Navy chief welcomes 79 sailors
Navy Commander Captain (Navy) Humphrey Tawake, yesterday welcomed 79 new members of the navy family at the Togalevu Naval Base.
He said the 79 sailors passed their 13 weeks of training and were no longer recruits.
After their one-week break, he said, they would return on May 27 for their basic training.
Capt (Navy) Tawake reminded them that not all of them would be selected to join as Fijian Navy regulars. “Only some of you will join the regular force and the others will be in the reserve,” he said.
Capt (Navy) Tawake said the doors had opened up for those in the reserve to be on attachment and for overseas tours of duty (TOD). Those who joined the navy in 1987, he said, would retire next year and this would be an opportunity for those in the reserve to replace them. As members of the navy, he said they should lead by example.
Under the 2013 Constitution of the Republic of Fiji, he said, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) was mandated to provide security for Fiji, carrying out the mandate of the people through our national administration.
“The Constitution says, ‘It shall be the overall duty of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces to ensure at all times the security, defence and wellbeing of Fiji and all Fijians’,” Capt (Navy) Tawake said.
Discipline
He said their families should notice a change in their lifestyle during the one-week break.
“You should uphold the discipline you’ve learned and live with it.”
He reminded them to continue with their training. Capt (Navy) Tawake said the basic training would be very detailed.