RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has awarded the King Abdulaziz Medal of Excellent Class to former commander of the US military’s Central Command, retired Gen. Michael Kurilla.
Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman conferred the award, on the directives of King Salman, at a ceremony on Thursday in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The King Abdulaziz Medal, often referred to as the Order of King Abdulaziz, is one of the most prestigious civilian and military honors in Saudi Arabia.
Named after the Kingdom’s founder, the order was officially inaugurated by King Faisal on March 20, 1971.
Prince Khalid bin Salman, right, receiving and General Michael Kurilla (ret.) at his Ministry of Defense office on Thursday. (SPA)
Kurilla, who retired from active duty in August 2025, served as the 15th CENTCOM chief, overseeing US military operations across 21 countries in the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia.
During his tenure from April 2022 to August 2025, Kurilla was instrumental in deepening the eight-decade military partnership between the US and Saudi Arabia, the SPA reported.
He made numerous visits to the Kingdom, working closely with top defense leaders, including Chief of General Staff Gen. Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili.
Their frequent engagements focused on advancing joint military readiness, expanding regional security integration, and addressing evolving threats, including the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The ceremony was attended by Al-Ruwaili, Deputy Minister of Defense Prince Abdulrahman bin Mohammed bin Ayyaf, and advisor to the minister of defense for intelligence affairs, Hisham bin Abdulaziz bin Saif.
