Major General Uwem Bassey hails from Mbiabong Ikot Udo in Ini LGA of Akwa Ibom State (AKS). He attended the Methodist Boys’ High School, Nto Ndang - Ikot Ekpene in AKS. He was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in 1987 as a member of 39th Regular Course. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in International Relations and Defence Studies (IRDS) and won the Gen Katsina’s Prize as the best graduating cadet of the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Also, the senior officer holds a Masters in Legal Studies (International Law and Diplomacy) from the Lagos State University, 1997 where he won the prize for best dissertation in his set and Masters in Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan, 2017.  
Gen Bassey since on commission in 1992 into the Infantry Corps has held several appointments in command, staff and instructional as well as served in various units and formations in the course of his career. The prominent command appointments held include Platoon/Acting Company Commander in NIBATT 14 - ECOMOG Liberia, Acting Company Commander in 35 Bn OP HARMONY IV Bakassi Peninsula, Commanding Officer 134 Bn, Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in Kangarwa - Borno State. Also, he was Commander 5 Bde Gubio and Acting Commander Sector 3 Operation LAFIA DOLE (OPLD) in Borno State.  On staff appointments, he was Adjutant in NIBATT 14 ECOMOG, 192 and 149 Bn respectively. Deputy Chief of Staff (DCOS) Administration HQ 2 Bde, DCOS G4 HQ 81 Div, Assistant Director in AHQ Dept of Army Transformation and Innovation, Director in AHQ Dept of Army Standard and Evaluation. He was Principal Staff Officer (Combat) in the Office of the COAS and Coordinator, NA Operations Centre in AHQ. He was later appointed as the Director Personnel Services (Army) in Dept of Administration in Army Headquarters (AHQ) and appointed as the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 8 Division Nigerian Army/Force Commander, Joint Task Force (North West) OPERATION HADARIN DAJI from 2021 – 2023 before being posted to DRDB - DHQ. On instructional appointment, he was instructor at the NDA. He was posted to the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) as a Research Fellow, Director Human Resource Development and later Senior Research Fellow at the Centre.  He is a member of Editorial Board of the NARC Journal Magazine since 2019.    
Maj Gen Bassey has attended several military and professional leadership courses. Some of these courses include the Infantry Young Officers’ Course, Mortar and Anti-Tank Platoon Commanders’ courses, Regimental Intelligence and Security Officers’ Course. Others are the Junior and Senior Staff Courses, Company and Commanding Officers’ Courses as well as the National Defence Course. Gen Bassey has also attended the Indigenous Languages Course, the Harvard Kennedy Executive Leadership Programme and the Leadership in National Security Course amongst others. The senior officer is highly decorated with various medals and awards which include the Forces Service Star, Meritorious Service Star, Distinguished Service Star, Command Medal, Field Command Medal, ECOMOG, OP HARMONY IV, UNAMSIL, UNMIL, MNJTF, OPLD and General Operations Medals amongst others. He has been awarded the passed staff course and fellow Defence College. He is a member of the prestigious Nigerian Institute of International Affairs and fellow of the NARC, amongst others. 
Maj Gen Uwem Bassey is widely travelled in the course of his career. Some of the countries he has visited include Belarus, Benin Republic, Chad, Dubai, Ethiopia, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, India, Liberia, Niger, Sierra Leone and Togo. He is happily married to Mrs Glory Bassey (Nee Usoro) and the marriage is blessed with children. Email: uwembasseyb@yahoo.com. Phone No:  +2348037864892.