Thirty-eight Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) are now poised to effectively handle small arms and platoon weapons.
A release on the GDF Facebook page said that the soldiers acquired these skills at the just concluded Skill-at-Arms Course 2021-02 (SAAC 2021-02).
The course was conducted over six weeks and concluded on August 24, 2021, following a closing ceremony at Camp Sipu, Base Camp Stephenson, Timehri.
The course exposed ranks to several subject areas including General Skill-at-Arms, Field Craft, First Aid, Coaching, Weapon Handling and Weapon Proficiency.
Staff Officer One General FIVE, Future Panning and Strategy Lieutenant Colonel Lloyd Souvenir in closing remarks underscored the significance of Skill-at-Arm in the military and emphasised the importance of a ‘good battle shot’.
“Brothers and sisters in arms, firstly, a soldier must be fit. The soldier must be able to use the platoon weapons proficiently. You must be able to use ground for movement and cover to close with the enemy with any platoon weapon in any terrain or weather,” he emphasised. The release said that he also charged the ranks to hone the knowledge and skills garnered from the course and make impartation to their juniors.
“My charge to you this morning is to maintain your level of physical fitness and use every opportunity to train your subordinates when you get back to your unit. Be an expert in your field. I charge you to stick your fingers in the air, poke your noses at Skill-at-Arms, and volunteer your expertise,” he said.
Corporals Daniel Murray, Jamal Dos Santos, and Ivan Singh gave sustained excellent performances throughout the course and received trophies, the post said. The Best Graduating Student award went to Corporal Murray. He also won the Best Coach award.
