Nyorai mberi kweiyi ndima - Tantawy, anobva kuNubian mavambo, akabatana neEgyptian Military Academy muna 1952 uye akagamuchira basa rake semukuru wemauto muna 1 Kubvumbi 1955 muchiuto. Gore rakatevera racho akapinda muHondo yeSuez
(kana kuti Tripartite Aggression sezvinowanzozivikanwa muEgypt) semutungamiri weboka revarwi. Akakwidziridzwa kuva Major muna 1961 uye akatungamira kambani yevarwi muYemen panguva yeNorth Yemen Civil War. Gare gare mubasa rake akabatanidzwa muHondo Yemazuva matanhatu ya1967 semutungamiriri webato, Hondo yeAttrition ya1967-1970, uye Hondo yaGumiguru kana "Yom Kippur" ya1973. Mukati meHondo yeYom Kippur aive Lieutenant Colonel achiraira 16th mechanized infantry battalion. Akabata mauto akasiyana-siyana uye kugadzwa kwevashandi kusanganisira vese Chief of Staff uyezve Commander weChipiri Field Army pakati pa1986 na1989. Mukuwedzera akashanda semukuru wemauto kuPakistan pakati pa1983 na1985, basa rinokosha rakapiwa hukama hwezvematongerwe enyika nehondo yenyika mbiri idzi. Tantawy akashanda semutungamiri weRepublican Guard Forces pakati pa1989 na1991, uye gare gare mukuru weOperations Authority yeArmed Forces. Muna 1991, akatungamirawo chikwata chemauto eEgypt muHondo yeGulf yakatungamirwa neUS kurwisa Iraq kumanikidza Iraq kuti ibve muKuwait, iyo yakanga yapinda mu1990.