His early officer career included service with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in Germany, where he deployed twice to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Over the years, he has held a wide range of leadership positions, including company commander at Fort Benning, Aide-de-Camp to the IMCOM Deputy Commanding General, Political-Military Affairs Officer at the U.S. Department of State, and senior personnel roles in Hawaii, the Pentagon, and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
In 2022, he assumed command of the Allied Forces South Battalion, U.S. Army NATO Brigade, headquartered in Naples, Italy, leading troops across three continents. He later attended the Eisenhower School at the National Defense University, earning a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy. He currently serves as a Research Analyst at the Congressional Research Service, providing nonpartisan defense and national security analysis to the U.S. Congress.
Colonel M’Bai was formally sworn in on 31 January 2026 at Roosevelt Hall in Washington, D.C., in a dignified ceremony rich with symbolism, including the display of flags once belonging to the late General Colin Powell. The rank was pinned on him by his wife, Ya Awa Phall, alongside their daughter, Fatmatta, and close family members, an emotional moment reflecting shared sacrifice, pride, and service.
