Niël Terblanché
Air Marshal Martin Pinehas, chief of the Namibian Defence Force (NDF), has officially opened the 18th Recruit Training Intake at the NDF Training Establishment in Osona, cautioning the recruits that discipline, honour and loyalty are non-negotiable values in their journey as future defenders of the nation.
A total of 1,679 recruits, drawn from all 14 regions of Namibia, reported for training.
The intake includes 1,303 men and 361 women, as well as 88 drivers and 11 student pilots.
Pinehas described the occasion as an opportunity to mould civilians into soldiers capable of safeguarding Namibia’s sovereignty and constitutional obligations.
“By becoming a soldier, you have accepted the highest call to duty and to abide by the requirement and exceptional discipline, loyalty and dedication to duty. To defend the nation will depend on your honour, discipline and loyalty to your country,” he said.
He warned that any recruit found engaging in unauthorised conduct would be immediately withdrawn from the programme and sent home.
“Anyone found using illicit drugs, entering into relationships with other service members during training, or consuming alcohol will be removed. You must have discipline, resolve and determination to continue carrying on with training,” he said.
Addressing the instructors, Pinehas urged them to maintain professionalism and uphold the integrity of the training process.
“Conduct yourselves in a manner that is highly professional and exemplary to the recruits. No instructor may divulge any information related to the training to any unauthorised persons for whatever reason,” he said.
He reminded both trainees and trainers of the NDF’s motto, ‘Train Hard and Fight Easy’, adding that rigorous training conditions are designed to prepare recruits for the psychological and physical stresses of modern warfare.
“Good soldiering does not just come on a silver platter but through sweat and hardship,” he said.
Pinhas described the NDF as the “shield of the Republic of Namibia, the pride of our people, and a disciplined custodian of our hard-won independence,” and charged the commandant and staff of Osona to transform the intake into professional soldiers through military orientation.
The recruits now face an intensive training programme aimed at reshaping their civilian mindsets and preparing them to meet the demands of military service.
