James Kon
The importance of finding ways to adapt to change especially during the COVID-19 pandemic was highlighted by Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) Major General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sahat during the opening ceremony of the Command and Staff Course (CSC) 11/2021 at the Auditorium of the Defence Academy (DA) RBAF yesterday.
Major General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Hamzah said, “The COVID-19 pandemic is more than just a public health crisis. It has impacted our world’s socio-economic state. We must continue to adapt and deal with the dynamic challenges that we face today.
“We did not let COVID-19 slow us down but instead found ways to embrace and adapt to the change. We adapted to the new norms such as conducting training and courses online that have also accelerated our progress into the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”
The Command and Staff Course, he said, “signifies a journey of professional development and a stepping stone from middle-management to senior positions”.
He added, “Participants will be equipped with insight into the key concepts of operations and strategies in defence and security. They will acquire the fundamentals of command, analytical and communication skills.
“This course also provides an interactive platform to share, explore and discuss concepts and issues related to the current security landscape while bridging the gap between abstract principles and reality.”
RBAF Service Commanders, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Director of Internal Security Department, senior officers as well as the defence advisers and attachés to Brunei Darussalam were also present.
The ceremony continued with the flag unfurling ceremony to symbolise cooperation among participating countries and emphasised the importance in forging strong ties throughout the learning journey.
Thirty-three officers participating include 18 officers from the RBAF, one from the Royal Brunei Police Force, one from the Internal Security Department and 13 international military officers from People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Malaysia, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Republic of the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Republic of Singapore, Thailand and the United States.
The course is aimed at expanding professional and academic knowledge towards a contemporary strategic environment and its implications. The 40-week course is delivered in partnership with Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) for the third year as its primary academic provider.
Successful course participants will be awarded a UBD Graduate Diploma in Defence and Security Studies with the opportunity to pursue a Master’s degree in Defence and Security
Studies.