A graduation ceremony was scheduled May 23, 2008 to mark the successful completion of a month-long military training course by Liberian infantryman with the new Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), according to the U.S. Office of Defense Cooperation in Monrovia.

The Advanced Individual Training (AIT) was designed to equip new soldiers and officers with the military skills and techniques necessary for their future army assignments. The United States partnered with the Liberian government to administer the training.

More than 500 soldiers with the AFL participated in the AIT training course, which focused on a variety of topics, including map reading, land navigation, rifle marksmanship, maneuver troop leading procedures, movement techniques, patrolling, and hand-to-hand combat.

Four participants were selected to receive honors, including the Leadership Award, Distinguished Graduate, Honor Graduate, and the Physical Fitness Award.

The AFL was established in 2006 with the assistance of the U.S. and United Nations forces, after a 14 year civil war. The U.S. government continues to support the development and training of the AFL through the funding and coordination of its training programs.

Following the graduation ceremony, the majority of soldiers will be transferred to the Edward Binyah Kessely Military Barracks near Monrovia. The remaining 25 soldiers will continue to the next phase of training, where they will be trained to become officers for the Armed Forces of Liberia.

News release provided by the Office of Defense Cooperation, U.S. Embassy, Monrovia