Lebanese Army Military Academy

Lebanese Army Military Academy
Lebanese Army Military Academy Flag
Active	October 14, 1946 - Present
Country	Lebanon
Type	Military Academy
Part of	Lebanese Armed Forces
Garrison/HQ	Fayadieh
Motto(s)	"Knowledge - Sacrifice"

The Lebanese Army Military Academy (Arabic: الكلية الحربية‎‎ Al Kulliya al Harbiya) is a part of the Lebanese Armed Forces. The academy is situated at Shikri Ghanem military base, Fayadieh and is attached administratively to the command and administration department. It is one of the oldest military institutions in Lebanon, and was founded in Damascus in 1921 under the French mandate.

Following World War I, the French Army organized different army units in the mandated countries. As a result the necessity for national officers, translators and specialists was needed in order to establish departments for these units and then to become preparation for their independence. A Military School was established in Damascus in 1921 to prepare and train officers needed for these new units. In 1932, the Military School was relocated to Homs. The managerial Staff of the School during that period consisted of a school commander (a French Officer), a commander assistant (a Lebanese or Syrian officer) and training officers with their Non-Commissioned Officers’ assistants (Lebanese, Syrian or French). The enrollment and graduation took place during the month of October of every year. The provisos of admission to the military academy back then required an individual to be 18 to 25 years of age, hold a brevet certificate, pass the admissions test and to be a Lebanese or Syrian national or have a Lebanese or Syrian father.

The military school trained cadets for various periods, 3 years for those who were not proficient in French, 2 years for those who were proficient in French and one year for Non-Commissioned Officer’s. At the end of the training period, they graduate and get promoted to lieutenant rank according to a degree. During the graduation ceremony which is often chaired by the Syrian prime minister, the graduating officers are given Platoon commander certificate each in his own specialty (Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery, Engineering) and a certificate of competence for the rank of lieutenant. After the graduation, the officers are assigned to different army units where they establish the necessary departments and units in order to train, habilitate and lead. On August 15, 1945, the school barracks were handed over to the Syrian authorities and the Lebanese and French units moved to Lebanon. Instructors and students joined the Kobbeh barracks in Tripoli and they were put administratively under the authority of the third battalion’s company located there. After that, students were given a 15 days leave and joined a camp in Kousba. On September 25, the school moved to St. Anthony convent in Baabda, and settled there for about a year. On the 14th of October 1946, the school moved to Shikri Ghanem base, the buildings consisted of barracks that were used by the British before they left Lebanon and the school remained in this location till now. On December 31, 1951, the Lebanese president Bechara El Khoury inaugurated the school's new buildings.