Chief Minister, top Govt Officials and Diplomats on the high table
HORTON COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE GRADUATES 29 STUDENTS OFFICERS FOR THE MAIDEN SENIOR COMMAND AND STAFF COURSE-01 2022/2023...........
Graduating Students Officers processing within the Myohaung Officers Mess at Wilberforce Barracks.
The Horton Command and Staff College (HCSC) has graduated 29 Students Officers from the maiden Senior Command and Staff Course (SCSC- 01) for the first time in Sierra Leone and by the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces on Friday 24th February 2023.
In preparation for the Graduation Ceremony, Students Officers were examined on physical and theoretical exercises to assess their level of comprehension on the course. Following the completion of the exercises was the conduct of an Interfaith Service to thank God Almighty for taking them through such a difficult period of 6 months. After the Inter-faith service on Thursday 16th February 2023, Colonel Williams Tennison Pessima Chief Instructor HCSC, also organised a dinner as military tradition demands in honour and appreciation of Student Officers.
The Senior Command and Staff Course 01 had drawn Student Officers from countries within the West Africa Sub-region. In delivering his welcome address and overview, Col WT Pessima described the Graduation as a remarkable one since the upgrade of the Academy to a Staff College Status. He said for the first time in almost 2 decades of existence, the College has conducted the first Senior Division Course and for the first time to undertake a Sub-regional tour with Students to the Republic of Liberia.
Guest of Honour Mr JJ Saffa Chief Minister Chief Instructor HCSC Col WT Pessima
of Sierra Leone delivering the Key delivering the Welcome Address and
Note address Course Overview
The CI HCSC also clarified that the course was a pilot one conducted for 25 weeks. It was designed for Officers in the ranks of Majors and Lieutenant Colonels or equivalent. Though there was a Colonel in the course he said. The course breakdown was; 25 Officers from the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, 1 from the Armed Forces of the Gambia, 2 from the Armed Forces of Guinea and 2 from the Armed Forces of Liberia. The 25 weeks course covered selected modules that are in most Staff Colleges within the Sub-region and beyond. Among the 29 Students Officers, 18 earned Grade C whiles 11 earned Grade D. Students with Grade C were awarded with the symbol Pass Staff Course (psc). Additionally, special awards were presented to deserving students which includes; Best Allied Student from the Armed Forces of Liberia, Major TP Bombo. 3rd Best Student on the course was Maj Bokarie Conteh, 2nd Best was Maj S Kemokai and the Overall Best Student was Maj Murray Koroma.
Best Allied Student Maj P Bombo from 2nd Best on the course Maj S Kemokai -
Armed Forces of Liberia receiving his RSLAF receiving Award from the Ghana
Award from the Rep of the Chinese High Commissioner to Sierra Leone
Ambassador to Sierra Leone
The Chief Minister of the Republic of Sierra Leone Mr Jacob Jusu Saffa was the Guest of Honour for the Graduation Ceremony. In his Key Note address, he asserted that the RSLAF was making history in the development of human capital index and that the GoSL was pleased with the transformation being made by the HCSC. He thanked the international partners especially the International Military Advisory Training Team (IMATT) whom were the brain for the establishment of Horton Command and Staff College in 2003. He said in regulating their Armed Forces he recalled those fearless and brave martyrs who had laid down their lives for the country in pursuit of global peace, fought two World Wars and the Eleven years of civil war in our beloved country. He recalled on the same day RSLAF contributions in peace support operations from Monrovia to Somalia and the fight against the Corona pandemic, may their departed souls continue to rest in peace, he prayed.
3rd Best student on the course Overall Best Student Officer Maj M Koroma
Maj Bockarie Conteh-RSLAF receiving delivering the Vote of Thanks
Award from the Representative of the
Guinean Ambassador to S/Leone
He furthered that the GoSL was committed to seeing the professional enhancement of their Armed Forces. Also, during the last Defence Council meeting in September 2021, the Minister of Defence presented a case for the transformation of Horton Academy to a Command and Staff status and to further subordinate it under the Office of the Presidency. Following such fruitful discussions, it was endorsed by the Defence Council. In that regard, he said the GoSL was determined and committed in building the human resource capacity of the Armed Forces for future global professional challenges. He stressed that the HCSC institution in the RSLAF is a key platform in moulding their Officers to become professionals. With the passage of time, the College had been acclaimed within the Sub-region as the Centre of Excellence and they were proud of it. They would build on its accolade and continue to support the HCSC to an enviable status in the Sub-region.
Group photo during the Graduation Ceremony
Credit:
Directorate of Public Relations and Information
Ministry of Defence
Tower hill
Freetown
