Latest update April 7th, 2025 12:08 AM
GDF paratroopers display skills at graduation
– jump tower, parachute storage facility should be constructed – Commanding Officer
By Rabindra Rooplall
With three blows to the chest to signify strength and willpower while affixing the “para-wing,” ten Guyana Defence Force (GDF) soldiers graduated from the basic paratroopers course at Air Corps, Timehri yesterday.
For the first time at the closing ceremony, relatives of the graduates were invited to the ceremony, each paratrooper had a relative pound his chest to “nail down” the badge which shows their transition.
Acting Chief of Staff Colonel Bruce Lovell (Centre) with other GDF officials and the graduates.
The 10 graduates were Anthony Lyttle, Anthony Alder, Delon Lynch, Mervin Morris, Cornelius Messiah, Travis Pole, Joel Fraser, Timeon McPherson, Selwyn Williams and Neil Pike.
The soldiers on graduation were equipped with the core skills necessary to effectively execute basic paratrooping on any mission within a Special Forces team.
Acting Chief of Staff Colonel Bruce Lovell, Inspector General Colonel Mark Phillips, Colonel George Lewis, Commanding Officer Training Corps, Colonel Khemraj Persaud; Director of Specialist Arms Institute Lieutenant Colonel Terry Benn, Major Courtney Mendonza, and Major Orin English were the senior GDF officials who officiated at the graduation ceremony. There were also foreign instructors from Brazil. Then there were the special invitees.
Dressed in green jumpsuits the 10 graduates and 15 other qualified paratroopers took part in the Military static line jump from 1000 feet in the air. In addition there were several soldiers who are a part of the “Harpy Eagle free fall club” dressed in slim black and white parachutes.
Major Sheldon Howell explained that the static line jump parachutes are low opening chutes used for forced entry into battle and are deployed with the use of a static line which is attached to the aircraft.
However, the free fall parachutes are high altitude high open or low open parachutes that are deployed after skydiving for several thousand feet above the ground. This type of chute is used for precision jumping onto smaller drop zones.
Major Howell also shared the advent history of paratrooping. He further explained that by joining the prefix para which means defense against and the French word chute which means fall it was put together to describe the parachutes’ function. “In other words, the literal meaning is that which protects against falls.”
Several paratroopers landing after their Military static line jump.
Displays by paratroopers have been done in Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad, Howell said, but Guyana is the only country in the English Caribbean that has the capacity to conduct airborne operations.
Officer commanding the basic paratroopers’ course for 2013, Lieutenant Avinash Deonarine, said the exercise commenced on May 3, 2013 and concluded yesterday.
He said the five-week course catered for 10 students from the 31 Special Forces squadron. They were all successful.
Underscoring the strength of the course, Deonarine said the physical and mental development was noted. However, the most notable weakness was the lack of good time appreciation. He recommended a jump tower and a parachute storage facility be constructed at squadron headquarters.
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