In 1928, Mohammed was stationed in El-Arish in the Sinai Peninsula, which allowed Riad to become familiar with the arid and mountainous landscape of the region.

[2] In 1930, Riad's family moved to the port city of Alexandria following his father's promotion to colonel and subsequent assignment as commander of the 2nd Infantry Battalion.

Riad completed his secondary education in the city, graduating in 1936, and then began attending the fall semester at Qasr el-Aini Medical School in Cairo.

[2] Later that year, the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty was signed, mandating the opening of Egypt's military academies to individuals from all walks of life.

At the academy, he met fellow cadets such as Gamal Abdel Nasser, Anwar Sadat, Saad el-Shazly, and Ahmad Ismail Ali.

According to Al-Jawady, Riad possessed a strong personality, demonstrated a thorough understanding of the curriculum, and remained determined to improve his mental and physical abilities in military matters.

During this time, he gained a deeper understanding of ballistics, various types of anti-aircraft weapons, the principles of trajectory, arithmetic calculations for hitting airborne objects, and the English language.

[2] When World War II began in late 1939, many Egyptian officers were sent to the front, including Riad, who had been promoted to first lieutenant and was in charge of anti-aircraft gun crews in Alexandria.

Riad's exemplary wartime performance earned him the admiration of his senior commanders and recognition as one of the few selected to attend the General Staff College in Cairo.