Kofi Ampeah Woode
The Army Combat Training School (ACTS) has marked the successful completion of the last batch of first semester courses for the 2024 Training Year (TY), signifying an important milestone as it continues to play the crucial role of training Officers, Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCOs) and NCOs of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in Basic and Advanced courses in Tactics, Drill and Weaponry.
The 22-week Young Officers Course (YOC), whose closing ceremony was held at the Jungle Warfare School (JWS) at Achiase, on Friday 12 July 2024, was aimed at teaching Young Officers the rudiments of command, and how to train and administer a Platoon up to a Company or equivalent in peace, war and counter-insurgency (COIN) operations and peace support operations (PSO).
In his closing address, the Commander, Army Training Command (CATRAC) – Brigadier General (Brig Gen) Stephen Woseadzikpo Kweku Parbey, congratulated the course participants for exhibiting exceptional resilience and determination, throughout the rigorous training program.
Brig Gen Parbey particularly singled out Lieutenant (Lt) K Adu Asare, Lt E Ansah-Yalley, and Lt P Duah, for placing First, Second and Third, respectively, on the course.
In a related development, ACTS conducted a grandiose closing ceremony for the Advanced Drill and Duties Course (ADDC) 1-24 at the Addico Square on Friday 19 July 2024, with the Guest of Honor being the Deputy Commandant of Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) – Commodore (Cdre) Prosper Modey.
The ADDC 1-24 was also a 12-week course designed to train selected Warrant Officers (WOs) and SNCOs and equivalent of GAF, and sister security services, in the conduct of military parades, leadership, discipline and Unit administration.
The ADDC 1-24 was composed of 55 personnel from the GAF, and 19 from allied security services, including the Ghana Police Service, Prison Service, Fire Service, Ports and Harbours Authority, and National Ambulance Service.
In his address, Cdre P Modey congratulated the graduands for the impressive and immaculate graduation parade, urging them to uphold their responsibilities and contribute positively to their respective fields of work.
Special awards were presented to the following deserving students:
OVERALL BEST STUDENT (COAS Award) – Sergeant (Sgt) Nkrumah Nsiah Patrick; SECOND BEST STUDENT (SMA Award) – Sgt Osei Sarfo Pearson; THIRD BEST STUDENT (SSM Award) – 204741 Sgt Adongo David.
BEST ALLIED STUDENT (CATRAC Award) – G/Sgt Dorgbefu Godwin; OUTSTANDING DRILL STUDENT (FSM Award) – Petty Officer Class 2 (POII) Amankuna Augustine; BEST FEMALE STUDENT (Combat Expert One Award) – Sgt Quarshie Akua Yvonne; and BEST IN UNIT ADMINISTRATION (CSO Army HQ Award) – Sgt Nkrumah Nsiah Patrick.
The closing of these important courses brought to a successful end, training for the First Semester of TY 2024 and kick starting the second semester courses.
Consequently, on 22 Jul 24, the Commander, ACTS – COMBAT EXPERT ONE, superintended over the opening ceremony for the Basic Mortar Course (BMC 1-24), Basic Infantry Platoon Weapon Course (BIPCW 1-24), and Basic Medium Machine Gun Course (BMMG 1-24), which 3 basic courses are all scheduled to run for 12 weeks.
Combat Expert One encouraged the students to apply themselves and give off their best to build a solid foundation for subsequent courses.
He added that career progression and promotion for soldiers and sister security services in the Ghana Army, was intrinsically linked to performance on military courses, and urged the students to take the courses seriously, assuring them of the commitment of the Combat Experts, to provide the necessary tutelage, to ensure a successful study period.
Credit: ACTS ADMIN
