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Élie Maroun Hayek (إيلي مارون الحايك) (2 November 1938 - 31 July 2014) was a Lebanese general who was the Admiral of the Fleet of the Lebanese Army and commander of Mount Lebanon from 1988 to 1998.

Early life
Elie Hayek was born in Saida on 12 January 1938. However, his birthplace is given as Jernaya, district of Jezzine by the Armed Forces.

Hayek received his elementary and high school education at the Collège des frères maristes in Saida, South Lebanon. He then enrolled in the Lebanese Army as a student officer on the 7/10/1957, and attended the Collège naval de Brest (Naval College of Brest) in Brest, France, until 15/9/1961, when he graduated and returned to the army as a lieutenant marine mechanical engineer. As a Major, he attended the U.S. Naval War College, in Newport, Rhode Island, graduating in 1979 as the Lebanese Navy's official representative. He completed the Naval Staff Course, which lasted for 6 months (from January to June of that year), and graduated with "outstanding performance" (graduation letter from Rear Admiral Edward Welch to Major Munir Ruhayem, page 4).

Military life
Hayek volunteered in the army as a student officer on 7 October 1957, and was promoted to lieutenant marine mechanical engineer on 15 September 1961. Rising through the ranks, he was appointed to Navy Engineer Staff Rear Admiral from 1 July 1986 (the equivalent army rank of Brigadier General). On 28 November 1989, the same day Rear Admiral Emile Lahoud was promoted to General-Commander of the army (عماد قائد الجيش), Hayek was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet (عميد قائد القوات البحرية). Although his uniform kept two swords and one star - the highest possible grade in the Navy -, the appointment automatically changed his rank from "Brigadier General" to "General".

On the 11 April 1990, the Council of Ministers ratified Hayek's promotion to commander of the Mount Lebanon region (spanning from the Chouf until Batroun). This was done in conjunction with Hayek's role as the general in charge of taking over LF areas as it retreated and disarmed.

In 1980, he was appointed Director of Personnel in the Army Command (while he was a Colonel). In 1983, he was given an administrative position at the Defense Ministry, where he was responsible for coordination between ministry officials and the Commander of the Lebanese Army, a position which was held by General Victor Khoury.

Hayek was known for his close working relationship with the Lebanese Forces. When its leader, Samir Geagea, was accused of numerous crimes by the Syrian-led government, he testified on his behalf at his trial, underscoring both his and Geagea's attachment to the Taif Agreement.

On the 18 February 1993, Hayek was appointed by the Council of Ministers as President of the military's Displicinary Tribunal, a position he held until 2000. . The Tribunal's role was to judge and sentence officers accused of bribery, corruption, and treason.

13 October 1990 Coup
On the 13 October 1990, the

Personal life
He married Eva-Marie Jeha in 1967 and they had four children: Maroun (born 1965), Camille (born 1967), Hélène (born 1969), and Victor (born 1977). He was also a very close friend of President Bachir Gemayel; as the navy operated mainly in the Keserwan region (the navy's command had been moved from Beirut to Jounieh in 1972), the navy closely cooperated with the Lebanese Forces. After retiring from the army in 2000, he chose not to pursue a political career, due to the ongoing Syrian occupation of Lebanon (that lasted until 2005). The occupation prevented almost all representatives from expressing their true views, and led to a number of high profile assassinations of minor dissidents.

The former President and General-Commander of the Army Emile Lahoud was his best man at his wedding in West Beirut, 1964.

Honours

 * Grand order of the Cedar (class "Grand Cordon")
 * Navy medal (excellent grade)
 * Order of the Merit (extraordinary grade)
 * Highest congratulations from the General-Commander of the Army