The enlisting of 76 personnel to the Naval Division of the Republic of Fiji Military Force (RFMF) is part of Government’s plan to increase the size of the naval squadron.

This was the message related to the recruits, their parents and relatives from the Navy Commander, Captain (Navy) Humphrey Tawake, during the Palm Sunday service at Togalevu, Veisari.

The recruits including 26 women had completed five weeks of their training and had eight more weeks to go. After their 13 weeks training Capt (Navy) Tawake said recruits would go for their six weeks basic training where their skills would be indentified before they were given the specific areas to join.

“Some will be in the kitchen, in the engineering department and administration,” the Navy Commander said.

“The Fiji Navy training is different from the one conducted by the RFMF and that is why we had shifted our training to Togalevu.

“We’re longer training at the RFMF and all our training will be at the Togalevu Naval Base because our training is different.”

The navy training also includes search and rescue on land and sea.

He said their search and rescue unit helped coordinate the search and rescue of the ill fated Cessna 172 plane crash.

The training will also include overseas training.

Currently he said more than 30 naval officers were training overseas.

Captain (Navy) Humphrey thanked the parents for giving their sons and daughters to join the Navy and also for their continuous support.

He was happy with the big turnout during their Palm Sunday service at Togalevu.

RFMF Chaplain the Reverend Major Ilaitia Tuwere delivered the sermon and thanked the commander for his presence. Before the sermon the recruits performed an action song for their parents and relatives.

The 78 recruits have completed their one week bush training. He said the training for the next eight weeks would be at the Togalevu base.  Edited by Percy Kean

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