Veterans Day marked with special ceremony

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday attended a ceremony marking Veterans Day in honour of ex-servicemen’s sacrifices for the country.

During the festivity, organised as part of the Kingdom's celebrations of the centennial anniversary of the Great Arab Revolt, King Abdullah watched a silent military parade by the infantry, and another parade by the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army's (JAF) musical band, which played pieces dedicated for the revolt’s anniversary. 

Arriving at the ceremony's location at King Hussein Bin Ali Brigade, which is headquartered within the Royal Court, His Majesty was received by King’s Military Adviser and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Gen. Mashal Al Zaben and Director General of the Economic and Social Association for Retired Servicemen and Veterans Maj. Gen. Mahmoud Irdeisat.

Irdeisat expressed his organisation’s appreciation for His Majesty's continuous support for ex-servicemen, according to a Royal Court statement.

February 15 was designated a national day in recognition of the achievements of veteran warriors and ex-servicemen under Royal directives to the government in March 2012.

Celebrating Veterans Day and the centennial of the Revolt, some 900 military servicemen and veterans of different ranks, including injured military personnel, participated in a march that started from the first JAF camp, JAF musical band headquarters, through Al Aqsa Street on the way to the Royal Court.

Participants carried the Jordanian flag, the Revolt’s banners and the flags of the military units they served at.

The march also saw the participation of old military vehicles from the Royal Automobile Museum, which JAF  has used in different historical periods.

Guards of honour and Gendarmerie Department horse riders, followed by retired servicemen of all governorates representing different JAF and security institutions, also took part in the march.

King Abdullah hosted a lunch banquet in honour of the retired soldiers, the statement added.