Reserve Officer Course opens with 32 officer cadets

The Reserve Officer Course (ROC) 18 was officially declared opened on Saturday, October 25, 2025, at the Colonel Ulric Pilgrim Officer Cadet School (CUPOCS).
The ceremony marked a significant milestone in the Force’s ongoing commitment to cultivating leadership capacity within the Reserve component.
In his address, Brigadier Omar Khan, MSS, highlighted the indispensable role of the Reserve in national defence. As he officially declared the course opened, he alluded to the Reserve as a vital extension of the Regular Force, enhancing operational readiness, and the Force’s ability to respond rapidly to emergencies, civil defence operations, and other national contingencies. He further emphasized that the Reserve embodies the unity of citizen and soldier, reflecting the GDF’s commitment to service, patriotism, and duty.
The course has 32 officer cadets actively engaged in training, comprising 18 males and 14 females. Prior to the official opening, the cadets underwent an intensive six-week Regimentation Phase at CUPOCS, where they were rigorously trained in four core subject areas: Skill at Arms, Drills, Field Craft, and Physical Training. These exercises instilled discipline, precision, teamwork, and resilience, ensuring that each cadet is prepared to assume command responsibilities and lead soldiers effectively.
Reserve Officers are trained to lead, administer, and support soldiers in augmenting the Regular Force while also fulfilling civil defence and other national duties. ROC 18 strengthens the Force by producing leaders who embody the highest standards of military conduct, professionalism, and the GDF’s core values of discipline, integrity, loyalty, and Service.
A strong Reserve provides the Guyana Defence Force with depth and flexibility, ensuring trained personnel are available to reinforce the Regular Force, support humanitarian missions, and maintain national stability. Courses such as ROC 18 cultivate officers who are prepared to serve at a moment’s notice, ready to meet the diverse operational and strategic needs of the nation.
As the 32 cadets continue their demanding journey toward officership, they join a proud lineage soldiers committed to the Defence Force’s enduring motto of Service, and to upholding the standards of the Guyana Defence Force.