The Royal Bahamas Defence Force welcomes in one hundred and nine (109) recruits after months of hard work and successfully graduating from New Entry Training at the Coral Harbour Base.The entry which comprised of seventy-seven (77) males and thirty (32) females is the most recent group to join the Defence Force after fifteen (15) weeks of arduous basic military training.Minister of State, Office of the Attorney-General, Jomo Campbell, Acting Minister of National Security, who was in attendance, carried out an inspection of the parade, accompanied by the Commander Defence Force, Commodore Dr. Raymod King and the Training Officer, Commander Valentino Rolle.In his address to the newest squad of Defence Force Marines, the Acting Minister of Natinal Security commended them and encouraged them to improvise, adapt and overcome, stating “integrity commits itself to character over personal gain to people over things to service overpower to principle over convenience to the long run over the immediate. He expressed his gratitude to them on behalf of the nation on their decision to become guardians of The Bahamas.With family and friends present in support, the newly graduated recruits displayed precision military foot drills, weapons drills, and a physical fitness display as per tradition. In addition to this, there was a marching band and splendid rendition of the chello performance by the new entrants.The Training department provided a training programme that covered professional disciplines such as Navigation, Seamanship, Weapons Handling, Defence Act and Regulations, Military Martial Arts, Survival, Firefighting and Communications.Recipients of Special Awards were as follows:The Best Female Recruit Award recipient was Rachell Evans and the Best Male Recruit was Jedidiah Cox.As the new entry marched off the parade ground they marched onto a new way of living, a culture, as the newest addition to the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.
