Maj Gen Shammari refutes rumor:

Assistant Army Chief of Staff for Administrative and Manpower Command Major General Khalid Mudhi Al-Shammari considers accepting non-Kuwaiti volunteers “a sort of giving honor to veteran Kuwaiti soldiers,” describing the rumor that the Army has shortage of manpower as a ruse and a product of imagination, reports Al-Rai daily.

Al-Shammari clarified the allegation that the Army needs about 10,000 to 20,000 volunteers is baseless. He said the officials have heard several rumors in this regard, but the fact is that the Army is not in dire need of personnel and the action is just a humanitarian gesture.

He explained the idea is to help some Bedouns whose fathers have been in the military since inception till date.

He added some veterans participated in the 1967 and 1973 wars as well as defended Kuwait during the Gulf or Liberation War, affirming the decision was a way of showing appreciation to the veterans.

He went on to say the number of non-Kuwaitis who registered for the program online reached 35,000; indicating 10,000 applicants who did not meet the criteria have been eliminated while 3,000 files have been verified among the remaining 28,000 and work is ongoing on the remaining files.

He hopes the procedure will be completed by end of August for the successful applicants to start training in September.