Lebanese Army Website

Chief Of Staff - Youssef Chmeit

1- General Information:

Date and place of birth : 1910-Alay-Caza of Alay

Languages : French, English

Marital status : Married/2 children

2- Promotions:

Has enrolled in the Military Academy of Damascus as a cadet officer, starting 9/1/1932

Was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant starting 9/1/1934

Was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant starting 9/1/1934

Was promoted to the rank of Captain starting 7/1/1945

Was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel starting 7/1/1952

Was promoted to the rank of Colonel starting 7/1/1957

Was promoted to the rank of General starting 7/1/1962

Was promoted to the rank of First General starting 8/1/1967

Was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General starting 1/16/1970

3- Functions:

Was attached to the 2^nd Orient regiment starting 9/1/1934

Was attached to the 1^st snipers regiment starting 8/20/1941

Was attached to the 2^nd Orient regiment starting 1/1/1942

Was attached to the 2^nd Orient regiment and appointed commander of the section of the site of Lattakieh with keeping the commandment of the intelligence of the Alaouite region, starting 9/1/1943

Was attached to the Staff of War, 5^th mountain legion and appointed chief of the 4^th section starting 1/1/1944

Was attached to the 1^st Orient regiment starting 5/1/1944

Was attached to the 2^nd snipers regiment starting 8/1/1945

Was appointed chief of the service of equipment and supplying starting 2/18/1948

Was attached to the HQ group as chief of the service of equipment and supplying starting 3/1/1948

Was put under the disposal of the general chief –commander of the Army starting 6/1/1949

Was appointed chief of the 3^rd section in the Staff of War of the Commandment starting 9/1/1950

Was appointed deputy-chief of Staff of War of the Commandment, and chief of sections 3 and 4 starting 8/10/1954

Was appointed inspector of instruction starting 1/16/1955

Was appointed commander of the HQ group starting 5/15/1955

Was appointed deputy-chief of Staff of war of the commandment, inspector in the infantry and instruction, and commander of the HQ group starting 11/1/1955

Became deputy-chief of the Staff of War of the commandment and commander of the HQ group starting 1/1/1956

Left the commandment of the HQ group and took the position of deputy-chief of Staff of war of the commandment, inspector of instruction starting 5/16/1956

Was appointed as Chief of Staff of War of the Lebanese Army Command starting 1/1/1959

Was appointed instruction inspector in the Army starting 10/8/1956 in addition to his position of Chief of Staff of War at the Lebanese Army Command

Became chief of the High Command of Staff starting 6/1/1966

Was appointed agent at the Ministry of Interior Affairs, in charge of coordinating Interior Security Affairs starting 7/20/1960

In addition to his current position of chief of Staff of War at the High Command, he was appointed commander of the Armed Forces, by interim, starting 8/15/1966 until 9/20/1966, and from 2/28/1967 until 3/12/1967

In addition to his position of chief of Staff of War at the High Command, he was appointed commander in of the Armed Forces, by interim, from 9/9/1967 until 9/26/1967, and from 8/5/1968 until 9/5/1968, and from 6/20/1969 until 6/25/1969, and from 8/21/1969 until 9/2/1969, then from 9/28/1969 until 10/13/1969, and finally from 5/22/1970 until 5/25/1970

Retired on 7/1/1971

4- Courses inside the country:

Has followed a course to use the telescope from 5/15/1937 to 7/22/1937

Has followed a course to complete intelligence studies from 2/10/1947 until 11/19/1947

Has followed an upgrade course to the rank of Colonel from 8/31/1981 to 10/27/1981

5- Courses outside the country:

Has followed a course in Great Britain from 7/28/1947 to 11/19/1947

Has followed a course in France from 6/27/1949 to 8/24/1950

Has followed a course in France from 6/30/1953 to 8/16/1954

6- Medals, awards and honors:

Lebanese Order of Merit

Commemorative Medal of Palestine

National decoration of the Cedar, Knight Grade

Silver Medal of the Lebanese Merit, with branches

Decoration of the Egyptian Nile, 2^nd Grade

Decoration of the two banks, 4^th Grade

Decoration of the Phoenix, Grade of Commandor, from the King of Greece

Egyptian decoration of Independence, Grade of Commandor

Decoration of the throne of Marrakech, Grade of Commandor

Decoration of the Big French Cross for Humanitarian Work

National decoration of the Cedar, Grade of Officer

Decoration of Saints Peter and Paul from the Patriarch Alexandros III

National Decoration of China, Grade of Commandor

Brazilian Decoration of Military Merit, Grade of Commandor

French decoration of the National Merit, Grade of Commandor

Golden Lebanese Order of Merit

Haitian Order of Merit, Grade of Great Officer

Portuguese Decoration of Military Merit, 2^nd Grade

Decoration of Knowledge, 3^rd grade

Commemorative decoration of 12/31/1961

National Decoration of the Cedar, Grade of Commandor

Competence Decoration from the ministry of Interior Affairs

The big French saber for Humanitarian Affairs

The big Saber of the Decoration of Turcing

Italian Order of Merit, Grade of Commandor

Decoration of the Republic of Tunisia, Grade of Great Officer

Order of the French Legion of Honor, Grade of Officer

Decoration of the Army, Grade of Great Officer

Senegalese National Decoration, Grade of Commandor

Decoration of the throne of Marrakech, 2^nd grade

Jordanian Decoration of Independence, 1^st Grade

National Decoration of the Cedar, Grade of Great Officer

National Decoration of the Cedar, Grade of Great Saber