The Gambia National Army (GAF) has an admirable history, receiving commendations from people around the world who have worked with them for their professionalism and dedication to duty.

Their performances in peacekeeping missions in war torn countries speak volumes. Following a recently concluded British Ministry of Defense military training of the Gambia Armed Forces in The Gambia, words of praise concerning the extreme keenness and enthusiasm to learn have been pouring in for the GAF.

The Royal Gibraltar Regiment - a British military unit based in Gibraltar - conducted the three week-long military training, which is specifically aimed for forces who are about to be deployed for peacekeeping and peace support operations. "My impression is that The Gambia Armed Forces are extremely keen to learn. They make wonderful students and are very, very enthusiastic.  Our instructors love teaching them because they are so conscientious in their learning. Our people love it immensely," a British Ministry of Defense spokesperson in Gibraltar said when contacted.

The spokesperson, name withheld but on records and with direct knowledge of the MoD training, explained that the training is not for general warfare purposes but "specifically for peace support operations such as: mine clearance, vehicle and checkpoint searching, patrolling and personnel searching." Soldiers and paramilitary police - the main participants of the training - were also trained in Prisoner of War handling to enable them to comply with the Geneva Convention. This military training began a few years ago and is conducted twice a year.  

As part of the training exercise, an experienced Royal Gibraltar Regiment vehicle mechanic accompanying the team chose a few GAF mechanics to assist them expand their theoretical knowledge of military vehicles and their engines. Also, newest on the training agenda and being considered for inclusion in future trainings, is the training of headquarter personnel.

These HQ personnel are not actually going out on patrol to the countryside but stay in their HQ and run operations (ops) rooms' procedures such as mappings, logging messages, radio communications and so on.  Asked if Fighting in Built up Area (FIBUA) training was part of the agenda, the MoD spokesman replied that they didn't conduct any FIBUA training as it is aggressive and "we focus our training on peacekeeping and peace support mission."

Ironically, most peacekeepers sometimes find themselves engaged in fierce battles with insurgents or rebels in city centers. The Gambia Armed Forces have been deployed in war torn countries as Liberia, Sierra Leone, Kosovo, Burundi and the explosive Darfur region  - where the current Inspector General of Police, Issa Badjie, was part of an earlier contingent.

 The United Nations Africa Mission In Darfur (UNAMID) spokesperson, Nurideen Mezni, told this reporter in a telephone interview on Tuesday, from Darfur: "The Gambian personnel are very dedicated and hardworking. We are fully satisfied with their performance."  The Gambia contingent is currently deployed in Alfasher, the capital of Northern Darfur.

Meanwhile, five members of the US congress were arrested Monday morning, as they gave speeches at the steps of the Sudanese embassy in Washington, D.C. The congress members had apparently informed the Secret Service earlier o of their plans to protest the "genocide" in Darfur. When asked to leave the embassy area, they refused and were arrested and charged for trespassing.

Responding to this development, the public relations officer of GAF, Captain Omar Bojang, returned the credit to the commander-in-chief of the Gambian army. He said: "It all boils down to the commander-in-chief and the chief of Defense Staff."Though relatively small, the GAF PRO remarked, ours is also one of the strongest forces in the world. He maintained that they could not have achieved these commendations if they were not getting the requisite motivation from the commander-in-chief.