JOINING THE ARMY

Joining the Army is an enormous choice one can make, hence why it is important to make sure you know what we will expect of you, and what you can expect from us, when you join. Take your time to learn about our standards, compare your values to that of the military and think about your commitment, interestingly look at the difference between women in the Army and those in civilian life.

We have varying reasons to join the army. Our country has occupational challenges that eventually make the military institute a prime target for providing jobs and has ceased to be a calling. In the later years, the overwhelming majority of people have economic reasons for joining the army.

The other reason could be that the educational requirements are easily met because our army does not require people to be genius to join but rather require commitment. Once an individual managed to join all he need to do is to follow the training, achieve the standards and observe the values, and at the same time abide by the rules and regulations of the army. Once you join, one could expect many developmental opportunities and promotions throughout your career.

Physical fitness is a norm and could lead to healthy live with the use of gymnasium facilities available throughout your life in service. There are many sports codes that you can join such as soccer, netball, rugby, volleyball and athletics.

RECRUITMENT

Enlistment of new members in organisations of any security sector is always highly welcome by the serving members because it adds extra eyes, hands, ears and boots for the foothold to combat crime. Eventually it means the government achieves its objectives of maintaining law and order enabling people to go about their business.

The LDF recruitment policy specifies the age limit in line with international standards, which however were adjusted recently due to address challenges of maturity. Many people including parents of the youth considering joining the army see it as a way of getting employment. Of cause due to economic hitches in our country, the military has become one organisation seen to address the employment requirements of the youth.

Another misconception that prevails is that when children have bad manners, they should be sent to the army where discipline shall be enforced to turn them into responsible citizens such that one theorist interested in military life believes that Popular culture sometimes shows parents sending or threatening to send unruly children off to the military job to teach them good manners.

The fact remains that the majority of youth who join the army are not aware that the military profession is highly demanding and specialised removing some of cultural practises one is familiar with.. Some recruits fail completely to adjust until they have to leave the army at some stage where they cannot cope. Joining the military means starting a new life and far different from the norms of civilian life.

                             

THE PROCESS OF JOINING THE ARMY

The army has recently launched the Lesotho Defence Force webpage as a way of allowing new recruits to be informed about the expected behaviour for them as serving members in the army. This is to ensure that before joining the army, one has informed well enough to make decisions. This move will not only benefit the administration and command of the army, it equally informs the government and the nation at large.

Once the army has been permitted to enlist new recruits, the call is circulated over the different media platforms about the procedures leading to the interview. The applicants from their respective districts write the interviews at selected venues and that is the first stage for selection. After initial selection, based on the highest scores and the required number, the next step will be medical examinations for those shortlisted..

                             

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

The Lesotho Defence Force takes recruits in three categories being soldiers, professionals and officers. The first and common is for soldiers who passed Matric/GCE/LGSE with any four passes, aged between 20 but less than 25. The second category is for the professionals with different fields of study that must not be above 30 years of age. The last and rare category is for those who join the army and train to become officers from civilian life who must not be above 30 years old and are the graduates from recognised institutions. Once the army has been permitted to enlist new recruits, the call is circulated over the different media platforms about the procedures leading to the interview. The applicants from their respective districts write the interviews at selected venues and that is the first stage for selection. After initial selection, based on the highest scores and the required number, the next step will be medical examinations for those shortlisted..

                             

SCREENING THE APPLICANTS FOR CULTURE FIT AND JOB FIT

Screening is part of a process of recruitment, carried out immediately after a list of those applicants who passed written and oral interviews, and those on the waiting list. During this process, it has been found tendency by other members of community to deliberately provide an inaccurate information about the applicants for their various reasons sometimes at detriment to the applicant, the same community to the state. This category of applicants may lack culture fit and job fit, in that the organisation's work may not be meaningful to them, their values not in harmony with the core values of the organisation. Eventually these people become the burden of the organisation during the screening process.

                             

MEDICAL EXAMINATION AND CIVILIAN POLICE CLEARANCE

Our policy demands that the applicants must be physically and mentally fit. The medical examinations are carried out in all the districts by the civilian and military doctors as per arrangement by the army. The medical examinations are carried out in two phases. The initial phase after passing interviews and on the first day of enlistment in the army. In both stages the results are expected to meet the requirements.

The new recruits can be returned home if found to be pregnant or HIV positive among others as could be compromised by the stringent training requirements at that stage. Indeed, our level of training at the initial stage is much more severe to the extent that other health conditions could pose a threat to life.

The police clearance is also part of the screening process to ensure that the applicants do not have any criminal record. If found to have criminal record, they will be handed over to police for investigation and for the law to take its cause.

                             

DO I NEED A DEGREE TO BECOME AN OFFICER

Many serving members joined the army already having university degrees but would not be automatically elevated to become officers. In few cases the graduates serve as a Professionally Qualified Officer. When we recruit officers, we look for qualities rather than qualifications. There are few cases where one can start training to become an officer when they leave school at 18, after completing basic training.

                             

AFTER ASSESSMENT

It's important to remember that you need to keep a level of fitness after you have been short listed, so that you're in good shape when it comes to starting your training. Without proper training people get injuries due to lack of fitness. If you fail to meet the standard timely you will be left behind to the last day of your training, although the army will ensure you get to the level of others through programmed training. Being in the Army is physically demanding, and you need to get your body ready for this by staying fit while you wait for your start date

                             

Our People

LDF tasks are always delivered directly by soldiers through human interaction. They are our greatest assets. The LDF embraces diversity, inclusivity and contributes to society in everything it does. We have to make life-critical decisions and take purposeful action in sometimes hostile, confusing and unclear situations that occasionally test us to the limit of human endurance. Our training, development and preparation is personally rewarding but also ensures we are united by common values and strong bonds and will do the right thing, even under the most difficult circumstances.