Nine members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Reserve Force recently participated in and won the “Experienced” category of the CIOR International Military Skills Competition in Hammelburg, Germany. The competition consisted of many essential military components required for soldiers to become combat ready.
Skills evaluated in this annual competition are: Tactical combat casualty care in a simulated environment, pistol and rifle shooting, crossing of land and water obstacles and a military orienteering march over different terrain forms and conditions. This march includes subjects like map reading, distance estimation and hand grenade throwing.
What makes this competition even more challenging is the fact that the different shooting events need to be executed within set times, the obstacle crossings and the orienteering march in as short a time as possible and all of this is done in military uniform.
Twenty three international teams, mainly from the NATO countries, participated in this year’s competition and the SANDF Reserve Force team, for the first time, won the “Experienced” category.
The team consisted of: Team manager and Captain: Lieutenant Colonel Van der Westhuijzen (Infantry), Team coach: Captain Le Roux (Infantry), Competitors: Major Labuschagne (Infantry), Captain Ditshego (SA Air Force), Lieutenant Du Toit (Armour), Corporal Hlope (Armour), Troop Ngidi (Armour), Rifleman Mdlalose (Infantry) and Rifleman Smit (Infantry).
This success was achieved due to a joint venture and support between and by the Defence Reserve Division, Reserve Force Council, SA Army Force Preparation and Unit Officers Commanding who realised the need and importance for SANDF members to be exposed and evaluated against international standards in order to assess, evaluate and better some of the SANDF combat ready skills.
The SANDF’s team proved that it is indeed fit and ready when measured against international standards.
Enquiries:
Lieutenant Colonel Uys Van der Westhuizen
Cell: 083 321 9356
