Are you looking for ways or information to join the Botswana defence force recruit in 2019? If yes, this is an opportunity to join BDF. We encourage you to read this article to the end. This article has been well written to answer all questions about the Botswana defence force recruit. It covers every section like Botswana Defence Force Ranks and Salaries, Botswana Defence Force Officer Cadets, Botswana Defence Force Training, Botswana Defence Force 2021 Intake list and Botswana Defence Force Officer Cadets 2021.
Brief History about BDF
The Botswana Defence force was established in the year 1977 under an act in the Parliament tagged ‘BDF Act No. 13 of 1977”. The defence force was created after a decade of the country’s independence year on September 30, 1966.
BDF which now ranks among the best defence force in the African continent has drawn eulogies and admirations from around the world for boasting a solid defence force despite being a homegrown force.
The defence force is known to be entirely homegrown because it inherited absolutely nothing from their colonial masters. The colonial masters left the country without a military structure or facilities in place after independence leaving the safety of the citizens in the hands of the police only.
The defence force was formed from the Police Mobile Unit (PMU) in 1977 and since then, the force has undergone series of transformations to become a solid unit capable of protecting the country from foreign invasion.
The formation of BDF was prompted by the civil unrest at the time when the Rhodesians struggled for liberation and also during the political turmoil in South Africa. Those periods were marred with several lost of lives and destruction of properties, posing a major threat to the country and its defence system.
The overwhelming turmoil at the time challenged the defence force to undergo a series of transformations in order to ward off intruders and ensure the country is safe and inhabitable for her citizens.
The most memorable years in the Botswana Defence Force are 1978 when the widely reported ‘Lesoma Ambush’ by the Rhodesian rebels led to the death of fifteen soldiers and in 1985, the invasion of the South African Defence force led to the death of twelve Botswana soldiers.
These incidences are currently fingered as the reasons for the rapid transformation of the Botswana Defence Force despite being homegrown.
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Botswana defence force 2019 intake list
In 2018, the Botswana Defence Force recruited interested Botswana citizens who applied for the year 2018 BDF applications. These candidates were selected from a long list of applicants who competed to positions at BDF and since the list for the 2018 intake was announced, Botswana citizens have taken to the internet to search for the list of selected candidates.
The Botswana defence force 2018 intake list was published on the local dailies and interested persons who wish to see the names of selected applicants are advised to source such information from the local dailies.
Botswana defence force ranks and salaries
The BDF salary structure was reviewed recently and this led to unrest among the soldiers due to the promotion of some diploma holders and increase in their salary while other soldiers who have served in the same capacity with these soldiers were not promoted and their salary remained the same.
The Botswana defence force ranks and salaries are as follows;
- Certificate holders (B2) earn P3,372 – P4,044 per month
- C2 level earn P8,041 – P9,237 per month
- The lowest entry is said to earn the B3 salary scale which is P2,808-3,358
- Diploma holders (C4/C3)earn P6,232-P7,448
- Diploma holders (D3 scale) P14,788-P16,326
Botswana defence force recruit
Applicants who wish to become members of the BDF are required to meet certain eligibility criteria. Some of the criteria which you must meet to be elected at the BDF include;
- Applicants must be citizens of Botswana and must fall within the age group of 18 – 24. Although in some cases, this rule is waived to make accommodate certain individuals who are usually experts like health professionals
- Applicants are required to be in stable health condition. You must be physically and mentally fit to stand a chance of being selected in the Botswana Defence Force.
- Also, applicants are required to have a clean criminal record and must have been remanded at the police station before
- Candidates applying for the position of officer cadets are required to have a degree.
- For Privates, you must not have less than 30 points in BGCSE and a Post Secondary school certificate is considered to place you at an advantage
Botswana defence force officer cadets
The Defence Force is known to recruit both private and officer cadets who are required to undergo different kinds of training. The privates are required to undergo a 6months period of training while the office cadets are subjected to a 12months period of training.
Botswana defence force training
During the BDF training exercise, cadets are subjected to basic military training where they are taught the core values of BDF. The privates undergo their training at the Pandamatenga Training Camp while Officer Cadets are trained at the Paje Officer Academy
During the period of training, the candidates are required to carry out loads of tasks which include physical and mental tasks. Also, cadets can be taken away from camp to other parts of the country to complete some specific tasks.
There are instances when officer cadets are flown abroad to undergo special training in countries with advanced military facilities.
During the course of the training, trainees are taught about discipline and integrity which form the bases of Botswana Defence Force. Cadets who go against these values during training would be disqualified and may longer take part in BDF exercise.
At the end of the military training, trainees who are successful are sent to different units within the Botswana Defence Force for specialization training. These units include combative and non-combative units.
Under the combat units, officers are trained on the rudiments of handling military equipment as well as defending themselves against and non-combat units entail technical training.
It is often said in BDF that training never stops and this belief is behind the popular slogan in the Botswana Defence Force which reads “If you sweat more during peace-times you will bleed less during a time of war”.
Interested citizens who meet the recruitment requirements as stated above and which to become members of the Botswana Defence Force are encouraged to visit the official government website through the link below and apply accordingly.
Official Application Website
Application Deadline
The application is currently ongoing, no deadline is set for now.
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