Don’t give up ‘better’ aspiring soldiers told

This female soldier trying to show the aspiring female soldier how to do the push ups. (File pic)

MBABANE – Next better candidates should stay tuned just in case some of the aspiring army recruits fail the next phase.
The next phase is the screening which takes place both medically and criminally.

Army acting Public Relations Officer Madoda Mkhatshwa said at this stage they would be able to replace the aspiring recruits by returning to the specific Inkhundla to pick the next in line.
He said after recruiting from the constituencies they keep the recruitment records until training is commissioned.

“This is not the end of the recruitment because we are yet to screen the candi-dates’ criminal records and take them for medical check-up. If they fail any of the two tests they need to be replaced. We cannot replace a candidate with a person from a different constituency because the slot is not transferrable,” he said.

Mkhatshwa clarified that failing a medical check-up may not necessarily connote disease.
He said sometimes people fail due to poor eyesight which may give them a challenge in shooting or flat foot which is just how the individual has been created.

“Some are declared unfit even in the absence of a disease, which is why we do not say they are medically unfit because the moment that is mentioned it is misinterpreted to mean the person requires treatment. The doctor declares them unfit to undergo military training. This may disqualify them for the military career only to find that they are deemed fit for other careers,” he said.
The spokesperson said the doctors they had engaged had knowledge on military training and they are better-positioned to make an informed decision.

He added that the doctor does not even disclose details of the medical check-up because of the confidentiality policy.
“The army does not need those details because the candidates are not yet considered members of the defence force until training begins,” he said.
When asked if the army provides treatment for candidates who are declared unfit due to a disease, Mkhatshwa said, “That is also determined by the discussion that takes place between the doctors and the candidate. The doctor is better-placed to know what steps to take and he does not disclose that to us.”

The army is in the process of recruiting 320 candidates who will begin training in a few weeks time. The process was carried out at the 55 Tinkhundla Centres where four best candidates were recruited after passing a physical test.

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