Fifty-three soldiers joined the Armed Forces of Malta after a ceremony during which they took the oath of loyalty during an inauguration parade. The new soldiers thus continued to strengthen the human resource of the army which, like a year ago, also saw the entry of another eighty soldiers.
The Armed Forces open their door for recruitment once a year. During the course, which lasts for nineteen weeks, the recruits go through a range of training, both physical and even military, as the first step in a military career.
In a speech during the passing out ceremony, the Minister for the Interior, Security and Work Byron Camilleri referred to the values that should guide a soldier. He asked them to fulfill their duty with honor, respect and loyalty to the country and the citizens. Minister Camilleri said that the government supported the Armed Forces not only with new and modern tools to work but also the conditions of the soldiers. “The government remains with a clear commitment to continue improving the conditions and rights of the soldiers as it did with collective agreements that gave them unprecedented salaries and conditions. We fulfilled what we promised and we did it because we believe in you and we know that the country will find you in the moments of trial”, said Minister Camilleri.
Commander of the Armed Forces, Brigadier Clifton O’Neill said, “Although the training has been completed in truth it is the beginning of much more. It is the foundation on which we want you to build a long and successful military career.” He said that in July of this year a call for recruitment in the Armed Forces of Malta will be issued again, with the recruitment scheduled to start in the first weeks of January.
During the ceremony, soldier Darko Sujan was awarded the best recruit of the course. Also present for the ceremony was the Permanent Secretary Joyce Dimech.
