King presents commander’s colours to medical services

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah, the Supreme Commander of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF), on Monday handed in the Supreme Commander’s Colours to the Royal Medical Services Department (RMS), which was established in 1941.

The ceremony, which started in September 2015, is a show of appreciation for the bravery and sacrifices offered by members of JAF units and for their efforts in defending the country and its citizens, according to a Royal Court statement.

It is also part of continued efforts by King Abdullah to recognise the various units of the army.

Arriving at the ceremony site in the Royal Court’s Flag Square, the King received an official welcome that included a 21-gun salute by the artillery. 

The Supreme Commander was received by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat and RMS Director General Maj. Gen. Muin Habashneh.

The ceremony started with the army band playing the Royal Anthem, before the commander of the parade queue asked for His Majesty's permission to replace the old RMS flag with the Supreme Commander’s Colours and the new banner of the RMS. 

King Abdullah marched by the parade queue, which was positioned near a military medical exhibition that highlighted the RMS development in the field of medicine. 

The exhibition included a 50-bed hospital with emergency, operations and intensive care units, provided with up-to-date medical equipment to deal with field injuries.  

The base colour of the Supreme Commander’s Flag is maroon and in the centre lies an image of the Royal Crown lifted on two ears of wheat. The emblem of the honoured unit appears in the upper corner of the banner, close to the flagpole.

During the ceremony, Habashneh delivered a speech, in which he expressed pride in RMS members for earning the King’s colours.

Several Royal family members, high-ranking officers and officials attended the ceremony.

The RMS is a key medical facility that provides health services to more than one-third of the Kingdom’s population through its hospitals, comprehensive healthcare centres and field hospitals in remote areas.