Kofi Ampeah Woode
The Forces Pay Regiment (FPR) of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has held a grand parade to mark the completion of eight-weeks Young Soldiers’ Orientation Cadre; to instil in Seventy-Six (76) Young Soldiers, discipline, loyalty, honesty, integrity and service, as tenets of being a faithful trustee and a Pay Clerk.
Forty-Nine (49) males and twenty-seven (27) females – fifty-five (55) Army Young Soldiers, Eleven (11) Naval Young Ratings and Ten (10) Young Air Men and Women, displayed exceptional drill skills at the FPR Unit Parade Square on Friday 10 March, 2023, with the Commanding Officer (CO) – Colonel (Col) Theophilus Afotey Laryea, as the Reviewing Officer (RO).
At the third parade in a series of Orientation Cadres – which was actually instituted by the CO – Col Laryea said in an address to his Regiment that the goal was to continue the professional development of the Young Soldiers, and to equip them with requisite knowledge and skills, to perform proficiently in their career at the Unit.
Col Laryea said the cadre could not be more appropriate, particularly in an era where there are incidences of indiscipline, illegal military operations, fraudulent activities, betting, drug abuse, which are sometimes perpetuated by young soldiers.
The cadre covered wide ranging traditional and non-traditional areas, to give proper foundation and military bearing to Soldiers. Such areas were; Weapon Training, Drill, Map Reading, Physical Training, Voice Procedure, Minor Tactics and Range works, while specific non-traditional areas were Leadership, Rules of Engagement, Stress Management, Personal Financial Management, Soldier and the Media, Effects of Drug Abuse, Barracks Security and many others.
At the awards, Soldiers who distinguished themselves in all areas of the training were; OVERALL BEST – Airman Class II (ACII Baachie Salifu Hakim, 2ND BEST SOLDIER – Private Class II (PTE II) Alogolokali Achinawonu Joyce, and 3RD BEST SOLDIER – PTE II Oduro Godfred.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
