By L.K. Hewlett
St. Kitts Reporter
Twenty seven recruits were officially indoctrinated into the Defense Force as soldiers this Thursday during a Passing Out Parade at Camp Springfield.
The recruits, four of whom are female, had gone through months of rigorous training in areas such as field craft, drills, map reading, jungle training and weapons handling.
The new soldiers performed drill displays to a dignitary filled audience, showcasing their skills with weapons.
Prime Minister Honourable Denzil Douglas joined the Governor General His Excellency Sir Cuthbert Sebastian as he carried out the formal inspection of the troop.
“It is always an event of pride when we witness a Passing Out Parade of new recruits of the St. Kitts-Nevis Defense Force. Like so many others before you this moment marks a special milestone in your career as a military officer. As you formally join this prestigious institution of our federation, I congratulate you for successfully completing the course of training that has brought you to this point.
“You must know by now that you are entering an agency, and that carries with it the important responsibility of defending your country if you are ever called upon to do so. But in the wider context of your duties, you are also called upon to discharge the tasks according to the rules governing the operations of the Defense Force,” Douglas said.
He reminded the soldiers that they were there to defend the integrity of their proud nation and it could come in various forms, from military operations to secure the country from the scourge of drug traffickers and gun runners to being called upon to assist in time of national disasters.
Minister of National Security Honourable Dwyer Astaphan along with Major Leroy Percival congratulated the young men and women, telling them they had chosen a noble path.
“The force may not have all the tools and equipment it needs, but it has the most tool of all, that is the human will to excel and to carry out the mission of keeping peace and order in the federation and from time to time, in the wider region,” Astaphan told the soldiers.
The soldiers were given their certificates and awards officially making them members of the Defense Force.
