Defence Academy Cadets undergo reviewed training exercise
The cadets in Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) have undergone reviewed training packages in defensive operations and firepower demonstration
They were the first beneficiaries of the exercise which took the cadets to Jos Plateau State before moving to Kachia for tactical manoeuvring which included advance to contact, deliberate attack, patrols and ambushes, before culminating in the battle inoculation.
The Academy concluded the battle inoculation and firepower demonstration phase of Exercise CAMP HIGHLAND for cadets of the Direct Short Service Course which has 26 Army cadets and 30 from the Air Force.
The Air Secretary of Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Paul Jemitola, stated that the complex exercise has given the cadets a feel of actual battlefield experience, marked by the roaring of guns and the vibration of the earth.
He maintained that the need for such experience for the cadets who would soon pass out and face the reality of the security situation in Nigeria could not be over-emphasized.
AVM Jemitola, therefore, informed the cadets that what they witnessed in the exercise would place them in a better position in the future, especially in a volatile, complex and ambiguous security environment such as that currently being experienced across many parts of the country.
The Demonstration at Table Hill, Nigerian Army Base Camp, Kachia, Kaduna State, brought to a close a 2 week rigorous and complex military manoeuvres that marked the final stages of the cadets’ training in NDA.
He expressed confidence in the cadets and noted that their performance during the exercise has confirmed their mastery of tactics, techniques and procedures, as well as physical fitness level, alertness and stamina. He further charged the cadets to maintain the standard in their duties and assigned tasks following their commissioning into the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN).
“Fit and mentally robust individual junior officers make strong team members thereby ensuring overall operational readiness of the Armed Forces of Nigeria at all times.“
The Air Vice Marshal urged them to continue to participate in activities that would enable them to develop, maintain the strength and flexibility to withstand the rigours of assigned tasks as well as be able to make sound decisions even under inhospitable conditions.
He praised the high standard of training in the NDA, which according to him has equipped the cadets with the right skills and attitude to add value to their various Services while encouraging the Commandant NDA, Major General Ibrahim Yusuf, to maintain the standard.
The Commandant Nigerian Defence Academy, Major General Yusuf, disclosed that the cadets of DSSC 26 (Army) have been trained for 5 months, while those of DSSC 30 (Air Force) were trained for 8 months.
The Commandant stated that the cadets comprises of specialists whose expertise would be required in the Armed Forces of Nigeria and among them are doctors, nurses, engineers and other professionals.
General Yusuf further revealed that the field exercise which the cadets had undergone was as a result of reviewed curriculum of the NDA as directed by the Defence Headquarters to enable them have a similar training with the combatant courses of the Academy.
Exercise CAMP HIGHLAND is the final field training exercise for graduating cadets of NDA and is aimed at, evaluating the cadets’ leadership capabilities, testing their tactical knowledge, physical fitness for combat and stamina, as well as exposing them to real battle scenarios using live ammunition, high calibre explosives and various military hardware amongst others.
PIAK
