RFMF Special Unit On Stand By
The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) has converted the 6th Battalion of the Territorial Force to the Combat Service Support Unit.
This was confirmed by RFMF chief of staff Colonel Ratu Jone Kalouniwai.
“The 6th Battalion is from the Territorial Force (TF),” he said.
The new unit, he said, would be on stand-by for disasters, cyclones and would include specialists like doctors, nurses, engineers, carpenters, plumbers, some from the RFMF Band and other special units in the camp.
Chief of staff for the Territorial Force, Lieutenant Colonel Alipate Vosaicake, confirmed the change and said some members of the unit were working while some were living in villages.
“They had been briefed of this and they know they’re on stand-by and are led by Lieutenant Colonel Ned Taito,” he said.
With this change Colonel Kalouniwai said the Territorial Force now had an office at the Force Training Group (FTG) in Nasinu.
“This will make their communication easier,” he said.
He said this was an important unit of the RFMF and stressed that in any disaster the first to respond from the military would be the 3FIR. Once the 3FIR had been alerted this was a signal to the Territorial Force office to alert the Special Combat Service Unit to be prepared.
“They should be ready within 72 hours after the 3FIR were alerted,” he said.
He said they would only move in if required by the 3FIR.
“In cases where the 3FIR can handle, the unit will not be required but they would be still on stand-by when the 3FIR moves in.”
Meanwhile when launching the 2017 Fiji Pacific Resilience Disaster Response Exercise & Exchange Exercise Manual at the Grand Pacific Hotel’s (GPH) Britannia Room on September 1, 2017, the RFMF Commander Rear Admiral Viliame Naupoto said they had learnt a lot from Tropical Cyclone Winston. With the new Special Combat Service Unit with the special skills members have they should be ready for any disaster.Colonel Kalouniwai said the new unit had already undergone the necessary training and were ready to respond to any disaster call if they were needed.
