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Sierra Leone - Training and Education

In the RSLAF, training and education were considered the cornerstone of operational readiness. Training was guided by policy derived from the British Doctrine and it describes specific requirements known as Statement of Training Requirement (SOTR).17 The training policy was divided into two: individual training directive (ITD) and collective training directive (CTD). These directives are issued by the MoD to the JFC for dissemination force-wide and they form the basis of all training as they give the broad objectives and standards to be achieved.

The implementation of ITD and CTD starts at the individual units where officers and soldiers go through Levels 1 and 2 (physical fitness tests, first aid training, annual personal weapon tests, etc). Troops then proceed in turns to the Brigade Battle Schools (BBS) for Level 3 training (minor platoon and company level tactics). Levels 1, 2 and 3 training forms the basic foundation for all subsequent training of officers and soldiers in the RSLAF. The BBS also conducts training for the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) Company in readiness for ECOWAS deployment. Thus, all other training in the RSLAF was conducted at 4 main units/institutions under a unified command known as Training Group Command.

The first and most serviceable training unit was the AFTC whose role was to deliver basic training to officer cadets/soldiers and quality leadership training at officer, JNCO and SNCO levels in order to maintain individual and collective skills across the RSLAF. To achieve this, the AFTC conducts the following courses:

• Direct Entry Commissioning Course (DECC) for officer cadets for 24 weeks.
• Direct Entry Recruit Course (DERC) for basic soldier recruits running concurrently with DECC for 24 weeks and culminating into the same passing-out parade.
• Direct Entry Specialist Commissioning Course (DESCC) for qualified medical doctors, nurses, engineers, religious priests/clerics and runs for 4 weeks to train them in basic soldiering skills.
• Platoon Commanders Battle Course (PCBC) running for 8 weeks for young officers after spending 1 year in their battalions to train them in basic infantry platoon-leadership roles.
• Combat Team Commanders Course (CTCC) running for 12 weeks for senior Captains to prepare them for company level command.
• Section Commanders Battle Course (SCBC) for senior Lance Corporals (JNCOs) and Corporals (NCOs) and runs for 9 weeks to train them in basic infantry section leadership roles.
• Platoon Sergeants Battle Course (PSBC) for Sergeants/Staff Sergeants (SNCOs) and runs for 8 weeks to train them on basic infantry platoon second-in-command leadership roles.
• Combat Coaching Marksmanship Course (CCMC) for all ranks of Captain/Staff Sergeant and below and runs for 2 weeks to identify best shots within battalions.
• Advanced Infantry Skills Training running for 6 weeks for all ranks of Captain/Staff Sergeant and below to harmonize reconnaissance skills across the RSLAF.
• Unit Training Officers (UTO) Course runs for 4 weeks for Captains and Majors in training appointments to train them on the conduct of effective unit training.

The second training institution was the Horton Academy (HA) which was responsible for delivering officer and warrant officer (WO) education. The HA conducts the under-mentioned courses:

• Junior Staff Course (JSC) for senior Lieutenants and runs for 16 weeks.
• Intermediate Staff Course (ISC) for senior Captains and to which civilians from MoD and Office of National Security (ONS) are invited to participate. It runs for 16 weeks as well and aims at introducing officers to wider national security issues.
• Command and Staff Training (CAST) for senior Majors and Lieutenant Colonels and runs for 4 weeks to prepare and select suitable candidates for Senior Command and Staff Course (SCSC) abroad. Those unable to pass the course do not proceed on SCSC.
• Warrant Officers Course (WOC) for warrant officers and runs for 4 weeks to help them develop the leadership skills cultivated throughout their long service and experience.

The third training unit was the Armed Force Education Centre (AFEC) whose main focus was soldier education programs. The following courses are run by AFEC:

• Adult Literacy and Numeracy Course running all year round for illiterate soldiers to raise their literacy to at least basic level. This was decentralized and also going on at all Bde HQs.
• Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) Classes running all year round for soldiers graduating from the literacy classes to prepare them for the national basic education certificate exams.
• West Africa School Certificate Examination (WASCE) Classes also running all year round for soldiers graduating from the BECE class to prepare them for the national senior secondary school certificate exams.
• AFEC was also solely responsible for the conduct of entrance exams for recruit and officer cadet candidates during annual recruiting exercise. The basic educational requirement for recruit candidates was a pass at BECE and for officer cadet candidates 5 credits at WASCE including English Language.

The last but not the least training institution was the Peace Mission Training Centre (PMTC) which was responsible for delivering peace support operations training to troops selected for deployment on UN Peacekeeping. This training was run under the assistance and guidance of the African Contingency Training and Assistance (ACOTA) Group from US African Command (AFRICOM).

The above-mentioned activities are certainly not exhaustive of training in the RSLAF, but only represent the major in-country training. The force also thrives on several training and education offers from development partners like USA, UK, Canada, China, Nigeria and Ghana. However, the highest number of offers came from China (at least 20 per year) and they include slots for College of Defense Studies, Command and Staff College, and several others for junior officers and soldiers. China was also the only partner that provided offers for RSLAF soldier-overseas training.