Defence minister Frans Kapofi has implored the Namibian Defence Force staff to abide by laid down rules and regulations in order to become effective commanders one day.
“In doing so, you must be guided by experience and reflection, since failure to adhere to these guidelines may lead to all sort of disasters. This is where the question of responsibility comes in, as officers, you must take a greater account of the rules governing the officer’s corps and indeed show greater concern for the welfare of those you command,” said Kapofi.
He was officiating yesterday during the quartermaster commissioning course graduation at Osona Military School in Okahandja. The course served as training of seasoned and junior non-commissioned officers.
About 197 officers joined the training, of which 180 were recommended as fit, 17 were unfit, and two were withdrawn on medical grounds, while two others were withdrawn due to pending criminal cases. Kapofi added he was happy that there have been no serious breaches of discipline during this year.
“I encourage you to maintain high standards of discipline and professionalism wherever you will be. Discipline is the cornerstone of a successful force. Discipline begets discipline. When you are disciplined as a leader, those you lead will naturally emulate your behaviour without you having to put much effort in enforcing it,” he said.
The minister urged officers not to confound those they work with and let them note that they have learned something that is beneficial to the headquarter services, formations and units. “You must also be aware that our external security challenges are getting more complex and varied. In the past, we used to fight the enemy, which we could see, but nowadays we are fighting unseen or faceless enemies called technology and viruses that cause disease that are difficult to treat, which requires high knowledge and understanding,” he said.