…Col George Lewis up to the challenge of leading the GDF

COLONEL George Allan Lewis will today take command of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) after 35 years of distinguished military service and though he has acknowledged that the challenge will be great, the 55-year-old said he is ready to lead.Lewis will assume leadership of the Force during a colourful military parade today at defence headquarters, Camp Ayanganna, an event billed also as the farewell parade for the man he will take over from,Brigadier Mark Phillips.
The Guyana Chronicle was told that Lewis will likely be promoted this morning before being sworn in by Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President David Granger.
Asked for a comment on his elevation, Lewis would only say “I am ready to lead.”
He promised that after assuming duties he will outline his broad vision for the military. President Granger recently told reporters when asked about the impending change of command in the GDF that there was a “succession plan” when Phillips demits office.
“… the next senior officer is going to take his place,” he told the Guyana Chronicle.
The President made it clear that there will be a smooth transition and more details will become available in the next few weeks.
Lewis’s appointment as Chief-of- Staff means that he joins the number of esteemed Chiefs-of- Staff including Phillips; Colonel Ronald Pope, Brigadier Clarence Price, Major-General Norman McLean, Major-General Joseph Singh, Major-General Michael Atherly, Brigadier Edward Collins and Rear Admiral Gary Best.
Enlisted on September1, 1981, Lewis who is married, was promoted to colonel back in 2011.
He held ranks such as Officer Cadet, Ensign, 2nd Lieutenant, Lieutenant (ag), captain, major and lieutenant colonel.
In addition to the various positions he held, Lewis attended a number of courses in and out of Guyana as part of his development.
Among the courses are Standard Officers’ Course No.11; 76 mm Cannon Specialist Training; Junior Command Staff Course; Supervisory Managers’ Development ; Advance Field Artillery in Venezuela; Senior Command Staff Course; Advance Field Artillery Officer Course in the United States of America; Defence Resource Management in Belize; Military Science of Strategy and Campaign in China; Command and General Staff in the USA; Managing Democracy in a Democratic,  Market-based Society, United Kingdom; Caribbean Defence and Security Course, USA; and National Authority on Chemical Database  in Finland.
Lewis also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Management from the University of Guyana and a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management from Central Michigan University.
He has held numerous appointments along his way to becoming chief-of-staff which include Commanding Officer of 1 Artillery Battalion; Officer Commanding (acting) 21 Artillery Company;  Second-in-Command  1 Infantry Battalion Group; Commander (acting) 1 Infantry Battalion Group; Base Commander,  Base Camp Stephenson;  Commanding Officer Air Corps;  Staff Officer 1 Intelligence & Security, Defence Headquarters;  Commanding Officer 1 Infantry Battalion;  Inspector-General, Defence Headquarters; and Deputy Chief of Staff/Colonel General Staff, Defence Headquarters.
Additionally, Lewis has attended several seminars and conferences during his career. Among them are Peace Keeping Operation (North-02) Symposium El Salvador; Regional Air Force USA; Regional Air Force Counter Drug (RAFC) Conference, USA; Chiefs of Air Forces of the Americas, USA; Regional Counter Drug Conference, USA; Regional Intelligence Seminar and the Annual Guyana/Brazil Military Exchange Meeting, Brazil.
Lewis was also part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Haiti during 1995/1996.
He has been awarded the Military Efficiency Medal; the 25th Anniversary Medal;  United Nations Peace Keeping Medal, United Nations Mission in Haiti (1996); the 40th Anniversary Medal, Guyana (2005); Military Service Medal; Colaborador Emerito do Exercito;  Medalla do Pacificador-Brazil (2011); Border Defence Medal, Guyana (2016) and 50th Anniversary Medal Guyana (2016).