Women contract soldiers of the National Guard’s 17th training intake were sworn in at the recruit training centre in Larnaca on Friday. In a message to the new soldiers, the force’s chief said the presence of the Turkish occupation army on the island demanded constant readiness and that developments in the region called for vigilance.
National Guard chief Lieutenant General Emmanouil Theodorou attended the ceremony, along with religious, political and military leaders. After a prayer, the new soldiers took the oath of loyalty to the homeland, pledging to respect the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Cyprus and to fight to preserve its independence and territorial integrity.
Theodorou’s order of the day was read by Brigadier Savvas Savvas, commander of the 1st Mechanised Infantry Brigade. In it, he welcomed the new soldiers, saying their decision to serve was a conscious choice that required determination, faith and a sense of duty.
Cooperation, solidarity and team spirit were a source of strength, he said, urging the soldiers to support their colleagues, carry out their duties consistently and keep improving. Defending the homeland required trained and determined professional soldiers, he added, and he wished them health, strength and success in their new start.
