MUSCAT: The Royal Army of Oman (RAO) today celebrated the passing out of officer cadets after a graduation course at Sultan Qaboos Military College (SQMC). The ceremony was presided over by His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs.
The protocols of celebration, held at the military parade grounds at Muaskar Al Murtafaa , 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 bearers of the flag roamed the rows of their batch.
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. The performance also reflects various aspects of modernisation 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. -- ONA
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
