Commanders

Iskandar Ghanem

Date and place of birth: 1911 - Sagbyn - Caza of West Bekaa

Spoken Languages: French - English

Marital status: Married/3 children

Promotions

Has enrolled at the Military Academy of Homs as Cadet Officer, on 10/09/1934
Promoted to Second Lieutenant on 14/07/1937
Promoted to First Lieutenant on 14/07/1941
Promoted to Captain on 01/07/1947
Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on 01/07/1954
Promoted to Colonel of Staff on 01/07/1960
Promoted to General of Staff on 01/07/1965
Promoted to Major General on 25/08/1965
Promoted to General on 25/07/1971

Functions

Assigned to the 1st Levant regiment on 14/07/1937
Assigned to the Lebanese artillery detachment of the Coast guards on 16/10/1940
Assigned to the Geographic Service of Planning of the Free Forces of France on 01/09/1941
Assigned to the Military Academy of Homs as Instructor of planning Skills on 15/10/1943
Assigned to the company site of Beirut and detached to the service of Geography on 16/07/1945
Assigned to the Military Institute (commander of the Officers School) on 16/03/1946
Assigned to the Artillery regiment as assistant Commander on 01/10/1946
Appointed commander of the Artillery regiment on 13/02/1948
resumed command of the Artillery Regiment on 05/08/1955
Appointed artillery inspector and commander of the Artillery Regiment on 01/11/1955
Assigned as artillery inspector only, and was transferred to the General Headquarters on 10/1/1957
In addition to his above post, he was assigned commander of the Anti-Aircraft regiment on 14/05/1958
Was appointed deputy chief of staff of war of the Army Command on 01/01/1959
Appointed commander of North Lebanon region on 20/01/1966
Designated as Defense attaché of the Land, Naval and Air Forces at the Lebanese Embassy in the United States of America on 01/07/1966
Appointed as chief of the Military court on 01/08/1967
Commissioned as commander of Beirut site on 02/09/1967
Appointed commander of North Lebanon region on 29/01/1968
Commissioned as commander of the Beirut site on 05/04/1968
Was transferred to the general Headquarters of the Beirut site as Commander of the site on 01/12/1968
Retired by age on 01/07/1969
Reinstated to service on 25/07/1971 and was appointed Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces
Designated Minister of National Defense and Minister of Water and Electric power Resources on 23/05/1975, while keeping his Military Rank and Title
Left the Political Job and maintained his initial function as Armed Forces Commander on 01/07/1975
Retired on 01/07/1976
Passed away on 04/02/2005

Courses inside the country

Firing Course in 1937
One Year, Art of planning course at the office of topography, , on 6/1/1938
Intelligence course from 1/15/1941 to 1/31/1941
Training course at the Officers' School from 3/2/1941 to 3/17/1947
Wireless equipment course from 12/19/1949 to 12/22/1949
Training course for Unit commanders from 2/6/1950 to 3/14/1950
Flying Course from 12/11/1950 to 12/16/1950
Complementary course for senior officers from 1/15/1952 to 2/15/1952
Complementary Course for Unit Commanders from 1/3/1953 to 1/24/1953

Courses abroad

Artillery course in France from 10/04/1951 to 22/07/1951
Training course in Cyprus from 15/03/1952 to 31/03/1952
Training course in the United States of America from 12/06/1954 to 01/07/1955

Medals and honors

Palestine commemorative medal
Lebanese Silver order of Merit
Order of the Cedar in Class of Knight
Lebanese Order of Merit in silver with branches
Order of the Merit Cross of the Military Association of Malta
Morocco: Order of the throne, Class of Commander
Brazilian Medal
Chinese Order of Merit
French Order of Merit
Decoration of Leon XIII, from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem
War Medal in bronze with branches
National order of the Cedar in Officer Class
Egyptian Order of Independence , Class of Commander
Haitian National Order of Merit in Grand Officer Class
Portuguese Military Order of Merit in Second Class
Lebanese Golden Order of Merit
Commemorative Decoration
National Order of the Cedar, Class of Commander
National Order of the Cedar in Class of Grand officer
National Order of the Cedar in Grand Cordon Class
Roman Decoration in Class of Grand Officer
Ecuadorian Medal in Class of Grand Officer
Chad Medal, Class of Commander
USA Medal of 1968
Order of Military esteem, Silver Class
Commendation of the Armed Forces Commander, with war Medal, one time
Felicitations of the Armed Forces Commander, Two times