Stefanus Nashama
Commander-in-Chief of the Namibian Defence Force (NDF) and Head of State, President Hage Geingob, has urged new recruits who completed training recently through the Professional Qualified Officers’ Course to act professionally and exhibit exemplary behaviour.
In a speech, read on his behalf by Vice-President Nangolo Mbumba, at the NDF graduation ceremony in Walvis Bay yesterday, Geingob advised the graduates that they should never cross the borderline to act out of character or endanger the citizens of Namibia.
“As your Commander-In-Chief, I do not want to hear or read about soldiers acting out of character or endangering the citizens of this country. At all times you, and those officers under you, are expected to exhibit exemplary behaviour while interacting with your peers, superiors and the community,” he appealed.
Geingob reiterated that soldiers should prioritise professionalism to the best of their ability “The soldier is the army and no army is better than its soldiers”.
Emphasising more, President Geingob highlighted professionalism as the core integrant to the foundation and formation of modern conventional militaries.
At the same time, he stressed that military officers are expected to display the conduct and qualities that best represent the Namibian Defence Force and the Namibian nation at large.
“You should exude the confidence and qualities that are connected with trained and skilled people,” he advised.
Geingob further emphasised that professionalism requires soldiers to obtain the skills and knowledge for them to carry out the tasks assigned to them, and share their expertise on military development.
This is why the Training Establishment Course was made available for soldiers to pursue professionalism, he stated.
The Commader-In-Chief also urged the graduates to be consummate professionals and model leaders and guide each other to follow the rules and ordinances of military service.
This, he said is important for upholding a positive public image of military personnel.
According to Namibian Defence Force (NDF)’s Spokesperson, Petrus Shilumbu, the Professional Qualified Officers’ Course is meant to transform non-commissioned officers, who are serving members of the NDF to become officers.
“Officer cadets who graduated from various institutions or colleges before they joined the NDF or after but they were non-commissioned officers are the ones who were identified depending on their field of studies to go through this course,” he explained.
Shilumbu indicated that the officer cadets went through 30 weeks of training establishment, which aimed to train, transform, and equip these officers with the necessary knowledge and skills to benefit them.
He said that 91 officer cadets graduated from the course.
