The ceremony took place at the Military Mountain and Special Operations School (EMMOE), where more than 1,500 people gathered, including civilian and military authorities, troops and family members. Bad weather delayed the monarchs’ arrival, although it did not prevent King Juan Carlos from reviewing the troops and greeting officials, including the then-president of the Government of Aragon, Marcelino Iglesias.
One of the central moments was an address by the then-colonel and director of the EMMOE, Alfonso Juez, who highlighted the evolution of units whose work had been "revalued and expanded by the characteristics of modern warfare". He also thanked the King for his support, describing it as an incentive for military personnel.
During the ceremony, distinctions were presented to the 19 commanders who had led the course throughout its history, and Lieutenant General Bernardo Álvarez del Manzano was honored. He emphasized the international prestige achieved by Spain’s special operations forces.
The figures reflected the record of this military training program: 1,736 graduates over half a century, including members of the three branches of the armed forces, the Civil Guard and the National Police. In addition, more than 100 commanders from 24 other countries had attended its courses.
Rain ultimately affected the program and forced the cancellation of the planned tactical exercises, which included a simulated hostage rescue and a helicopter extraction. The ceremony concluded with a tribute to fallen military personnel and a troop parade.
Jaca thus marked half a century of training for specialized commanders, with the presence of the King and Queen at a ceremony that the bad weather failed to completely overshadow. This is how Aragón Digital reported it 20 years ago, in the original story about the 50th anniversary of the Special Operations Command Course.
