops. His distinguished military career spanned over three decades, including deployments to the Central African Republic, the Gulf War, Somalia, Rwanda, Sarajevo, the Ivory Coast, and Mali.
As a section leader from 1988 to 1991, he served in the 3rd Infantry Marine Regiment and participated in the Gulf War. He later commanded the same regiment from 2005 to 2007, deploying to the Ivory Coast during Operation Unicorn in 2006. Promoted to Brigadier General in 2011, he commanded the 9th Marine Infantry Brigade and led the first European Union Training Mission in Mali in 2013.
He served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army from 2014 to 2016 before being appointed Head of the Prime Minister's military cabinet. Raised to the rank of Army General in July 2017, he served as Chief of Defence Staff until his retirement in July 2021.
General Lecointre has been awarded the Croix de Guerre, the Croix de Valeur Militaire with four commendations, the Grand'Croix of the Legion of Honor, and the Grand'Croix of the National Order of Merit.
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