Maritime Squadron should be independent of AFM

The time has come, the Walrus said, to talk of many things; of shoes and ships... and naval courses for the Armed Forces.

Undoubtedly, the AFM are doing this country proud. Many have great admiration and respect for the multitude of tasks the military is performing, both locally and overseas.

Having monitored the achievements of officers and other ranks for a number of years, and noting that a considerable number of officers and non-commissioned officers have attended naval courses overseas, often attaining top marks, I think the time has come for the authorities to consider a maritime unit independent of the army - similar to a coastguard organisation.

Many navies have been offshoots of the army, and over the years, such navies have proved their value. A dedicated naval force with complete commitment to naval duties will definitely increase efficiency and effectiveness.

The Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces is growing, and it needs to be fed with more naval training addressed to a whole unit, independently of tasks associated with soldiering.

The local maritime squadron undertake their responsibilities very seriously, but to expect a military man to be a soldier one day and a sailor the next may not be conducive to reaching a higher level of professionalism in naval matters.

The subtle difference between the army and the navy can be appreciated by those who over the years served with either or both forces. Those currently in the maritime unit would have noted that the demands made of them are different than those made on the rest of the forces.

Although this country has, for a number of years, produced some excellent military personnel for the army, the time has come to review the AFM's current operational requirements and start training seamen for the patrol boats rather than as soldiers.