Mohamed Khaled pins the Admiral rank on new Navy chief Zulhelmy. – Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: Admiral Datuk Zulhelmy Ithnain has been appointed as the 19th Navy chief.
He has been the Navy's acting chief Aug 1 and was promoted from Vice-Admiral to Admiral upon his appointment as Navy Chief, succeeding Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Ayob, who will retire on Dec 2.
According to a statement from the Navy's strategic communication division, the pinning-on of the rank was carried out Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin at the Wisma Pertahanan Auditorium here on Monday (Sept 23).
Zulhelmy, who was born on Jan 2, 1968 in Dato Keramat here, received his secondary education at the Royal Military College from 1981 to 1985 before joining the Navy as a cadet officer in 1986 and being commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant in the executive branch two years later.
"Zulhelmy's career as a submariner began in 1993 when he earned his submarine qualification badge after completing submarine training at HMAS Platypus, Australia and later completed the submarine course in Brest, France, where he earned his command qualification aboard an Agosta class submarine.
"History was made when he successfully brought KD Tunku Abdul Rahman home from France in a two-month voyage on July 10, 2009," added the statement.
Among the significant posts he has held are Commander of the Submarine Force, Assistant Chief of Staff for Development (J5) at the Joint Force Headquarters, Assistant Chief of Staff for Planning and Development at the Navy headquarters, Commander of the Naval Region 1, President of the National Centre for Defence Studies and Deputy Chief of Navy.
Zulhelmy holds a Master's Degree in National Security Administration and received the Outstanding Alumni Award from the National Defence College of the Philippines. He is also an alumnus of the United States Naval War College, Rhode Island and the Royal College of Defence Studies, United Kingdom. – Bernama
