Nineteen year old former student of the Essequibo Islands Secondary School, Simon Gordon has been awarded the President’s Sword of Honour after emerging as the Best Student of the Guyana Defence Force’s Standard Officers Course #46.
The new 2nd Lieutenant is the son of a farmer and a housewife. His parents beamed with pride as he was announced the top student and presented with the award at the Commission parade of the course.
In his profile in the official programme, the young officer said that the course has played a significant part in his maturity as a young man.
“This course demanded the need to be responsible, respectful and disciplined. I entered the Standard Officers’ Course #46 as a young adventurous and somewhat irresponsible individual, I was somewhat of a loose cannon but the course has made me disciplined, loyal and stronger. Both mentally and physically”, 2nd Lieutenant Gordon said. 
According to the top student, the course has given him the foundation needed to become an efficient officer and an officer capable of serving Guyana well.
Fifteen of the cadets completed the course and were promoted to officers. Among them were two members of the Belize Defence Force.
President Donald Ramotar who decorated the new officers with their badges of rank said he was heartened that the GDF continues to develop links with regional military organisations.
Mr. Ramotar encouraged the newly commissioned officers to hold themselves up to a high standard and not be persuaded to do otherwise.
The President told the Officers that “your country value your sacrifices and we will do all that is within our means to continue to provide you with the opportunities for self-improvement and upward career movement within the military”.
He encouraged them to remain focused since when it is time for them to lead the Guyana Defence Force, they will have to depend on the skills and experiences that they would have garnered over the years.
In an official message to the new officers, Chief of Staff, Brigadier Mark Phillips encouraged them to understand and live up to the values and standards of the Guyana Defence Force, “because regardless of how competent you are, how good a leader you will be, your success in the accomplishment of your missions and tasks, will from the start to the end of your career depend on your character.”
The Guyana Defence Force started training its own Officer Cadets in 1969.
After 12 years, the Officer Cadet Division of Training Corps evolved into the first Officer Cadet School in the English-speaking Caribbean.
It became the Colonel Ulric Pilgrim Officer Cadet School and has trained in excess of five hundred officers for the Disciplined Services, locally and from sister CARICOM states.
2/12/2014
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