RSLAF Organize 5 Days  Patrol & Skills At Arms  Competition For Soldiers

By Feima Sesay

The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces  of Sierra Leone has officially launched a five days live firing, patrol and skills at arms competition to assess the physical fitness and shooting skills ot their personnel.

The  official opening ceremony was held on Monday 18 November, 2024 at their PMTC training center Hastings.

The  competition which commenced on Monday 18 and will end on Friday 22 November 2024.

The competition will be conducted within the general areas of Hastings, Peninsular hill and Banguma.

Mayor Yayah Brima, media operation officer, Joint Force Unit in his opening statement said six teams will participate in the Competition on scoring basis.

The six team includes, 2nd Infantry Brigade which  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 comprise  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 explained that the Competition will be conducted in two phases, adding that Phase 1 will be the patrol exercise of the Competition which will involve jungle walk and fighting.

He said each participating team will be represented by a patrol team of 30 military personnel including six female soldiers, noting  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 said  each team will be assessed on weapon handling, harbour drills, advance to contact drills, Anti Ambush Drills, First Aid Drills and Casualty Evacuation Procedure.

He added that Phase 2 of the Competition will be the skills-at-arms exercise and this will involve  running and live firing, adding that each participating team will also be 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 while addressing the personnel said the objectives of the  competition was  to developed 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 out at the end of the competition.

Awards, he said will be given to 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 said that the Competition which will also attract the participation of these senior government officials on non-scoring basis will improve on the individual tactfulness and build better team cohesion amongst the participating institution.

Representing the Chief of Staff Brigadier General A. S Bockarie in his statement said   on behalf of the ministry of Defense it is with great pleasure to join them in the occasion, adding that this day mark a Significant memory in the history of the republic of Sierra Leone Arm Forces.

He further noted that they are all aware that Skills-at-arms training is actually the type of training that develop their high standard of proficiency with solid foundation and the fundamental principles of maxmanship.

He said  the essence of this year activity is as a result of the recent outcome on the incident on November 26, adding that it is very disheartening but however for any issue and challenge there must be a mitigating factor or strategies that would mitigate those challenge.

He added that the competition is to find solution to address or resolved their problem.

He encouraged all the participants to be part of the solution and not be part of the problem.

He thanked everyone one especially the organisers to have this wonderful initiative which is to bring them together.

He said the training will enhance and impact on the productivity of institutions and performance of the individual, adding that training helps them to develop their skills and to improve on their responsibility through those skills.

He further said that they gathered to make sure that they adopt to whatever they are going to learn from that particular exercise and put it into practice as it will help them in the future.

He continued that they will take five days in this competition and during those times it will be communinated into their marksmanship principle which they must demonstrate at the range.

He encouraged them to master their principle of marksmanship as they will be engaged in target shooting, petition shooting and smart speed shooting in a safe and peaceful environment and also in a responsible manner.

He said all that  they are doing will end up on self discipline especially the way they handle their weapons, adding that they know it is a competition and everybody wants to win but all what they want at the end of the day is that the RSLAF should  win.

He therefore formally declared the 2024 skills at arms competition officially opened.

The commanding officer of Forces Recognisant Unit Leuiteinant Coniel  M. D Bawoh said the over view of the five days events , the participatory of the competition comprise of six teams and basically members of the infantry are ground tools that gauge the enemy in close range combat.

He said they operate weapons and equipment to engage, destroy enemies ground forces, adding that it is therefore no over statements to State that their  job is physically demanding and is considered to be the job in the military that is more mentally and phycologically stressful.

He further said that there is no other job that is as difficult than being  an infantry soldier.

Brigadier AS Bockarie Acting Chief of Staff Training and Doctrine also made statement on behalf of the Chief of Defense Staff Major General PK Lavahun .