Sixty-two recruits added to the ranks of the B.D.F.

The Belize Defence Force welcomed sixty-two new members this morning at a ceremony marking the culmination of its fifty-second intake. This year’s recruits underwent intense training to become disciplined, physically and mentally fit soldiers. And after they were inspected by the Minister of National Security, the recruits displayed some of what they learned from the fifteen member staff that converted them from ordinary men and women to B.D.F. soldiers. News Five’s Delahnie Bain was at the Sir Colville Young Parade Square in Price Barracks for this morning’s passing out.

Delahnie Bain, Reporting
The group of men and women endured sixteen grueling weeks of training, which according to Training Subaltern, Lieutenant Gaynel Robateau, was divided in two phases. The first six weeks were focused on getting the recruits adjusted to military life.

Lt. Gaynel Robateau, Training Subaltern
The getting up early, the arduous PT, the discipline, the drill, weapon handling. At the end of the sixteen weeks they have a two week final fling where they actually go and put into practice all that they have learnt for the first fourteen weeks. It includes a jungle phase where they learn to survive in the jungle; probably a two day survival they do. They learn how to get water, learn how to find food, learn how to build a shelter so they can live comfortably in the jungle.”

But when you talk survival in the military, there is much more than living comfortably in the jungle. That’s where the hard part of training comes as the recruits learned patrols, and platoon attacks with live rounds. And they put off quite a show today.

Lt. Gaynel Robateau
“All these areas are what we are doing present day. If you notice, the B.D.F. is constantly on border patrol, we are on the streets patrolling. We are constantly on operations. So all of these aspects in the four months that we teach them are necessary for them to operate when they get to their company.”

Julio Sarceno, Champion Field Craft Recruit
“It wasn’t nothing that I wasn’t expecting; may things to learn. For the first week when I came into training, I didn’t know anything. Thanks to the instructors and officers who were around, I’m grasped a lot of them for the jungle phase, tactical, CQ building, they taught me a lot and now I’m here and I can say I’m ready for the jungle.”

Denis Flowers, Best Shot Recruit
“Some parts mi really hard, some part weh easy but I managed fi work through all ah dat.”

Delahnie Bain
“What are some of the things you learnt?”

Denis Flowers
“Well I learn—like how I win di champion shot thing, I learn mi marksmanship principles that I was taught by my instructors.”

One recruit stood out above the rest and was recognized as the Champion recruit today.

Kevin Gongora, Champion Recruit
“In all of the training we drill everyday, we do our physical, it was slightly intense.”

Delahnie Bain
“Some of the recruits didn’t make it; you managed to make it all the way and be the top recruit. What did that take?”

Kevin Gongora
“Well, I put in a lot of effort, I always do my best and I always try to be at the top of my game.”

The sixty-two recruits that graduated represented eighty percent of the persons who enrolled at the start of training. Delahnie Bain for News Five.

And for those who didn’t make it this time, well they can try again at the next recruitment.