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