Every summer BDF volunteers leave their day jobs to spend two weeks at the annual training camp. This year the training is at Price Barracks in Ladyville where the volunteer soldiers are engaging in counter-terrorism training. Keith Swift was at training day and found that terrorism isn't the only evil the volunteers are up against as apathy and a lack of commitment also loom large.
Keith SwiftReporting,
We all know about the very real global threat of terrorism. But right now, nowhere is the threat more real than right here in Belize, right here in Ladyville, right here near our airport which why currently four hundred solders of the BDF volunteer element are battling to stave off a group of outlaw terrorists. They call it 'Exercise Moon Raker.'
Major Francis Marin, Operations Manager BDF Volunteer Element
"Exercise Moon Raker is an anti-terrorism exercise. We have developed a scenario to train our solders how to respond to a terrorist threat. Generally we are looking at the country of Belize divided into three sectors: Northern, Central, and Southern sector. Specifically we are looking at the Ladyville area. What we have is a wealthy businessman called Haffa Ali and he is known as the 'Lion.' He has recruited a group of dissident Belizeans to assist him to disrupt the normal economic activities of the international airport. We are deployed as an entire battalion with two companies of 250 soldiers around the areas of the international airport to make sure none of the normal activities that take place at the airport is disrupted in anyway and also to safeguard the lives of all the personnel in and around the international airport."
The exercise, which was first drawn up on these maps and drawings, is now being executed with precision out in the field. The soldiers are on a hunt for Hamed El Chapo Guzman and his top associates. They have the entire airport surrounded and no one eludes a search as this driver discovered when he was accosted with M-16s as they searched his pick-up. And as real as that looked, it is again, all make believe. But the commandant of the Volunteer Element says the threat of terrorism to Belize is very real.
Lt. Col. Edmund Zuniga, Commandant Volunteer Element
"The threat of terrorism is real and we want to be able to deal with that when and if we are required to."
Q: But is it real though? Is there a local threat of terrorism?
Lt. Col. Edmund Zuniga,
"Well we are a part of the global community so it's as real as that."
Q: How important is it you think for these volunteers to realize the importance and imminence of this threat?
Lt. Col. Edmund Zuniga,
"It's critical. When and if there is a real situation we will be called out as part of the Belize Defense Force as part of the nation's security so we must understand the drills that go with it."
And here is why you should worry or at least be concerned the Volunteer Element accounts for a crucial one third of the BDF's manpower. And the commandant lieutenant Edmund Zuniga says that while lack of funding has been a problem in the past and still is there is a new threat: a lack of commitment to secure and defend.
Lt. Col. Edmund Zuniga, Commandant Volunteer Element
"Times have changed. When I joined the volunteers I actually joined the volunteer guard and we were not paid and we did it because we wanted to defend the country. In my mind the change has been that more of our soldiers are focusing on the economic part of being in the volunteer element; in other words getting the job."
But at least for this week they are over 200 volunteer soldiers who did make that selfless decision to answer the call to defend in their free time. Soldiers like Francisco Cuz and Albert Valerio who made the trip from Punta Gorda. For both of them serving is a privilege.
Lance Corporal Albert Valerio, Volunteer Soldier
"I chose to be in the volunteer element to secure the integrity of my beautiful country Belize and also the volunteer itself leads you positively in life."
Lance Corporal Francisco Cuz, Volunteer Soldier
"I just get to like the job and I also want to help the country. The best thing for me is preparing myself to support the regular force in the protection of my country."
Supporting the regular force - that is this element's biggest mission. And while their hope here is to catch up with these terrorists that's dwarfed by the greater mission which is to be ready to defend when they are called upon.
The BDF volunteer recruit camp ends this weekend with the presentation of the colors parade at Price Barracks on Sunday where the first ever volunteer flag will be presented. While there are about 400 volunteers there hasn't been a new intake in two years and there won't be one this year. The BDF says there might be a recruiting intake after next year's camp. BDF volunteers are not paid however they do receive a stipend along with their regular pay.
7NEWS produced for broadcast by News Director Jules Vasquez
Edited for the internet by Keith Swift