When Sheikh Mohammed was appointed Dubai Police chief

Dubai - The main turning point of my life was an instruction from my father: "Mohammed, I want you to be responsible for protecting the Union."

In the 21st chapter of his latest book, Qissati, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, talks about the time he was appointed as the general commander of police and security in Dubai. He also recalls how he endured the harsh military training in the UK and topped his class. 
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In everyone's lives, there are many turning points. The main turning point of my life was an instruction from my father, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed: "Mohammed, I want you to be responsible for protecting the Union."
I had heard about great leaders in our history, who led huge armies when they were young. I always thought of them as part of history, till I was given such a responsibility when I was just 19 years old. I was given the responsibility of establishing an army for a country that didn't have one and creating defence lines that weren't established.
Surprisingly, I wasn't afraid of that responsibility. I believe it upgraded my skills, way of thinking and knowledge to a whole new level.
I started to work immediately after Sheikh Rashid issued a decree to assign me as the general commander of police and security in Dubai in February 1968. A decision to send me abroad to attend military training in the United Kingdom was included in the decree.
At the military academy in Buckingham, my evaluation report revealed some shocking facts. The military commander summoned me to his office and told me that my skills and fitness were better than the supervisor's who would be responsible for my training! He suggested a reconsideration of my application. I requested a meeting with the Ministry of Defence in London, during which I applied for the Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot. I called my father to tell him about the happy news.
The best thing I heard about the Mons was that it provided extremely hard training programmes and I was ready. I had made a promise to myself that I would not return to Dubai till I had the full ability to face any challenges.
It was very hard, but I loved the hardship. I managed to bear the fatigue and came first. I endured skin fissures, skin sores due to the cold weather, short sleeping hours and eating breaks that never exceeded a few minutes.
I always heard my father's voice in my head and my heart, telling me about the responsibility of protecting the union. I would never have slept during the whole harsh training programme if that was what it took to prepare me. I would give up everything for my nation.
In what he is calling his "incomplete biography", His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has broken his latest book, Qissati (My Story), into 50 chapters, narrating 50 stories in his 50 years of serving the nation. Khaleej Times got a signed copy of the book from the Dubai Ruler and everyday, we will be featuring excerpts from each of the 50 chapters.

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