Capping the annual graduation ceremonies at the training institutions of People’s National Army, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, President of the Republic of Algeria, Supreme Chief of the Armed Forces, Minister of National Defence, presided the annual graduation ceremony for the 56th promotrion of basic training, the 18th promotion of common basic military training, and the 9th promotion of officers in the Master’s cycle at the Cherchell Military Academy “late President Houari Boumediene.”

The President of the Republic was welcomed at the main entrance of the Academy by General Saïd Chanegriha, Minister Delegate to the Minister of National Defence, Chief of People’s National Army Staff, accompanied by the Lieutenant General, Commander of the Land Forces, and the Major General, Chief of the Cherchell Military Academy.

At the beginning and after the welcoming ceremony, the President of the Republic listened to the national anthem and received the honors rendered by the various formations of People’s National Army Forces.

He then saluted the welcoming delegation, including the Secretary General of the Ministry of National Defence, the Force Commanders and Commanders of the Republican Guard of the National Gendarmerie, and the Major General, Commander of the 1st Military Region, the Algerian Ministry of National Defence said in a statement.

At the entrance to the Academy, the President of the Republic observed a moment of silence in tribute to the late President Houari Boumediene, whose name the Cherchell Military Academy is named after. He then followed a presentation on the Academy, the training program, and the graduated promotion.

At the parade ground, the President of the Republic presided the graduation ceremony for new promotions for the 2024-2025 school year, at the start of which he reviewed the squares of the military formations aligned at the parade ground, before General Chanegriha, Minister Delegate to the Minister of National Defense, Chief of People’s National Army Staff delivered a speech in which he thanked the President of the Republic for supervising the graduation ceremony of the Cherchell Military Academy, coinciding with the festivities commemorating the 63rd anniversary of Independence and the recovery of national sovereignty.

This training citadel, like other PNA training structures, ensures the consolidation of the ranks with officers equipped with various sciences and knowledge, imbued with nationalist and republican principles and values, and aware of the different contexts and changes facing today’s world.

In this regard, General Chanegriha reaffirmed the interest and attention paid by the PNA High Command to the military training apparatus within the People’s National Army through the provision of all the human, educational, and material resources necessary to ensure rich theoretical and practical training, based on the conviction that quality training of human resources constitutes the cornerstone of the success of the project to build a strong and feared army, capable of facing current security challenges and overcoming the related challenges, and ensuring efficient adaptation to the geostrategic changes prevailing at the regional and international levels.

For his part, the Commandant of the Cherchell Military Academy emphasized that the Academy is now graduating a new elite cadre of officers of People’s National Army who have benefited from quality scientific military training, shaped by exemplary military conduct and imbued with patriotism, strong determination, and self-sacrifice in the service of the Nation, which equips them to fulfill their future missions with merit and aptitude.

After the graduated promotion had taken the oath of office, the President of the Republic proceeded to award the ranks and diplomas to the first graduates, presenting the diploma to the valedictorian of the Master’s program, followed by the rank of Second Lieutenant and the Academy sword to the valedictorian of the Basic Training program. He also presented the diploma to the valedictorian of the Joint Basic Military Training class from sister and friendly countries, before inviting the accompanying delegation to present the diplomas and ranks to the other graduates.

The ceremony continued with the presentation of the Academy’s standard by the graduated promotion of active-duty officers to the succeeding promotion, before the valedictorian of the 56th promotion of Basic Training submitted for the approval of the President of the Republic the naming of the class in the name of the Moujahid “General Hocine Benhadid,” while presenting a short biography of the deceased.

The formation squares then took up positions at the parade starting point, giving way to martial arts exhibitions such as karate, kung Fu, taekwondo, as well as collective sports exhibitions with and without weapons, including jumping over obstacles on fire, before reenacting figures and tableaux in the national colors, followed by a combat demonstration exercise performed by a combined detachment of the Academy’s graduates.

The graduation ceremony also saw the participation of the Air Force through the execution of aerial maneuvers performed by various fighter aircraft squadrons and in-flight refueling of fighter aircraft. The President of the Republic then watched a live broadcast on a giant screen of a demonstration exercise performed by the Naval Forces, entitled: “Freeing a Hostage on Land from the Sea.” After a parachute jump display, the National Flag Guard led a military parade followed by the squadrons of career officer cadets from Basic and Common Basic Military Training, to the accompaniment of military music performed by a troop of the Republican Guard.

In addition, the President of the Republic attended the activities of the scientific exhibition organized by officer students from the graduated promotion at the “Didouche Mourad” educational complex.

Afterward, the President of the Republic honored the family of Moujahid General Hocine Benhadid before signing the Academy’s guestbook. (Source & Photo © Algerian Ministry of National Defence)