THE Guyana Defence Force again made a significant impact on the resources of the security sector when the Basic Recruit Course (BRC) 2012-02, which commenced with 335 soldiers, passed out on parade at the National Cultural Centre yesterday in the presence of senior officers of the GDF and family members and friends.

This basic recruit course, the second of 2012, commenced on Friday, 7th September 2012, and lasted for a period of 16 weeks, during which training was conducted at three locations — the Colonel John Clarke Military School (CJCMS) at Tacama, Base Camp Stephenson, and the Colonel Robert Mitchell Jungle and Amphibious Training School, where the objective of the course was to produce fit, obedient, loyal and disciplined soldiers who possess a high standard of infantry skills and marksmanship abilities.
Prior to this course, 102 recruits were enrolled and commenced the Army Education programme from Thursday, 2nd August. They were joined by an additional 65, and then another 168, bringing the total to 335.
Fifty-eight (58) ‘fell by the wayside’ during the period of the course because of indisciplined behaviour, but the majority completed the course’s 15-area module.
Recruit 22531 Sewpaul Singh copped the Best Student and Best Military Knowledge prizes, while Recruit 22475 Joash Thomas copped the Runner’s up Best Student and Best Fitness awards. Recruit 22445 Chitdanand Jagdeo won the Best Shot prize and Recruit 22568 Stephon Fredricks won the Best Drill award.
Best Section award went to # 1 Section of the #3 Platoon, while the Best Platoon award went to the #4 Platoon.
Acting Chief of Staff, Colonel Bruce Lovell, called his message “Being a witness for the Guyana Defence Force”. He emphasized that there are two things every soldier needs to know:
First — what is a witness for the GDF, and second — How each soldier can be a witness for the GDF.
Colonel Lovell said that in order to understand what is being a witness for the GDF; the Holy Bible must first be approached for guidance. He noted that the ‘Good Book’ instruct its readers that, to be a witness, they have to let their lights so shine that others can see their good works and glorify God.
He charged the new soldiers to do that as new members of the GDF.
He stressed that they must be disciplined at all times before the people of Guyana, and display their good works. He admonished them to have respect and admiration for the GDF, as he explained how they could be witnesses for the GDF. He noted that new soldiers have to anchor or base their conduct on the values and standards of the GDF. He said that, in life, values play a very important role.
“Our values influence how we think. How we think determines how we act. How we act determines our destiny,” he said.
“The values of the GDF tell you what you must be. You must have integrity, loyalty and a sense of identity,” he advised. Lovell noted that a sense of duty must also follow, and he concluded that discipline is indispensable in their conduct.
“The standards tell you what you must do,” he said, as he admonished them to act responsibly, have respect for the law and for each other, and conduct themselves at all times in a proper and appropriate manner with moral and social behaviour.
He reminded the new soldiers that they had come to the GDF with certain values, and after 16 weeks of training, they had been taught the values of the GDF.
“You now have to ensure your values mesh with those of the Force for you to be worthy men and women to represent the GDF and the country. Your philosophy or attitude to military life must be one in which you always do the right thing.
“When confronted by temptations and challenges, always seek to do the right thing. Once you follow the values and standards of the GDF, you will always do the right thing,” he advised them.
Speaking about military life, the Colonel noted that military life is about building character. “Those of you who refuse to anchor your conduct in the values and standards of the GDF will have to leave us. We will get rid of you, and those who anchor their conduct will remain. For you who remain,” he explained, “some will serve out their contract while others will make a military career.”
His charge to the soldiers who remain was to ensure they take advantage of the opportunities the Force has to offer, so that when they leave the army, they do so with a better character, improved qualifications and enhanced skills.
He stressed that the recruits were entering the GDF at a time when there is greater scrutiny on not only the Force, but all public institutions, to see how they discharged their duties and roles.
“The nation is demanding that public institutions be incorruptible, efficient and effective, as, in the GDF, you have to obey those calls. Greater scrutiny is made possible by increased technology — texting, smart phones, Facebook, Youtube, Skype and Twitter,” he said.
Explaining the increased scrutiny, he told the recruits that there was a time a disgraceful act by a soldier stationed at Eteringbang or some other interior location would not have been easily known, but that is no longer the case with the level of technology available to the army. He emphasized that knowing takes mere minutes.
“The GDF has always been, and indeed will continue to be, the stable hand in our society. As the stable hand, we will hold the society together because we are responsible for the nation’s defence and security. We are the ones who would stand in the gap for Guyana,” he said, as he disclosed that any nation with a compromised military, where the public has no confidence in the military, is in danger of disintegrating and falling apart.
In his closing remarks, he expressed a desire for them to understand the linkage between how they conduct themselves and the GDF being the stable hand that is able to secure Guyana.
“When going out in society, your conduct at all times must be exemplary, as the citizens must feel secure whenever they see you,” the Colonel admonished. He noted that their exemplary conduct would build the confidence of the public, and other fathers and mothers would be encouraged to send their children to serve in the GDF.