Officer Cadets and staff of Airborne Force pass out

Twenty-eight Officer Cadets and 10 staff of the Airborne Force were on Friday decorated with wings, after completing between 10 and 12 weeks training at the Barwah Barracks in Tamale.

The three-phase training comprised Parachute Jumping Instructor's course, Parachute Riggers course and Parachute Apparati Fitters course.

The Parachute Jumping Instructors were taken through an advanced instructional course in parachuting, aircraft drills, flight and landing techniques, despatching techniques and drop zone organisation and procedures.

The Riggers' training included parachute packing, equipment and supply drop, despatching techniques and drop zone organisation and procedures, while the Fitters' were taking through the servicing and maintenance of all Para apparati.

Group Captain Joseph B.T. Nartey, Garrison Commander, reviewed the passing-out parade and decorated the Cadets and the airborne staff with their wings.

Addressing the parade Group Captain Nartey said the Airborne Force was organising the first Parachute Jumping Instructors course in the country.

Hitherto, the Instructors and Riggers were trained in the United States and Britain, he said adding that, the training of one Parachute Jumping Instructor or Rigger overseas could cost as much as 500 million cedis.

Group Captain Nartey said the local training of the officers had cost the country 20 times less, which was a manifestation of the vision of the Ghana Armed Forces Command's "to develop a well trained, well motivated and a self-reliant Officer, Man and Unit".

The Garrison Commander said the Unit would run another course, which would include the freefall aspect of the training.

"Our goal is that the shortage of Instructors, Riggers and Para Fitters in the Airborne Force should be a thing of the past, more so when we have started triangular training for recruits," he said.

Group Captain Nartey assured personnel of the Unit that serious consideration was being given to their logistics and other requirements such as modern parachutes, better storage facilities, night jumping equipment and permanent accommodation facilities for trainees.