And with the new general, the BDF is once again recruiting new soldiers for intake number 69. General Velasquez made a pitch for a. Life in the military:
Anthony Velasquez, Brigadier General - BDF
"We have recruiting intakes where where soldiers get recruited from the civilian world and they come here and they spend four months and they train how to become a soldier in the Belize defense force. Thereafter they go to their infantry units and then their performance is assessed. After about two years or so if they are assessed to be competent leaders or they have potential for leadership they're sent on a junior non-commissioned officer's course and thereafter they get promoted to a Lance Corporal and so on. Every two to three years they get assessed again and if they're team competent they're sent on this course and they get promoted to corporal and same to sergeant to staff sergeant etc."
"Also if they're team competent enough to be for example anyway for example if they're deemed competent enough to be a clerk or a medic or a signal technician and they're sent on those courses and they develop their technical skills and they their career tends to trend towards that field."
Reporter
"And how would you encourage Belizeans to join this new intake?"
Anthony Velasquez, Brigadier General - BDF
"Well I would encourage all young Belizeans to join 18 to 23 years old. The Belize Defence Force offer a lot. We seek young people who are right for development and we offer a lot. I have seen soldiers join the Belize Defense Force along with myself as well and over the years develop themselves and their families. They, we join as young individuals with practical and nothing just a lust for adventure right and then we develop our families, we get our houses, we develop a career, we have skills, we educate ourselves."
Walk-in applications are available countrywide or interested persons can apply online through the link on the BDF Facebook page.
