Seven Young Officers Join the SPDF Officer Corps

In a short ceremony at the Seychelles People’s Defence Forces (SPDF) Headquarters at Bel Eau on Monday 23 September 2019, five young officer cadets were commissioned in the SPDF as Second Lieutenant. The three lady cadets and two gentleman cadets recently returned home after completing a twelve months officer cadet course at the Indian Army Officer Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai, India. It was also the first time that female cadets from Seychelles had been trained at OTA.

During the ceremony, the SPDF Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Colonel Clifford Roseline presented the five officers with their new epaulettes that signify their new rank, as well as their commissioning certificate signed by the SPDF Commander-In-Chief, President Danny Faure.

The new Second Lieutenants (2Lt) are; 2Lt Melina Crispin, 2Lt Christopher Hoareau, 2Lt Yannick Marie from Seychelles Air Force (SAF), 2Lt Stephanie Anderson and 2Lt Petra Agricole from the Defence Forces Headquarters (DFHQ).  They will now rejoin their respective units whereby they will pursue their career in their respective fields of specialization. The five new officers join another two officers from the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG), 2Lt Sebastien Radegonde and 2Lt Jerome Philoe who were commissioned in June this year,  after having completed their Comprehensive Officer training at the Indian Naval Academy (INA), Kerala and at INS Venduruthy, Kochi, India. The latter two have since returned back to India to complete other additional training, and are expected back in the country in 2021.

During the same ceremony, five other SPDF servicemen; Sergeant Marimba Chris, Private Sanguignon Daniel, Corporal Mussard Ryan, Corporal Stravens Alexander and Lance Corporal Rose Jean-Yves who succeeded in their selection tests and finished at the top of the merit list for officership training were awarded the temporary rank of Officer Cadet prior to commencing their twelve months Officer Cadet training at OTA Chennai as from October 2019.