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ZDF Commander General Constantine Chiwenga, who was the reviewing officer and guest of honour at the colourful event, said the graduation of BOC/1/12 demonstrated the School of Flying Training (SOFT)’s resolve and commitment to fulfilling its mandate of grooming potential officers into competent, professional, disciplined and patriotic officers of ZDF.
“I am pleased to note that out of the 31 officers graduating today, there are 13 female trainees, an achievement which shows that as ZDF, we have fully embraced the national gender policy of affording equal opportunities to both men and women. The training course commenced on 31 January 2012 and went through a gruelling programme which was meant to turn graduands into officers that are set to lead the defence forces in this 21st century.
However, the ZDF continues to lose personnel due to manpower turnover such as losses to the private sector which values our highly trained personnel, retirements and resignations. Therefore, it is only through such training programmes that ZDF is able to replace its personnel,” he said.
Thursday’s 31 graduating officers of BOC 1/2012 from SOFT underwent a gruelling six months course which started on 3 January and ended on 4 July.
The course drew its participants from qualified professionals from the civilian sector and within the Air Force of Zimbabwe.
Gen Chiwenga said from AFZ, the course targeted for training non-commissioned officers with a potential of being fully-fledged officers.
He said the training programme was deliberately designed to be tough to prepare the graduating officers for the challenges of an officer’s life ahead of them.
BOC 1/12 was divided into three distinct phases namely: basic soldiering skills including physical fitness, conventional warfare and lastly low intensity operations.
Some of the subjects covered during the course include, Service Writing, General Service Knowledge, Military Law, Civil-Military Relations and Leadership.
Students were also exposed to some of the strategic sectors within the national economy through visits to places like Kariba hydro power station.
Officer Paul Makuta scooped the Best Student award while Officer Shamiso Chowe Nyamajiwa came second.
Gen Chiwenga blasted Britain and her allies for making the lives of Zimbabweans difficult through the imposition of illegal sanctions.
“Contrary to the misplaced conception by some of our citizens and political parties that there are no sanctions, the real truth is that the country is under sanctions that are deeply hurting our economy as well as the generality of ordinary citizens.
“It is my hope that the civil military relations package enabled you to understand why Zimbabwe continues to bear the brunt of the heinous, hostile and illegal economic sanctions imposed by Britain and her allies,” he said.
The ZDF commander applauded the new officers for successfully completing their course in the wake of sanctions-induced economic challenges that resulted in them having to do without adequate resources during the entire training period. He urged the graduates to remain disciplined and professional at all times for them to enjoy a career growth in the army.
“I urge you to always aim high in your careers. ZDF’s thrust is to develop its officers, men and women — professionally and academically.
Therefore, I urge you to take advantage of this. To this end, most universities and colleges have substantial numbers of ZDF students who are doing very well in various programmes,” said Gen Chiwenga.
He also announced that ZDF was about to complete the construction of the National Defence College which he said, would offer degree programmes to selected senior military officers and senior civil servants.
Gen Chiwenga told the invited guests that the country was moving out of the economic challenges precipitated by the West’s illegal sanctions, thanks to President Mugabe’s Look-East Policy.
“The economy is on an upward trajectory following the visionary Look East policy enunciated in 2003 by His Excellency, Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the ZDF, Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe,” he said.
Air Force of Zimbabwe commander, Air Marshall Perence Shiri and other senior AFZ officers, graced the occasion.
Online Reporter