Pursued advanced studies at Pembroke College, Oxford and Georgetown University. 1980, enrolled in the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst; 1981, commissioned as Second Lieutenant. 1985, returned to Jordan to serve in Armoured Corps, 3rd Division and rose through the ranks to Lieutenant-Colonel. Served on attachment to the Special Forces and qualified as a Cobra attack helicopter pilot, among other duties. January 1993, after service as Commander of the 2nd Armoured Battalion, 40th Armoured Brigade, was named Deputy Commander, Jordanian Special Forces. November 1993, became Commander of Jordan's Special Forces. 1996, reorganized the Special Forces and other elite units into the new Special Operations Command. 1998, as SOCOM commander, was promoted to the rank of Major-General. The 41st-generation direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammad, King Abdullah II assumed his constitutional powers on 7 February 1999.