Marching in

The Armed Forces of Malta commits itself to a continuous investment of enlisting a strategic number of individuals on an annual basis, in order to keep pace with the yearly commitments and achieve its’ mission both locally and overseas.

The AFM provides Maltese citizens with an opportunity to serve their country, however the job involves significant challenges in safeguarding national sovereignty and performing its’ primary defence functions successfully. Therefore, it is vital that the selection process for enlistment within the Force is set to a high standard in order to ensure that the right individuals are selected for the job.

This article provides an understanding of the AFM’s selection process methods that are currently in place, focusing particularly on the different phases undertaken by those applicants interested in joining as soldiers in the regular Force.

The selection process

The purpose of the selection process is to test the ability and potential of the applicants in the most relevant assessments to the vacant posts and identify the best recruits. Over the last two years, the AFM has replaced its’ former selection process of selecting those who express their interest to enlist as Regular Soldiers and Officer Cadets, with the introduction of a new modus operandi. The intention was twofold. To retain interested applicants and to give them a tangible experience of what they would be encountering in the first few months of their military career.

The former selection process could last over a good number of months with all the necessary intervals between assessments. Thus, by combining the three main selection phases in one day (Parts I, III and IV below) we have reduced this timeline to three months.

This process now takes place on a yearly basis and consists of the following phases:

Part I

Physical Efficiency Test

Part II

Written Examination - (conducted by the Director of Examinations and the Board of Local Public Examinations on pre-determined dates stipulated in the Government Gazette)

Part III

Interview

Part IV

Military Test

Part V

Medical Examination

Part I – The physical efficiency test

The day kicks off with the first assessment, the physical efficiency test, following an introduction of the safety, expectations and restrictions throughout this experience. This test consists of a 1-mile run, push-ups, and sit-ups, and it is intended to test the ability of the candidates and ensure they are fit to the standard of fitness required. Applicants are expected to prepare themselves in advance and must at least attain the minimum standard in each discipline to be considered as having gained a pass in the physical efficiency test.

Subsequent to these tests, candidates are provided with shower and accommodation facilities to prepare themselves for the ensuing phases.

Part III – The interview

The interview is designed to assess an applicant’s suitability for military service and it consists of questions related to general knowledge, military knowledge, aptitude ability, reading and writing skills. Applicants are expected to prepare themselves and gather a brief insight about national interests and the AFM in general beforehand. Any certificates in their possession must be presented for vetting purposes to the interviewing board on the day of the selection process. The candidates are required to obtain a minimum of 150 points to be considered further.

Part IV – The military test

This part of the selection process gives applicants a taste and a factual experience of a typical military recruitment training day, to help them determine their suitability for a military life and discipline. The applicants are required to participate in a number of exercises of a military nature. This assessment consists of a drill session, military command tasks, as well as a series of events which are frequently experienced throughout the recruitment training period.

The purpose of drill is to produce alert, self-disciplined and obedient soldiers. Apart from the actual drill movements which need to be addressed both on a personal and on a team level, a drill encompasses the foundations of military bearing, attention to detail and personal turn out.

Military command tasks are essential to encourage the element of teamwork between the candidates and ensure their ability to work with others without displaying any form of misconduct under pressure. Applicants are split into small teams and are given practical problem-solving tasks to complete as a team. They compete against the clock, and possibly other teams, so it is important to work well together.

The candidates are required to complete all the assessments in order to be considered to have successfully passed the AFM selection process.

Moving towards the end of the selection process day

Towards the end of this experience, the potential recruits are required to clean their accommodation facilities used throughout the day to a satisfactory standard. An inspection is carried out by the directing staff as per usual procedure, and should this be acceptable, that would mark the end of the AFM selection day process.