ZNA student officers graduate
TWELVE student officers were yesterday presented with certificates after completing a five-month staff logistics training course in Harare.
Officiating at the graduation ceremony of Logistics Staff Course 05, Zimbabwe National Army Commander Lieutenant- General Edzai Chimonyo said the Zimbabwe Defence Forces ( ZDF) was committed to excellence and has continued to ensure that its officers are exposed to modern skills and techniques in military strategies and warfare from time to time.
This, he said, equips them to deal with the challenges ahead.
“The strategic environment around us is going through a state of constant flux and it has given rise to the manifestation of unconventional and hybrid threats. These new circumstances require that the ZDF address a number of fundamental issues and one of the most pivotal is to do with logistics.
“More and better logistics planning is needed to deal with the various situations confronting the ZDF in its daily operations. It is against this background that the idea of running the Logistics staff college was conceived and today we are witnessing the graduation of the fifth course.
“The issue of training and retraining of military personnel has assumed an important dimension in view of modern advancements in warfare.
The drive towards improving our defence forces has also made it mandatory for our officers to be exposed to the kind of training offered here.
“While investment in armaments, technology and equipment has been important to the ZDF, what has made a huge difference for us has been our emphasis on training that engenders personal and collective values of unity of purpose, patriotism and integrity. These are the values that have led to the ZDF’s success and us earning respect whenever we undertake missions both inside and outside our borders,’’ he said.
Commander Lieutenant-General Edzai Chimonyo urged the student officers to be guided by the basic values of loyalty and integrity.
“Loyalty requires that you remain trustworthy and faithful to your service and the nation at all times. Integrity demands of you to be honest and trustful to yourself, service and nation. These are very important virtues in your various professions and they should be an embodiment of yourself.
“Moreover, as leaders, your emotional intelligence is key to bringing out the best in those you lead. As senior officers you must take account of the rules governing the officer corps and indeed show greater concern for the welfare of those you command.
I need to remind you that those who make it a point of honour are those who remain focused on the course and regard their troops as the most important resource. In the long run they earn greater professional legitimacy and respect.
“I want to state that to tap our vast opportunities we need a philosophy of transparency and accountability in our activities.
This therefore calls to the force the core area that we need to improve on that deals with moral standards in our organisation and in society in order to provide a good foundation for development so that our gains are not dissipated by corruption,” he said.