17 Dec 2013

Education is a vital component of a service officer’s training and it is essential because modern military operations require open and flexible mind, says Brig. Shadrack Moloi.

Speaking at the junior command and staff course graduation ceremony, Brig. Moloi said minds should be equipped with the capacity to think logically about problems and arrive at considerable solutions. Such solutions must be outlined with clarity, brevity and insight. It is important to remember that everything that is worth knowing cannot be taught.

Brig. Moloi encouraged the graduates to continue to study both academically and militarily as opportunities present themselves because learning is a continuous process. Graduates were introduced to various subjects both military and non-military as a way of moulding them into better commanders and staff officers.

Thirty-seven students, captains and majors, graduated from the course. He encouraged the graduates to be relentless in their efforts to search for knowledge, even after their graduation. Brig Moloi advised the graduates, who are leaders, to lead by example, whether intentionally or locally. He added that the ability to lead is a powerful tool because it gives the leader a chance to shape the future of an individual.

Major Pelonomi Rakobe said the course plan was framed considering the challenges of command at company level, staff appointments at unit and formation levels, and the syllabus at defense command and staff course level.

Major Rakobe said objectives of the course included the training of officers in various aspects of staff in peace and war and to ensure the understanding of the principles and techniques involved in the employment of all arms and services in a conventional warfare set up to battalion level.

He said the training was also designed to expose officers to modern-day tactical decision making processes and to encourage development of research skills and critical thinking.

He noted that this was the first class to visit the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, where a brief on wildlife conservation was given which highlighted the department’s operation and its contribution to tourism. ENDS