Over 100 Air force soldiers promoted

Over 105 soldiers of the Uganda People's Defence Air Force(UPDAF) were promoted and subsequently decorated to different ranks during a colourful ceremony that was held on Friday at the Air Force's head offices in Entebbe municipality.

Five soldiers were promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel whereas 24 soldiers were ranked Major. Twenty six were ranked Captains, 48 Lieutenants and 3 gained a status of second lieutenant.

According to Captain Authur King Timbaganya, the UPDAF public relations officer, apart from the 105 soldiers that were pipped from the army base in Entebbe, other two soldiers were decorated as Colonels a month ago from Mbuya army headquarters, bringing the total to 107 soldiers belonging to the Air Force.

"The army has a board of promotions created and guided by the UPDF Act, which is charged with promoting soldiers depending on a number of factors among which include; discipline, time spent in the army, position, experience of the soldiers among other factors," noted Cap. Timbaganya.

In his remarks, Maj. Gen. James Birungi the Air force chief of staff and also the guest of honor, mostly applauded the soldiers' spouses whom he said, have rendered maximum support to the men and women in Uniform. "A spouse contributes a lot to the soldier's success or failure," asserted Maj. Gen. Birungi who described spouses as whole-carrying.

The army boss advised soldiers against living what he termed as a soft life, urging them to carry out body exercises and frequent medical check-ups to avoid obesity and heart-attacks.

Maj. Gen. Birungi thanked his team for maintaining the fighter jets in proper conditions hence saving the government's revenue that could have been spent on maintenance. All soldiers and their spouses were later treated to a special lunch.