Waleed A. Samkari
 | A major contributor to this article appears to have a close connection with its subject. |
General Waleed Ahmad Samkari (العميد وليد أحمد السمكري), Director of the Royal Maintenance Corps (سلاح الصيانة الملكي), responsible for supporting continuous operations for the military.[1]. During his command, his unit underwent a change in adopting modern military organization. Samkari helped with getting the ZSU-23-4 "Shilka" and the 9K33 Osa from Russia and the former Soviet Union. He influenced improving military collaboration between Jordan and Turkey. He had been educated in Turkey and was fluent in the language.
Early life
Samkari was born in Irbid in 1942. He was educated there and finished high school when he was 16. He then enrolled in college in Turkey in 1959.
Education
Samkari attended Istanbul Technical University(1959-1965) where he received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in mechanical engineering. He then worked on an irrigation project north of Jordan where he reportedly witnessed an arial battle between israeli and syrian fighter jets in the 6 day war in 1967. He reportedly decided to join the military at that time. he moved to work in Kuwait for a few years. thumb|right| He then joined the army. The military sent Samkari for several educational courses in England and the United States including Fort Lee (Virginia) in 1988, where he received his second masters degree from the Florida Institute of Technology.
Military career
Samkari entered the service in 1972 He was He started working in the Maintenance Corps warehouses that were responsible for supplying the military with spare parts. He was sent to the United States in order to get training in leadership and management.
He proved to be valuable in relations with Turkey.
At that time, the Chieftain Tank needed enhancement in order to meet changing military needs. The maintenance director, Major General Kharabsheh, installed the new laser targeting system on several tanks including the M60. This move was revolutionary for the Jordanian military. It made it possible for the cavalry to balance power with its neighbors.
After Kharabsheh retired, King Hussein promoted Samkari to become a general and commander of the corps in 1992. Samkari's role as director came at a sensitive time. After the Gulf War, the face of the middle east had changed. Samkari reused parts and reassembled them, due to the shortage of spare parts. That changed by the time of the start of the peace talks between Jordan and Israel. By that time Jordan had started an era of sophisticated military force.
Samkari had a special relation ship with the king of Jordan, King Abdullah II, especially when the king was commander of the Jordanian Special Forces.
Role in military improvement
General Samkari was a member of the envoy to the Soviet Union which acquired Russian made anti aircraft weaponry, the ZSU-23-4 "Shilka"[2] and the 9K33 Osa missiles and targeting radar. He also was sent to the United Kingdom to gain support for various British built weaponry in Jordan. Samkari was also sent to the United States several times in ordered to take courses to improve the Jordanian military in Fort Lee (Virginia).
References
See also
- Jordanian Armed Forces
- Jordan
- Royal maintenance corp
- King Hussein
- King Abdullah II
- General
- brigadier general
- Istanbul Technical University
- Florida Institute of Technology