Kofi Ampeah Woode
The Army Recruit Mobile Training Team (ARMTT) has held a Passing-Out Parade for three hundred and ninety-four (394) Young Soldiers after they successfully completed six months of conversion from civil life to the military, through the Basic Infantry Training Course (BITC 4-2023).
The Passing-Out parade was held at the Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), Nutekpor, Volta Region – where the training session took place – on Friday 16 February 2024, with the Reviewing Officer (RO) being the Incoming General Officer Commanding (GOC), Northern Command (N/COMD) – Brigadier General (Brig Gen) Frank Nartey Tei.
A total of 400 Recruits reported to NAVTRAC, which also hosts the Naval Recruit Training School (NRTS), with 319 males and 81 females, however, some could not complete due to medical and indiscipline reasons, while others lost interest and opted out, to leave the number at 394, of which 78 are females.
Speaking after the Young Soldiers had displayed great skills in drill on the Square, Brig Gen FN Tei admonished the new Soldiers that meeting the entry requirement of the Recruit Training School alone does not make one a Soldier, as there is a performance requirement one has to meet as a Recruit, to be eligible to pass out as a Soldier.
He continued that the military profession across the world is unique, and that there are basic requirements with regards to medical fitness, physical fitness, discipline, mental resilience and robustness among others.
He continued to say that within the period of training, the Recruits were taken through basic comprehensive military training that encompassed physical training, tactics, weapon training, drill, military law, map reading, field craft, first aid and liberal education among others, and also benefited from other enablers, which contributed to raising their morale and performance.
He urged them to be forewarned of Quarterly Basic Fitness Tests, and career courses ahead of them, and to address whatever weaknesses they discovered in themselves during the training, and to make use of the abundant resources and measures available in the Ghana Armed Forces, for serious-minded soldiers to tap for their self-development, and to avail themselves to be mentored by Officers, Senior Warrant Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers.
He reminded them that they are subservient to the Armed Forces Regulations, and the Supreme Constitution of Ghana, and thus should be more disciplined, self-sacrificing, committed, hardworking, dedicated to duty, courageous, honest, at Operations such as CALM LIFE, HALT, GONGONG, COWLEG, MOTHERLAND, SAFE, CONQUERED FISTS, MAIDA BUURI, and International Peace Support Operations.
At the awards; Private (Pte) Kissiweofo Cletus Awinbilla was OVERALL BEST; Pte Nartey Kevin Nii was BEST IN DRILL; Pte Ntere Evans was BEST IN ACADEMICS; Pte Teye Lordina was BEST FEMALE; and Charlie Coy was BEST COMPANY.
Present at the parade included Senior Military and other Security Services Officers in the Volta Region, the Commanding Officer, ARMTT – Lieutenant Colonel EYM Komedja, Officers, Acting Sergeant Major of the Army, Command Sergeant Majors, Command Coxswains, and Unit Regimental Sergeant Majors.
