Major General Mattar Salim Al Balushi, Commander of the Royal Army of Oman (RAO) received at Al Murtafa’a Garrison Wednesday Major General Amer Mohammed Al Neyadi, Commander of Zayed II Military College at the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Major General Dr. Ali Saleh Al Hudaif, Commander of King Abdulaziz Military College at the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Brigadier Khalid Shuja Al Otaibi, Commandant of Ali Sabah Military College at the State of Kuwait, and Brigadier Abdulhadi Mohammed Tarhib Al Hajri, Commandant of Ahmed bin Mohammed Military College at the State of Qatar.

This meeting comes within the framework of the Commandants’ participation in the passing out ceremony of officer cadets of the Royal Army of Oman (RAO). The meeting touched on various matters of mutual interest, Oman News Agency (ONA) reported.

The meeting was attended by Brigadier Salim Saif Al Hosni, Senior Officer at the RAO Command, Brigadier Said Zaid Al Habsi, Commandant of Sultan Qaboos Military College and several Senior RAO Officers.

Meanwhile, the Royal Army of Oman (RAO) celebrated Wednesday the passing out of officer cadets after a graduation course at Sultan Qaboos Military College (SQMC) . The ceremony was presided over by HH Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs.

The protocols of celebration, held at the military parade grounds at Al Murtafaa Garrison, began with the graduates’ giving the military salute to the chief guest. The RAO band played the Royal Anthem, after which the commander of the column, asked HH Sayyid Shihab permission to inspect the front row of the parade. The graduates performed a military show in slow motion and normal march. They passed in front of the dais of the celebration square, led by the SQMC colours. Then, the column advanced forward in parade form.

After that, HH Sayyid Shihab handed the Sword of Honour to RAO’s cadet officer Mohammed Hamad Al Shibli, who won first place at the level of the batch of cadet officers.

This was followed by the SQMC colours changing hands, with the graduating batch handing the flag over to the current batch undergoing training at the SQMC, who vowed to keep the flag fluttering high as ever. Then, the Flag Anthem was played, and the b The graduates chanted the RAO anthem. They performed the Oath of Loyalty, proclaiming allegiance and chanting thrice “Long Live His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, the Supreme commander”.

The column of graduating officers performed the military salute. Then, the band played the Royal Anthem and the commander of the column asked chief guest’s permission to dismiss.

The column passed in front of the dais, giving the military salute to HH Sayyid Shihab.

Then, the RAO band presented various musical pieces and a military musical show, with different detachments exhibiting their skills, which reflected high morale and dexterity in using the latest equipment and musical instruments which the band was supplied. The performance also reflects various aspects of modernization and preparedness offered by the RAO to its personnel. Later, it shaped out the letters forming the name of “Sultanate of Oman” on the floor of the parade grounds.

The ceremony was attended by Ministers, Undersecretaries, Chairman of the State Council, Commanders of the Sultan’s Armed Forces (SAF) and other military and security units, Commandants of Military Colleges in GCC states, Retired Commanders, Senior SAF Officers, Retired Senior Officers from other military and security detachments, Military Attachés from Embassies of Arab and friendly countries accredited to Oman, RAO personnel and parents of the officer cadets.