Kofi Ampeah Woode
A cadre of forty (40) comprised of personnel from Ghana Army’s 15 Armoured Brigade (15 Armd Bde) and the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (EME) Corps of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) have concluded 4-weeks Orientation Training on Servicing and Maintaining the new PUMA M36 Mine Resistance Ambush Protected (MRAP) Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC).
The course which was organized at the Headquarters of Ghana Army’s 153 Armoured Regiment (153 Armd Regt), Burma Camp, Accra, by the Office of Security Cooperation of the United States of America (USA) Embassy in Ghana, rounded up on Friday 2 May 2025, with the Commander, 15 Armd Bde – Brigadier General (Brig Gen) as the Guest of Honour.
The training program which had AMENTUM – a Defence Contractor with the USA State Department – as Facilitator, treated topics such as; Introduction to Puma M36 MK 6-275 4×4; Technical Identification of Greasing Points of Puma APC; Identification of Puma APC; Exterior & Interior Body & Components;
Others were; Identification of Vehicle; Instruments & Driver Controls; Entering and Exiting the Vehicle; Operating Instructions of Puma Instructions; Warnings and Driving Cautions of Puma M36 Mk 6-275 4×4; Practical Driving of Puma M36 Mk 6-275 4×4; and Servicing & Maintenance of Puma M36, crowning it with a Field Training Exercise (FTE).
General Gah charged the participants as pioneers to be trained for the Puma M36, to go out and train others with utmost care, particularly for those who maintain the vehicles, since the maintenance of vehicles makes them last long.
The Commanding Officer (CO), 153 Armd Regt – Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) David Kwesi Korsah, tracking the progress of the training program, expressed confidence that the trained participants have gained the skills and knowledge required to operate the vehicles.
Stating that the cadre has deepened GAF’s technical expertise, and strengthened the spirit of cooperation between the two countries’ Armed Forces, he further commended the training facilitator – AMENTUM – for conducting the course with high standards, and instilling confidence and renewing a sense of responsibility among the soldiers.
Lt Col Paul Corbitt – Chief, Office of Security Cooperation, USA Embassy, Ghana, in a narration of the antecedents of the PUMA M36 MK 6-275 4X4, said 18 years ago, the 10 Mountain Division, operating in Afghanistan, was the first US Army organization to receive the Humvee – High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) – a light-weight 4-wheel drive military vehicle to replace the Jeep.
The down sides of the Humvee was that it sat very low to the ground, and was identified in Afghanistan as being susceptible to explosions, for which reasons the V-Hull – developed in South Africa long ago, was fielded.
They were also identified to be quite top-heavy, did not match the terrain of Afghanistan or Iraq, and tipped over quite easily, thus costing troops to learn on-field lessons battling with explosions.
He furthered that the training, coupled with manufacturers adding layers of protection onto the PUMA M36 MK 6-275 4X4 vehicles, like some railing on the bottom of the floor to prevent leg injuries, will mitigate injury, protect life, allow GAF to use the vehicles to its advantage, and help to succeed in its missions.
Representatives of AMENTUM, speaking to Peace Journal said the course is for persons who are already truck drivers, and teaches what to know about the vehicle, the way it is made, how to drive it in all terrains be it normal road, sandy ground like beach or desert, muddy, rocky hills, and the maximum gradient it can climb.
They were also taught how to operate the turret, the gun ports, work with the light indicators on the dashboard, the maximum speed and using the gauges.
PUMA M36 MK 6-275 4X4 possesses many features that are not available in regular trucks; it has some enhancements like the axle lock; the deep lock; and the driver can check level of engine and gearbox oils without leaving the wheels;
Virginia-based AMENTUM is a Defence Contractor for the Department of State, has footprints in Burkina Faso, Chad, Dubai, Niger, Somalia, Uganda, and other countries in the Sub-Saharan region.
Present at the closing ceremony included the Deputy Commander, 15 Armd Bde – Col Ekow Nkrane Mensah-Yawson; Deputy Director, Plans, General Headquarters, GAF – Lt Col Michael Ackerson.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
