BDF officer cadets 18-year-old Jaimala Requena, 21 year old Carrie Wong K and 21 year old Matthew Gillett will be the latest Belizeans to receive military training in the U.S. Requena will head to the Coast Guard Academy, Wong K, who is also Queen of the Bay, will go to the Air Force Academy while Gillett will go to West Point. It's quite an accomplishment for these very young Belizean soldiers. In recognition for their ability to have made it past the selection round, to be accepted into the military institutions, the BDF and the U.S. State Department staged a ceremony in their honor this afternoon.
Gen. Lloyd Gillett, BDF Commander
"This represents a valuable investment in the area of leadership for the BDF but even more than it represents cooperation, cooperation to build capacity to combat the transnational threats that have had such a negative impact on our region. This occasion also serves to re-impose the close relationship between Belize and the U.S. This relationship spans across diplomatic, economic, informational, and military elements of power."
Ambassador Robert Dieter,
"These outstanding young students have been accepted respectfully to the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and the Air force Academy. It is a great accomplishment and an honor to be accepted to these prestigious U.S. Academy. The application process is extremity competitive for applicants from literally around the globe. It is an open competition; there are no set quotas for specific countries. So demanding is this application process that the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, accepted only 13 international students this year. The Coast Guard Academy accepted only 8 international candidates and similarly the Airforce Academy accepted candidates from a very few countries. This makes your accomplishment all the more remarkable. I note that your acceptance is not only an achievement on your part but it represents a significant investment in your education, because the value of one of our academies is estimated at $250,000 per student. By this fall Belize would have seven candidates in the U.S. service academies. That is more than any other country in this hemisphere."
Carrie Wong K, BDF Cadet
"I am exhilarated, as would be anybody, to have such an experience. Of course it was hard work to get in, a lot of training. Like the General said, it is thanks to the U.S. ambassador and thanks to the general himself for implementing all the programs that helped us get ready and prepared for this experience."
Alfonso Noble,
What course will you study?
Carrie Wong K,
"Presently I am not definitely sure but it will be something in the science. I want to be a pilot eventually so it will be something to accentuate that dream. I will be serving the country, as the BDF has been dong shoulder to shoulder. I am excited with everybody else and will be flying and just helping to build the country because I'll be here, like the ambassador said, that we spend a minimum of four years when we get back."
Jaimala Requena, BDF Cadet
"It feels good. There is mixed feelings, you are happy, you're excited but then you know you are not only representing yourself but you are representing your entire country. The Coast Guard is very prestigious in engineering so I was considering some thing along the lines or mechanical engineering."
Matthew Gillett, BDF Cadet
"I extremely elated and actually I am refreshed after a long admission periods. The wait was long and the work was hard but it paid off."
Alfonso Noble,
Where do you see yourself in four years?
Matthew Gillett,
"In four years I see myself returning back to Belize a better person, a more viable candidate to administer change in our ever changing nation. I see Belize growing further ties with the U.S. and further in terms of academic excellence such as the ones I just accomplished."
The cadets will be studying for 4 years after which they will return and serve in the BDF for another four years.
