Fifteen officers, including three from defence forces across the region, have completed the Guyana Defence Force’s Junior Command and Staff Course Number Thirty-Four (JCSC #34).
The 12-week course brought together officers from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force (ABDF) and the St Kitts and Nevis Defence Force (SKNDF). Instruction covered operational planning, battle procedure, military law, leadership, administration, intelligence and resource management.
Practical exercises and scenario-based assessments tested the officers’ ability to apply military doctrine, exercise sound judgement and make decisions in operational settings. The regional participation also facilitated professional exchange among the three defence forces.
Addressing the closing ceremony, the Commanding Officer of the Training Corps, Lieutenant Colonel Dale De Mendonca, described officer development as a strategic imperative for the GDF. He urged the graduates to treat course completion as a milestone in their careers and remain committed to professional growth.
The Colonel General Staff, Colonel Kenlloyd Roberts, MSM, addressed the responsibilities that accompany advancement. He stressed that character, competence and accountability must guide officers’ conduct and performance, particularly as they assume greater authority and lead their subordinates.
“Rank is responsibility,” Colonel Roberts reminded the graduates, emphasising that promotion brings greater expectations of professional conduct and performance.
Lieutenant Randolph Best of the ABDF received the Best Graduating Student award, while Lieutenant Delon Abrams of the GDF was named Runner-Up Graduating Student. Sub-Lieutenant Mohamed Khan of the GDF Coast Guard received the Best Service Paper award, and Captain Kenish Garnette of the SKNDF received the Physical Discipline award.
The Adjutant General, Colonel Lloyd Souvenir; the Commandant of the Guyana National Reserve, Lieutenant Colonel Drumson McCaulay; and other senior officers attended the ceremony.
The JCSC contributes to the GDF’s ability to meet its operational responsibilities by developing officers capable of sound planning, decisive leadership and effective staff work. These competencies are vital to safeguarding Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
