4 foreign officers among 31 to receive instruments for completing Standard Officers’ Course

Thirty-one officers, including four foreigners, will receive their instruments today after completing the Standard Officers’ Course – a rigorous two-year training programme facilitated by the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).
Of the 31 officers who have completed the course, four are from Belize, and six are from the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

Following a military parade today, the newly commissioned officers will receive their instruments from the Commander-in-Chief, Dr Irfaan Ali, after which the day’s proceedings will culminate with a traditional dinner that marks the end of their training journey.
Speaking ahead of the Standard Officers’ Course graduation during a religious service held in their honour on Tuesday, Chief of Defence Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Brigadier Omar Khan, emphasised that the batch of recruits – who studied military, defence, humanitarian, and human rights disciplines – will also graduate with associate degrees from the University of Guyana. This, he said, reflects the Force’s commitment to developing well-rounded leaders who contribute to national development.
“Officers would have gone through several areas of study – military studies, defence studies, humanitarian, and human rights. The officers graduating here will also receive associate degrees from the University of Guyana. In modern defence, you want an officer not only to think about defence solutions, because there’s no single defence solution. There’s always a collective part that each stakeholder plays, and we are just a microcosm of that collective effort – part of the wider group contributing to national development. So, it’s a proud day for the officers,” Brigadier Khan stated.
Khan also encouraged young men and women to consider the Guyana Defence Force as a strong foundation for diverse career paths, noting that the Standard Officers’ Course offers opportunities beyond the military, including fields such as journalism, engineering, piloting, and marine studies.
“As you can see, we have both females and males as part of this programme – it’s quite an interesting one. For anyone who wants to start their career, this is the best place to do so, and then you can branch off into other areas. You can do journalism, engineering, piloting, and marine studies,” he said.
He further noted that the programme includes officers from the GDF, the Guyana Police Force, and other countries across the region.
Meanwhile, Brigadier Khan reaffirmed his commitment to upholding the professionalism and integrity of the Guyana Defence Force, emphasising that the institution continues to produce officers of high calibre, discipline, and moral strength.
“I’m a servant of this nation. I serve you – all of you. So, we want to ensure that when we have persons come into the military, we have a filter system that guarantees the citizens of Guyana that the Guyana Defence Force remains professional. What we are producing are officers of calibre, integrity, and professionalism,” he declared.