He subsequently graduated from the Ottoman Military College as a staff captain on 17 January 1900, after which he was appointed to the island of Sisam (now known as Samos).

He served during the Balkan Wars as Chief of Staff of the VII Corps of the Western Army.

The commander was Mirliva Fethi Pasha, who was killed in action while trying to stop the withdrawal of Ottoman soldiers from Koçişte Hill near Monastir in 1912.

But Liman von Sanders disliked him and he had a quarrel with Faik Pasha about tactics.

At last, unwillingly, von Sanders appointed Faik Pasha to the command of Right Wing.