B.D.F. officer cadets cram for exams
In many parts of the world you join the army because you can’t find a job anywhere else. In Belize, however, the B.D.F. is rapidly becoming the employer of choice for those seeking a first class education. News Five’s Janelle Chanona reports from Price Barracks.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
For the next three weeks, twenty officer cadets of the Belize Defence Force will be hitting the books as part of an intense math and science summer programme.
Dr. Arlie Petters, Petters Research Institute
“What we are going to do is give you all the tools it takes for you to be the best.”
The initiative is designed by Dr. Arlie Petters of the Petters Research Institute to help the young men and women do better in the U.S. college admission and placement examination, ACT. This year’s course will be facilitated by Daniel Aarhus.
Daniel Aarhus, Facilitator
“We are going to jump right into it, we’re going to give them fifteen minute drills where we give them actual ACT exams and tell them to do a certain number of questions. The most important thing in preparing for the ACT is probably just exposure to the test, so they more tests they see, the more tests they take and doing it under time controls is going to give them the experience they need to do well on the actual exam.”
Earlier this year, Mark Babalola quit his job to pursue his dreams of becoming a pilot full time.
Mark Babalola, Officer Cadet, B.D.F.
“I love maths, but the science part I will have to adjust to it as time goes on.”
Janelle Chanona
“So looking through the course work, anything you really looking forward to with this?”
Mark Babalola
“Well what I’m looking forward to the most is the preparation that I’m going to need in terms of the physics, because I haven’t really been exposed to physics; but the Maths, rolling with the programme and catch up wherever I left off.”
Twenty-one year old bank teller Jamie Lord also has high hopes to take to the skies one day soon.
Janelle Chanona
“You gave up your vacation to be here?”
Jamie Lord, Officer Cadet, B.D.F.
“To be here, yes. I took two weeks off and the Belize Bank was nice enough to give me the time off the last week so I can do the three weeks programme here.”
Janelle Chanona
“So for a whole year you won’t have any vacation, you okay with that?”
Jamie Lord
“That’s okay with me because this is what I’m really excited about. I’m really looking forward to the experience and everything the B.D.F. will offer me in training, in the course programme to prepare me for the ACT and hopefully, next year we’ll be able to go out to the Air Force Academy to train for the pilot.”
According to Commander Lloyd Gillett, the B.D.F.’s partnership with the Petters Institute has proved successful.
General Lloyd Gillett, Commander, B.D.F.
“Last year before they took the course, the cadets were scoring very low. After they took the course, on average, the course increased by about twenty percent. And we had a very high scorer who got a scholarship to the Naval Academy, but because of our success, other institutions were offering him scholarships as well, so we hope because we are the persons that are investing in them that they’ll stick with the B.D.F.”
One woman who’s proud to be a solider is Justine Swift. Swift is one of eight Belizeans currently attending service academies in the United States.
Justine Swift, West Point Student
“It’s truly an honour and a privilege especially to be one of the one females, one of the first females Belizeans to represent Belize at West Point, so it’s a very overwhelming feeling, so I’m really honoured and I hope I’m representing my country well.”
Janelle Chanona
“Are things as tough as they look in movies and things?”
Justine Swift
“Yeah, it is as tough but I think it’s all mind over matter. Once you have the mental power, you can do it.”
Brig. Gen. Lloyd Gillett
“We hope that improving the intellectual architecture of the Force will translate into better leadership, better management of the Force, and better opportunities for us, because it also opens the door for further training of these officers. So I’m hoping that the leadership, the operational ability of the B.D.F. will improve when we get these new officers who have been trained in engineering and other like subjects.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona.
