Timehri : Fifteen Officer Cadets, three of whom are Belizean nationals demonstrated aspects of military training they are enduring at the Camp Stephenson, Colonel Ulric Pilgrim Officer Cadet School.
The fifteen stayed the course after ten opted out and are well on their way to be commissioned 2nd Lieutenants at the end of the programme otherwise known as the Standard Officers’ Course (SOC) # 46.
The SOC was developed to provide training for new army officers and other services’ officers. Its broad objective is to provide a solid foundation for the subsequent professional development of all cadets entering the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).
Army, Police, Prison and Fire officers have all had their training there including officers of the Joint Services and army officers who serve in colleague Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations.
The Colonel Ulric Pilgrim Officer Cadet School, prides itself as being the institution where all the serving heads of the Joint Services graduated a few years ago. The training provided is deemed relevant to the development of the individual and the security concerns and needs of the nation.
Yesterday family members turned out to witness the Officer Cadets in action. They were joined by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds who is at present performing the duties of President, Chief of Staff of the GDF Brigadier Mark Phillips, other senior officers of the army, police fire and prison services.
The course includes an intensive programme of military skills and tactics, rigorous physical fitness, team activities designed to promote stamina and group spirit, leadership and command methods, management techniques, military law, and national policy.
The first item on the agenda was jungle survival techniques which a soldier must adopt when lost, either through detachment from a platoon or after escape from enemy in an alien territory.
Officer Cadet Lawrence King took the enthused onlookers through tips on tying knots, and setting traps, while his colleagues Obitre Hytmiah, Shaheed Zaiboon and Lawrence King illustrated how to light fires, prepare resting spots and food safe to consume.
Among them was the coconut worm which King bravely consumed much to the scorn of the onlookers.
Officer Cadet Austin Flores from the Belize Defence Force (BDF) was part of a three- man team illustrating the types and use of teaching aids common in the army while at a another section, the different categories of weapons were on display.
As part of this demonstration, the Officer Cadet skillfully disassembled and reassembled the weapons within seconds while blindfolded. At another section of the base there was endurance training and falling plate shoot which Officer Cadets were given 20 seconds to complete. A few minutes after a team rappelled from the Bell 412 helicopter.
At the end of what can be described as an exciting and enlightening day, Prime Minister Hinds offered remarks, saying how thrilling the exercise was and how proud he was of the men and women dedicating their services to the nation.
“All over the world and at all times, there’s a certain pride in serving the people, in serving one’s nation and it’s good to see that that spirit is alive and well. Our disciplined forces, we look to them to promote and maintain order and discipline in our country, and to do that our disciplined forces need also to be good examples,” Prime Minister Hinds said.
The Colonel Ulric Pilgrim Officer Cadet School was named in 1980 in honour of Commander of the GDF Colonel Ulric Pilgrim who dedicated yeoman serviced to the force.
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