315 new soldiers take oath, join 6th Infantry Division's human resources

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 7): 315 new soldiers take oath, join 6th Infantry Division's human resources

The Army's 6th Infantry Division has 315 new soldiers who will augment the Army and Marines in Central Mindanao Region after taking their oath Tuesday afternoon, officials said.

The new soldiers graduated from a nine-month Candidate Soldier Course on Saturday in a ceremony held at 6th Division Training School in Barangay Semba, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.

The new soldiers, sworn in as new Privates of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, are members of Candidate Soldiers Class 416-2017 and Class 417-2017.

They underwent a rigid Basic Military Training and Jungle Warfare Mountain Operations Course as well as trainings on war fighting competency, disaster response and rescue operations, explosive ordnance and reconnaissance agent, water search and rescue, and martial arts called "pekiti tersia kali," according to 6th ID Public Affairs Office chief Captain Arvin Encinas.

After months of rigid training, Encinas said the new soldiers will be assigned to the different battalions of 6ID to boost the peace and development efforts of the command in Cental Mindanao.

The 6th ID is composed of the three Army brigades and under its supervision and control are 1st Marine Brigade and Philippine Air Force (PAF), Army Special Forces Brigade, Army Engineering Brigade, 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade and Special Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit brigade scattered in the provinces of Maguindanao, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and part of Lanao del Sur.

Brigadier General Arnel B. dela Vega, 6th ID chief, welcomed the new soldiers and congratulated them for their hard work and patience in finishing their trainings.

Speaking during the oath-taking of new soldiers, dela Vega lauded training unit commander Lt. Col Donald M. Gumiran and his men for their dedication in molding the character of the new soldiers and ensuring that the new breed will become outstanding troops of the Kampilan family.

Dela Vega told the new infantrymen that they were provided with the best training and will be deployed to their respective unit assignments under 6ID, making sure that they would be of great use to the people whom they have sworn to protect and serve.

The division commander reminded the new AFP members of the AFP's mission of upholding the sovereignty, supporting the Constitution, and defending the territory of the Republic of the Philippines against all enemies foreign and domestic; advancing the national aims, interest and policies; and planning the organization, maintenance, development, and deployment of its regular and citizen armed force for National Security.

"Take note of our primary duties, that is to secure the sovereignty of the state and the integrity of the national territory, protect the country the country from foreign aggression and internal subversion, advance national aims and interest and perform duties as directed by immediate superiors," he said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=961861