Deployable company preparation beefed up
The Commanding Officer (CO) of the Third Battalion Fiji Infantry Regiment Lieutenant Colonel Aseri Rokoura said the Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), Rear Admiral Viliame Naupoto, had given his intent to prepare a deployable company.
He said the deployable company would always be on the ready to move, if the situation in the Middle East got worse.
“That it is why a task force assignment led by Lieutenant Colonel Penioni Naliva and Major Apolosi Veve has already left,” he said while reviewing the unit monthly parade at the RFMF Square Drill last week. He said Major Mikaele Wara also took a company formed of a few soldiers from Echo, Delta and Golf companies.
“That was why the territorial forces personnel were enlisted as attachment into the 3FIR to beef up the work and deployable preparation,” he said. Lieutenant Colonel Rokoura also said they would keep and stand to their role as security, defender and protector of this nation, the government and its people and nothing would stop them.
“We will not allow politicians or any social media users to manipulate their role as the guardian of this nation,” he said.
“That is why I brought (OC) Officer
Commanding Golf, Major Penisio Momau to stand in front of you to be your parade commander.” He said Major Momau, who was a symbol of loyalty at the parade, was a corporal at the Sukanaivalu Victoria Cross barracks in Labasa, when rebels took over the camp by force. Some officers were involved in the mutiny that day. However, Major Momau managed to control the situation.
Lieutenant Colonel Rokoura said Major Momau did a courageous thing to save a few of his comrades who were kept as prisoners in the camp until the arrival of the RFMF reinforcement.
He reminded his officers and soldiers “to be a soldier at heart”. The unit also observed a minute of silence as a mark of respect and commemorate their comrade, Corporal Jeremaia Raloka, who died after a long illness and was buried at Viria Village last Friday.
He also greeted his officers and soldiers who represented the Echo and Delta companies to the parade and welcomed his new officers who were commissioned in the past two weeks.
Lieutenant Colonel Rokoura thanked the unit for the job well done last month, especially for the positive contribution of their mothers and wives in providing invaluable support which helped them to carry out their military undertakings. The unit held a battalion church service after the parade.