نشأ العميد جهاد في كنف عائلة مؤلّفة من ستّة أشقّاء وشقيقتين برعاية والدته لطيفة البابا ووالده أسد عمر. متأهّل من المربيّة الفاضلة سوزان حسن درويش منذ 1987، ولهما أربعة أولاد فرح كارين محمد وكريم.

تلقّى العميد جهاد تعليمه في ثانويّة شحيم الرّسميّة، وكان من الطّلاّب المتفوّقين ذي الأخلاق الحميدة والسّمعة الحسنة. إلتحقَ بالكليّة الحربيّة عام1980 كتلميذ ضابط، ومن ثمّ رقيّ إلى رتبة ملازم 1983. تدرّج في التّرقية حتى رتبة عميد ركن اعتباراً من عام 2011. علماً بأنّه مجازُ في علم النّفس وخلال مسيرته العسكريّة تابع العديد من الدّورات العسكريّة داخل وخارج لبنان.

العميد جهاد الأب والزّوج المثالي والعسكري المتفاني المعروف بمناقبيّته العسكريّة العاليّة والذي كرّس حياته في خدمة الوطن والمواطنين قد لقي حتفه في 4 آب. تقول زوجته: "رحمك الله يا حبيبي جهاد، رفيق العمر، الزّوج الوفيّ، الأب الصّالح، المؤمن، الحنون، الخيّر، المتواضع، الآدمي، المرح، الكريم، رحلت بالجسد مُصطحباً روحي وسيبقى جسدي معانقًا روحك إلى الأبد".^th of August explosion. His wife speaks of him saying: “God bless your soul my love, my soulmate, the loyal husband, the good father, the faithful, caring, generous, modest, kind, honest, fun, and honorable man. Your body left this earthly world taking my soul, while my body will forever hold onto your soul.”

On August 4, 2020, Colonel Jihad was fishing at the Port of Beirut, a hobby he had been practicing for the past ten years. He was about to leave and return home when warehouse number 12 exploded… Media channels reported the blast, and the colonel’s family called him, but he never answered.

Two days later, there was still no news of him. His family was eagerly waiting for his return. They were looking for him in coordination with official bodies and rescue organizations. His son Mohamed –the hero– found his corpse at a hospital’s morgue. The Colonel’s family gathered at the military hospital in Badaro where his body was transferred by Lebanon’s Armed Forces.. On august 6, 2020, an official funeral was organized for the martyr colonel, starting from the military hospital, passing by his home, to finally arrive to the village cemetery where he was buried.

The martyr colonel was awarded multiple medals, in addition to the National Order of the Cedar. He was also commended multiple times by the Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces, throughout his military service. Colonel Jihad physically left this world, leaving behind a flawless reputation, and his words of wisdom: “Forgive if you can”.