70 complete ZNA ordinance course
SEVENTY non-commissioned members of the Zimbabwe National Army graduated at Headquarters 2 Infantry Brigade yesterday after successfully completing a four-month-long Basic Stores Course.
Fourteen of graduates were female, an indication of the army’s continuous efforts to address gender disparities within the rank and file of the organisation.
Director Ordinance Colonel Kenneth Chihumba, who presided over the graduation ceremony, hailed the soldiers for displaying high levels of discipline over the duration of the gruelling course.
He said 74 students initially enrolled for the course, but four students were given their marching orders for indiscipline and incompetence.
“I am informed that the course commenced with a total of 74 students and 70 students are graduating today, which is a clear indication that most of you remained focused and resolute throughout the duration of the course except for four who were returned to units due to indiscipline and incompetence,” he said.
Col Chihumba said the main thrust of the course was to equip the non-commissioned officers with the requisite knowledge of quartermaster and ordinance procedures both in peace and war times.
“The course syllabus was also tailor-made to capacitate you to understand how logistics is run even outside military spheres. This course is also a necessary base for those who wish to pursue the logistics field to greater heights within the military and the civilian sector.
“To achieve the objectives of the course, your syllabus covered organisations and roles of various logistics units, quartermaster documents, warehouse management, demand receipt and issue of stores, stocktaking and reconciliation and a package of civil-military relations,” he said.
He added that the course was meant to develop them into vibrant and knowledgeable storesmen who are capable of accounting for army equipment as stipulated in the various quartermaster source documents.
“On top of that you are all required to understand our national heritage for you to be able to jealously defend our beloved Zimbabwe.
“To the graduates, let me remind you that it is from your ranks that the ZNA equipment is managed as you are the ones who will be in charge of accounting for the various equipment within your units. You must therefore diligently apply the accounting procedures you have learnt when you rejoin your units after this course,” he said.