Post a comment 
More than 1,000 military cadets and recruits have successfully completed the initial phase of their training at Benguema Barracks following a passing-out ceremony on Saturday, 4 July 2026.
The ceremony marked the completion of the first stage of a nine-month training programme conducted at the Peace Mission Training Centre (PMTC) and the Armed Forces Training Centre (AFTC).
The cadets and recruits form the second batch enlisted under government efforts to strengthen the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) through a planned recruitment of 3,000 young Sierra Leoneans aimed at boosting manpower and operational capacity.
Approved in 2023, the recruitment exercise is being implemented in three phases and forms part of the government’s youth employment drive under the Big Five Game Changers agenda.
According to the RSLAF, the programme is designed not only to create employment opportunities for young people but also to address personnel gaps caused by retirement, resignation, death, medical discharge, dismissal, desertion, and other attrition factors within the military over the years.
The first batch of 1,017 cadets and recruits was enlisted in 2025, with the second batch now advancing through the training cycle following the latest milestone at Benguema.
Their completion of the initial phase represents progress toward full military preparedness, with further stages of training expected before final deployment into service.
