Twenty two UPDF officers from various Army units have completed a one week civil military operations seminar at Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre (URDCC) Jinja.
The course was conducted and facilitated by the Joint special operations university- USA.
While presiding over as Chief guest, the Deputy Chief of Staff URDCC Col Paul Eswapu congratulated participants upon completion of the seminar. He said that civil military Cooperation (CIMIC) is a reality, that is why its applied every where, in natural calamities like floods, famine and in war. “The relationship between the military and the local population must exist” Col Eswap emphasized.
He thanked the USA government for building CIMIC Capacity and that these skills and capabilities are very important because they remain relevant to the people to be able to handle some of the calamities like Ebola in Africa. “CIMIC is recognized to be playing a big role in UPDF and thats why human terrain is key terrain in military operations”. He added.
He further said that, military operations have now changed, the enemy is new everywhere, even in the population, so without applying CIMIC, one will be wasting time. He tasked participants to go and disseminate the good skills to their fellow officers and soldiers who did not get the opportunity to attend.
Earlieron, the representative of the USA Embassy Maj Micheal Miller said that, he is humbled by the hospitality UPDF has extended to facilitators. “This portrays the good diplomatic relations between Uganda and USA. The US government will continue to support UPDF by facilitating more CIMIC courses because CIMIC helps every soldier to have a special mandate” Miller said.
He appreciated the good work UPDF is doing in Somalia especially in public relations which is attributed to CIMIC. He observed that its not only UPDF that is benefiting from these CIMIC courses but the world at large.
The course closure ceremony was attended by among others the Deputy Chief CIMIC of UPDF Col Nelson Aheebwa, head of the facilitating team from the Joint special operations university USA Mr Ken Lavoy and representatives of commandants from other training schools in Jinja cantonment
