Latest update April 7th, 2026 12:30 AM
Female soldiers being deployed to border areas
Kaieteur News – Guyana’s Chief of Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess on Tuesday made it known that for the first time in the history of Guyana Defence Force (GDF), female soldiers are being allowed to protect Guyana’s borders.
Bess related this during a joint Press Conference held with Head of the United States Southern Commander (USSOUTHCOM), General Laura Richardson, at the Marriott Hotel on Tuesday.
The US General and her team arrived in Guyana on Monday to participate in an inaugural two-day ‘Caribbean Women, Peace and Security Conference’, co-hosted by the country. The conference is mainly focus on women in security especially those in the military.
Chief of Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess and General Laura Richardson, Head US Southern Command at Tuesday’s Press Conference.
Speaking at the Press Conference, Bess said that female soldiers are now being allowed to serve at Guyana’s borders.
“Over the last year I must say for the first time in the history of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), our female soldiers are now allowed to serve in our borders,” Bess told reporters.
The Brigadier related that female ranks have been protecting Guyana’s borders at Lethem, Region Nine and in the Mazaruni District, Region Seven.
He said that GDF would normally deploy from 9 to 10 female ranks at any given time.
Bess also assured that as Chief of Staff, he will championing for women rights in the military and noted that GDF has already moved to change the name of the ‘Infantry Rifleman Course’ to ‘Infantry Soldier Course’.
This move was made, he related, because for the first time in the force’s history, women soldiers have successfully completed a course that would normally be done by men.
Bess noted too that the women in the GDF are also excelling and taking senior positions and are being allowed to command in the Guyana army.
He pointed out that currently two female ranks are in senior command positions within the GDF.
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