ONDANGWA- Minister of Defence Nahas Angula told more than 900 recruits from the country’s fourteen regions that choosing a military career should be backed by a high level of commitment and patriotism.
Angula was addressing 2014 recruits in the Namibian Defence Force at the Oluno Military School in Ondangwa on Friday.
“One must be a patriot, a dedicated person to defend the motherland and a committed person with the vision and mission of the Namibian Defence Force,” said Angula.
He told the trainees to start building a career in the defence force because to be a professional soldier they must be mentally and physically fit.
“In developing your mental fitness you must learn the military doctrine, acquire technical skills and develop military leadership. The military doctrine includes the vision and mission of NDF as well as its ethos,” he explained.
Angula elaborated that the mission of the soldier is to protect national sovereignty against aggression and means being able to fight and win a war, to be able to execute these tasks successfully, a soldier must be physically fit. Therefore physical education and training is a must for every soldier.
The minister further noted the next stage in career development for a soldier is the inculcation of discipline because it is the notion of respecting lawful orders and military control .
He said camaraderie among the soldiers is a key guiding principle, therefore as soldiers they are each other’s keepers and brothers and sisters arms.
“Discrimination based on cultural background, gender, generation, class, regionalism, or similar instances, is retrogressive and is not allowed or tolerated. Racialism, sexism, tribalism, and similar negative behaviors are destructive and therefore not condoned in the Namibian Defence Force,” explained minister.
Moreover, the minister urged the members of Defence Force to start building personal economic base through savings and proper management of personal income.
There were 78 000 application forms received by the Ministry of Defence and only 2000 application forms were successfully considered.
About 998 recruits are being trained at Oluno Military School while 1002 new members are at Osona military school.
By Loide Jason