7th Armed Forces Week Celebrations Underway

As a result of the devastating effect of the Ebola Epidemic that grounded the annual activities of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), the forces will observe their 7^th Annual Armed Forces Week Celebrations at the Hockey Pitch Wilberforce Barracks from 14^th to 21^st February, 2016.

The celebrations will with an Inter-Religious Thanksgiving Service and pilgrimage to the war graves on Sunday 14^th February.

The Inter-Force volleyball, troops’ entertainment and the Armed Forces Day will be followed by a ceremonial parade and the beating of the retreat.

The Ministry of Defence and the RSLAF celebrate the Armed Forces Day on 18^th to coincide with the day the late former President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah officially declared the eleven-year civil conflict over in 2002.

The celebration will be observed also in the two provincial brigade headquarters in Bo and Makeni respectively.

Meanwhile, this medium has it that the RSLAF will seize the opportunity during the celebrations to reassure the Government and the people of Sierra Leone of their preparedness and commitment to sustaining the peace and development of the country.

It could be recalled that our soldiers fought bravely in World War 1&2 as part of the Royal West Africa Frontier Force (RWAFF) in India, Burma and the Cameroons with another gallantly displayed in ECOMOG, Liberia and Sierra Leone’s 11-year rebel war.

They also participated in peace support operations in DR Congo, Sudan and most recently in Somalia hence the Armed Forces Week Celebrations are in recognition of the victories achieved in all operations as a departure from the traditional Myohaung Day Celebration observed on 24^th January every year which recognised victory in only a single battle during the Burma Campaign.

As the Forces celebrate these victories, they will never lose sight of their fallen compatriots who sacrificed their lives for their survival a soldiers and officers.

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