Egyptian Military Academy

The Egyptian Military Academy (الكلية الحربية) is the oldest and most prominent military academy in Egypt and North Africa. Traditionally, graduates of the Military Academy are commissioned as officers in the Egyptian Army. However, they may serve in other branches and commands of the Egyptian military establishment.

The Military Academy contains branches, which provide additional training and skills. It also features a prolonged study system so as to graduate more elite officers to serve in the 1st Army and Special forces, such as the Branch of Military Arts and Thunderbolt School.

The Academy's current Director is Major General Esmat Abdul Aziz Murad.

History
The founding of the Military Academy dates back to the year 1811, when the first Military School was set up in the citadel area of Cairo, Egypt's capital. In 1820, the Military School moved to Aswan, and in 1908, it was relocated to the El-Abassia Military Barracks in the El-Koba Bridge area.

Originally reserved for members of the Egyptian upper class, the Academy changed its rules for admission in 1936 to allow the sons of lower and middle-class families to enter.

In March 1938, the Military School's name changed to become the Military Academy. After the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, the Military Academy's present site was established and inaugurated by the late Egyptian President Gamal Abd El-Nasser on March 3, 1955.

Mission
The Military Academy aims to prepare and qualify cadets to become combat officers capable of commanding sub-units during times of peace and war, and under various psychological, physical and morale conditions. With this thorough scientific and cultural training that enables them to efficiently adapt to the swift advances in the area of military science, cadets are able to maintain the highest level of combat efficiency of their units.

Degrees and syllabus
The Military Academy awards two types of degrees:
 * Bachelor Degree in Military Sciences
 * Military Studies Completion Certificate (for University graduates who choose a career in the Egyptian Armed Forces upon graduation)

The institution also offers additional courses:
 * Language courses in English and Arabic (for officers of foreign countries like Sudan or Germany)

Notable alumni

 * Gamal Abdel Nasser - second President of Egypt
 * Anwar Sadat - third president of Egypt
 * Abdul Munim Riad - Egyptian Army chief of staff and commander of the Jordanian front in the Six-Day War
 * Saad el-Shazly - Prominent commander of the Egyptian Army during Yom Kippur War
 * Ahmed Ismail Ali - Chief of Staff during Anwar Sadat's presidency
 * Abd-Al-Minaam Khaleel – Commander of the Egyptian 2nd Army during the Yom Kippur War.
 * Abdel Ghani el-Gamasy – Egyptian military leader and Director of Operations for all forces participating in the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
 * Abdullahi Ahmed Irro – General in the Military of Somalia.
 * Hassan Abshir Farah – former Mayor of Mogadishu, Interior Minister of Puntland, and Prime Minister of Somalia.
 * Hisham Hafiz – Saudi Arabian newspaper publisher and author.
 * Hosni Mubarak – Deposed 4th President of Egypt (1981-2011).
 * Hussein el-Shafei – member of Egypt's July, 1952 revolutionary leadership council and former Vice-president of Egypt.
 * Khalid Islambouli – assassinated Anwar Sadat.
 * Omar al-Bashir – current President of Sudan.
 * Mohammed Aly Fahmy – Commander of the Egyptian Air Defense Command (May 1969-January 1975) and Chief-of-Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces (January 1975-October 1978).
 * Mustafa Fahmi Pasha – politician, cabinet minister, and two-time Prime Minister of Egypt.
 * Rashad Mehanna – Egyptian colonel who played a significant role in the Egyptian Revolution of 1952.