Meas Sophea
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| Meas Sophea | |
|---|---|
| born April 9, 1955 | |
| Place of birth | Banieve village, Banieve Commune, Chhouk district, Kampot Province Cambodia  |
| Allegiance | The Royal Cambodian Army |
| Years of service | 1970-present |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held | Intelligence office Chief of Operation Cabinet of General Staff The Royal Cambodian Army |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War Cambodian Civil War Cambodian-Vietnamese War Khmer Rouge War July 7, 1997 coup |
H.E General. Meas Sophea, born 1955, is a senior general in the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF). He is currently the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the R.C.A.F and chief of the Royal Cambodian Army.
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[edit] Early life
Born in Banieve village, Banieve Commune, Chhouk district, Kampot Province, on April 9th, 1955, Meas Sophea is the only child of Meas Nora and Men Lorn. Born in a poor farmimg family, he went to school and had a part time job as a cake seller. Due to the civil war that ravaged the country, in the 1970s Sophea decided to join the Cambodian Nation Front Movement Liberation as a private at the age of 16 years old.
[edit] Education
In his childhood, Meas Sophea studied at the elementary school in Banieve. Between 1969 and 1970, he was a student at the Chhouk High-School. Due to the civil war in Cambodia, Meas Sophea went to Vietnam to complete his studies, between 1975 and 1977, receiving a diploma at the end. From 1982 to 1985 he went to study, and completed his bachelor's degree, at the Military Academy Institute of Dalat, Vietnam. Since 2005, Meas Sophea is currently taking a Ph.D in Military Science at the same institution.
[edit] Family
Meas Sophea has been married to Mrs. Chhor Borey, since 1980. She was born on September 9th, 1957, in Vealvong village, Kampong Siem district, Kampong Chan province. They have 4 children: 3 daughters and a son. They are:
- Meas Sopheary, born 1980, female
- Meas Sophearum, born 1983, female
- Meas Sophearoth, born 1985, female
- Meas Sophearith, born 1986, male
[edit] Military career
- 1970: Private in the Cambodian Nation Front Movement Liberation
- 1970 - 1980: Deputy in chief of Intelligence office (G2) General Staff
- 1980 - 1982: Chief of Cabinet of Military defense and Chief Cabinet of General Staff
- 1982 - 1985: Went to study in the Military Academy Institute of Dalat, Vietnam
- 1985 - 1990: Colonel, Chief of Operation office of General Staff
- 1990 - 1991: Brigadier General, Deputy of General Staff and Chief of Operation Department
- 1991 - 1992: Major General, Deputy of General Staff and Chief of Operation Department
- 1992 - 1993: Lieutenant General, Deputy of General Staff of the R.C.A.F.
- 1993 - 1995: General, Deputy of General Staff of the R.C.A.F (dropped one star due to the policy of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia)
- 1995 - 1999: Lieutenant General, Deputy of General Staff of the R.C.A.F
- 1999 - 2004: Lieutenant General, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the R.C.A.F and Chief of the Army.
- 2004 - Present: General, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the R.C.A.F and Chief of the Army.
[edit] Military experience
Meas Sophea is experienced, having commanded many battles during the civil war between the pro-government army and the Khmer Rouge guerrillas. Battles that Sophea has commanded soldiers in have included those at: Palin, Preah Vihear, Osmach, Koh Kong, Battambang and many more.
During the July 1997 coup, Meas Sophea was one of the main commanders that successfully pushed back the Khmer Rouge guerrillas, and 500 fighters loyal to Prince Norodom Ranariddh, into the borders.
In 1998, he also successfully commanded the last counter-attack in Anlong Veng, which was the last stronghold of the Khmer Rouge forces. This led to the capture of Ta Mok, a top Khmer rouge leader.
He is also an honorary member of the TNI special forces Kopassus unit, where he received a Red beret in 2005.
