Soldiers' retirement age: my two-pennies' worth.

In answer to President Boko’s suggestion that the nation engage in discussions about whether or not to increase our soldiers’ retirement age from 45 years to 62 years I wish to register my emphatic “No, keep it at 45 years, please. Not only that, but actively consider reducing it to be the same as that of professional sportsmen such as Frankie Fredericks, Roger Federer, Serena Williams etc.”

Although we habitually see the camouflage-clad pot bellies on our streets, we “civilians” hardly understand just how unfit for purpose our soldiers are, until a situation like the recent Mozambique emergency arises and our soldiers get called to go and fight the insurgents. Then all sorts of revelations come to the surface: many are on Antiretroviral (ARV) medication; hypertension treatment (high blood) etc. The majority of the rest are simply not physically fit to fight a war.

Armies, whether guerrilla or conventional are expensive propositions, If we are going to keep an army, it should be a well-oiled machine. We currently do not have the money to finance anything other than the “dads’ army” in our barracks. Let’s not make it any more “complicated” than it already is.   

 

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