The Armed Forces Academy (AFA) () is a

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...

education institution which trains military officers (for the army, navy and air force) in

Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...

History

The Academy of the Armed Forces was established decision of the government on 10 May 1958, in the Rrapit i Treshit District of

Tirana Tirana ( , ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in Albania, largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills, with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest ov ...

, initially with the name Military High School. The school bore the conventional number of Military Department No. 2002. The Council of Ministers, on October 28, 1961 decided that on the basis of the Military High School to establish the "Military Academy of the

People's Republic of Albania The People's Socialist Republic of Albania, () was the Marxist-Leninist state that existed in Albania from 10 January 1946 to the 29 April 1991. Originally founded as the People's Republic of Albania from 1946 to 1976, it was governed by the P ...

" with a three year educational program accredited by the

Ministry of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...

. By a special decision of the Council of Ministers, on 5 January 1963, the Military Academy was renamed to the "Mehmet Shehu Military Academy", honoring the 50th birthday of the then-Prime Minister

Mehmet Shehu Mehmet Ismail Shehu (January 10, 1913 – December 18, 1981) was an Albanian Communism, communist politician who served as the Prime Minister of Albania, Prime Minister of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania from 1954 to 1981. He was known ...

. Years later, in December 1992, the institution was renamed the General Staff Academy. The Academy was in 1994 renamed to the Defense Academy of Albania. In 1998 the Defense Academy was accepted as a full member of the council of military academies of

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...

. In 2004, the Defense Academy was renamed the Spiro Moisiu Defense Academy. In early 2012, the Academy was renamed the Academy of the Armed Forces. It consisted of 2 Faculties: * the Faculty of Security and Defense (remnants of the former Spiro Moisiu Defense Academy) * the Center for Foreign Languages and the Faculty of General Education (remnants of the former Skanderbeg Military Academy)

Leaders

The leaders of this unique institution over the years have been: * Major General Thoma Xhixho (1958–1961) * Major General Spiro Shalesi (1961–1964) * Major General Ernest Jakova (1964–1967) * Colonel Koli Mborja (1968–1970) * Lieutenant General Vaskë Gjino (1970–1974) * Colonel Mendu Tetova (1974–1975) * Major General Vehbi Hoxha (1975–1977) * Prof. Spiro Adhami (1977–1981) * Major General Kostaq Karoli (1982–1991) * Colonel Halim Abazi (1991–1993) * Brigadier General Ali Koçeku (1994–1997) * Major General Ruzhdi Gjatoja (1998–2000) * Colonel Flamur Skrapalliu (2000–2001) * Colonel Selim Shiroka (2001–2003) * Colonel Dhori Spirollari (2003–2005) * Rear Admiral Kudret Çela (2005–2008) * Colonel Nexhbedin Shehu (2009–2010) * Colonel Kristaq Xharo (May 2010-July 2011) * Colonel Perikli Koliçi (August 2011-September 2012) * Colonel Agim Sula (September 2012-September 2014) * Colonel Idriz Hazhiaj (October 2014-November 2015) * Colonel Ruzhdi Kuçi (January 2016-December 2017)

References

{{authority control Educational institutions established in 1945 Military units and formations of Albania Universities in Albania 1945 establishments in Albania Military academies of Albania

History

Leaders

See also

References