As he declared the Senior Command and Staff Course 16 open on July 16, Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Chief of Staff Brigadier Godfrey Bess, challenged the officers pursuing the course to become critical thinkers by going beyond the assimilation of the materials presented in the training modules.
“You must apply yourselves not simply to digesting the materials presented in the taught modules, but also, to discovering the breath beyond your tuition. You must do that in order to be the quality of senior officers the GDF needs for its future development. You must therefore become critical thinkers. Learn to deconstruct ideas and concepts in order to gain the fruit of knowledge contained therein,” he urged, according to a report on the GDF Facebook page.
Recently appointed as acting Chief of Staff, Bess highlighted the importance of the course, which, he explained, is exemplified by its ultimate objective to train officers to function as unit commanders and senior staff officers across the full gamut of military operations.
“These are not only military skills, but professional and lifelong learning skills that are required in your daily lives. It is a challenging course and having the right motivation is key to your success. You are more likely to succeed as a student if you take the time to prepare. You should approach this course with confidence in your abilities,” he urged. Bess also referenced the words of President David Granger to emphasise that “This is an exciting time to be an officer in the GDF.”
Nineteen officers are pursuing the Senior Command and Staff Course 16 which is being conducted over a period of 12 weeks. The course covers Minor Staff Duties, Communication Skills, Tactics in Open and Close Country Warfare, Internal Security Operations, Military Law, Military History, Administration and Logistics.
