AMMONNEWS - By Ahmed BaniTaha - Jordan is located in the middle of many countries that have been witnessing difficult and complicated political and security situations and conflicts. This has caused Jordan to take a number of actions and decisions to handle these deteriorating and critical situations that surround the country.

In order to meet the requirements of the current stage, a royal decree was issued to appoint Staff Lieutenant General Mahmoud A. Freihat as the Chief of Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF). Staff Lt. General Freihat has had a wide variety of military experiences during his long service in the different units and formations of Jordanian Armed Forces.

Through looking closely at the curriculum vitae and the job history of Lt. General Mahmoud Freihat, it is clear that appointing him was due to the long military experience he has been through. Also, he has worked as the commander of the Northern Military Region of the Kingdom. This particular region is known for being turbulent and full of conflicts since the start of the Syrian Revolution that began in 2011. The current Chief of Staff has also worked as the Director of Combat Operations at the General Headquarters.

Later, Lt. General Freihat was appointed as the Military Attaché in the Kingdom's embassy in the United Kingdom. He was also appointed as Chief of Staff's assistant for Planning Affairs (J5). Assuming all these positions and fulfilling all the relevant roles and responsibilities successfully have enabled Lt. Gen. Freihat to gain the trust of His Majesty King Abdulla II bin Al Hussein to appoint him in this crucial position at this particular time.

The TV interview Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat had with BBC Arabic was very popular on social media. During that interview, Lt. Gen. Freihat reassured Jordanians that Jordanian Armed Forces is held at the highest level of readiness to protect the kingdom's borders against terrorist attempts and attacks that many different armed groups in the neighboring countries surrounding Jordan try to execute to destabilize the security of the country. What has made that particular TV interview so special is the way through which Lt. Gen. Freihat addressed Jordanians. His very Jordanian dialect was simple and straightforward, and that was an important reason why that interview gained the satisfaction of all Jordanians and was so popular on social media.

Lt. Gen. Freihat has spent less than one year in his current position and since he assumed his responsibilities; he took a number of decisions to improve the current state of Jordanian Armed Forces through restructuring its various units, directorates, and departments.

The newly-appointed Chief of Staff has recently directed relevant and competent directorates and departments in the General Headquarters to study increasing housing loans for both officers and soldiers to support them in meeting life requirements. His periodic visits to JAF various units and formations have played a significant role in strengthening the ties between officers and soldiers and their higher command; in addition to the positive impact this can have on their morale and performance.

General Headquarters has recently issued Senior Officers' Code of Conduct to enhance integrity, accountability, and transparency across the Armed Forces. Jordanians look forward to the positive efforts Lt. Gen. Freihat continuously makes to develop Jordanian Armed Forces in all fields in accordance with His Majesty King Abdulla II bin Al Huessein's vision and directives. Finally, a well-deserved thank-you is extended to His Excellency Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat on behalf of all Jordanians for his endless efforts that aim to improve the state of Jordanian Armed Forces in accordance with the royal directives of His Majesty King Abdulla II bin Al Hussein in order to enable the Armed Forces to meet any potential threats or attacks against our beloved country, Jordan.