By Sumaila Ogbaje
Army Headquarters Garrison on Friday in Abuja concluded the 2023 Corporal and Below Competition which kicked off with 3.2 kilometres endurance run on Tuesday.
The competition was to improve leadership qualities, organisational ability and initiatives among corporals and below rank.
The competition involved weapons handling and physical fitness which included obstacle crossing, swimming and drill.
Speaking at the event, the Acting Deputy Chief of Training, Linkages and Integration, Brig.-Gen. Ibrahim Bindu, said the competition was to enhance the operational readiness of the junior officers.
He said that the Chief of Army Staff has laid emphasis on the training of personnel to enhance their skills and efficiency in carrying out assigned tasks.
According to him, the COAS has directed the training of personnel at all levels, because if they train and sweat more during peace time, they would sweat and bleed less during military operations.
“This week-long competition meant to test your level of endurance and discipline has brought out an improved performance compared to that of last year.
“This of course does not imply that you cannot have more improvements in all areas, so I will enjoin you not to rest on your oars believing you are yet to reach your peak.
“Your endurance was tested during the point to point exercise, the combat, swimming and obstacle while your work and discipline were tested during the drill competition.
“In all these I will say well done to all of you. The outcome of your weapon handling arranged classification too was acceptable, though there is room for improvement as in all endeavours,” he said.
Bindu congratulated the Commander, AHQ Garrison, Maj. -Gen. Kabir Garba for the achievements recorded in the area of training, urging officers and soldiers to take all exercises and training activities seriously.
The Garrison Training Officer, Brig.-Gen. Adeleye Lawal, said the 2023 training was made very rigorous because of the realisation that the personnel of AHQ Garrison were mostly soldiers working in offices, with only few in the field.
Lawal said the garrison decided to bring them back to state with their colleagues in the field with a view to test their endurance and prepare them for future assignments.
He said the garrison introduced swimming into the 2023 edition aside the usual map reading of the point to point, 3.2km runoff, obstacle crossing and maximum drill tests.
He said reports from the operational fields indicated that swimming needed to be inculcated in all personnel to boost their combat proficiency.
Lawal said the participants comprised three teams, Alpha, Bravo and Charlie, from all AHQ departments, formations and units, minus the Guards Brigade.
The News Agency of Nigeria NAN) reports that the Team B emerged overall winner of the competition.
(NAN)
