By Fatima Kpaka
The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) have officially launched a five-day live firing, patrol and skills at arms competition to assess the physical fitness and shooting skills of personnel.
The official opening was held on Monday, November 18, 2024, at their PMTC training center at Hastings.
The competition commenced on Monday 18 and will end on Friday, November 22, 2024.
The competition will be conducted within the general areas of Hastings, Peninsular Hill and Benguema.
Mayor Yayah Brima, media operation officer, Joint Force Unit, said six teams will participate in the Competition on a scoring basis.
The six teams includes the 2nd Infantry Brigade comprises of Armed Forces Technical and Education Centre (AFTEC), Armed Forces Personnel Centre (AFPC) and Tailoring Unit; the 3rd Infantry Brigade, 4th Infantry Brigade, 5th Infantry Brigade which includes Armed Forces Training Centre (AFTC), Peace Mission Training Centre (PMTC), Horton Command and Staff College (HCSC), Armed Forces Band (AFB) and Armed Forces Agricultural Unit (AFAU); the Forces Troops that comprising of Maritime Wing (MW), Air Wing (AW), Engineer Regiment, Forces Intelligence and Security Unit (FISU) and Artillery Battery; and the Joint Support Units comprising of Joint Logistics Unit (JLU), Joint Medical Unit (JMU), Joint Provost Unit (JPU), Joint Communication Unit (JCU) and Armed Forces Physical Training Wing (AFPTW).
Major Brima further said that the competition will be conducted in two phases, adding that Phase 1 is the patrol exercise of the competition which involves jungle walking and fighting.
He said each participating team is represented by a patrol team of 30 military personnel including six female soldiers, adding that each patrol team is required to start the exercise from PMTC and they will navigate through the Peninsular Hill and end at AFTC.
He further that each team will be assessed on weapon handling, harbour drills, advance to contact drills, Anti Ambush Drills, First Aid Drills, and Casualty Evacuation Procedures.
Major Brima added that Phase 2 of the Competition is the skills-at-arms exercise, adding that this involves running and live firing, adding that each participating team is also represented by a skills-at-arms team comprising personnel of various ranks ranging from Private to Lieutenant Colonel.
He said each skills-at-arms team will be assessed on the following practices: Rifle March, Pistol March, Close Quarter Battle March, March and Shoot, GPMG March and Falling Plates March.
Major General Dauda Alpha, Commander Joint Force, said the objectives of the competition is to develop the potential of a soldier as an individual and part of a team, to produce a self-confident soldier that is physically fit and equipped with basic skills and fighting qualities needed to survive in the battlefield, to help a soldier achieve swift reaction and fire accurately to suppress and kill an enemy with his rifle from all combat positions and to ensure continuity of training and prevent skills fade.
Major General Alpha disclosed that nine awards will be given at the end of the competition.
The awards, he said, will be given to the best Pistol Firer, best Female Firer, best Male Firer, best Patrol Commander, best Patrol Team, best GPMG Firer, Overall Best Team, second Best Team and third Best Team.
He further stated that the Competition will attract participation from State House, the Senior Management Team of the Ministry of Defence, Office of National Security, Ministry of Finance, Sierra Leone Police, National Fire Force and Sierra Leone Correctional Service.
Major Alpha clarified that the participation of the above-named institutions will be limited to the skills-at-arms exercise only.
He further that the Competition which will also attract the participation of these senior government officials on a non-scoring basis will improve individual tactfulness and build better team cohesion amongst the participating institutions.
Representing the CDS, Brigadier General A. S Bockarie said that the exercise marks a significant memory in the history of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces.
He further said that they are all aware that skills-at-arms training is the type of training that develops their high standard of proficiency with a solid foundation and the fundamental principles of maxmanship.
He encouraged personnel to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.
The Commanding Officer of Forces Reconnaissance Unit, Lieutenant Coniel M. D Bawoh said that there is no other job that is as difficult as being an infantry soldier.
Brigadier AS Bockarie Acting Chief of Staff Training and Doctrine also made a statement on behalf of the Chief of Defense Staff Major General PK Lavahun.