NAY PYI TAW February 21
Passing out Parade of the Thura Company of the 128th Intake of Officers Training Course of Defence Services (Army)Officers Training School (Bahtoo) was held at the parade ground of the OTS in Fort Bahtoo this morning. Chairman of State Administration Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Thadoe Maha Thray Sithu Thadoe Thiri Thudhamma Min Aung Hlaing delivered an address at the ceremony.
Also present on the occasion together with the Senior General were Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Admiral Zeya Kyawhtin Htein Win, Commander-in-Chief (Air) General Zeya Kyawhtin Sithu Tun Aung, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, union level dignitaries, the Shan State chief minister, commanders of Eastern Command, Eastern Central Command and Triangle Region Command, the OTS (Bahtoo) commandant, officials of Bahtoo Station, parents and relatives of cadets, and invited guests.
At the ceremony, the Senior General took the salute of the cadet companies, and then in-spected the cadet companies. The cadet companies saluted the Senior General in slow march-past and quick march-past.
Afterwards, the Senior General presented a silver sword to Cadet No. 74 Cadet Thet Naing Soe from the 128th Intake who won the Best Cadet Award.
In his address, the Senior General expressed pleasure and honour for the cadets who passed the subjects on military science, military commanding, leadership, staff, adjutant and quartermaster conducted at OTS for the emergence of qualified officers in Tatmadaw (Army) and skillfully command an infantry platoon at the battle field.
The Tatmadaw placed in the fore the interest of the nation and people and is always loyal to the country and people and dutiful in national defence, while warding off all the possible harms towards Our Thee Main National Causes – non-disintegration of Union, non-disintegration of national solidarity and perpe-tuation of sovereignty — with strong patriotism, love for the country, correct stand, national conviction. Cadets must have knowledge of the honorable his-torical traditions of Tatmadaw formed with children of the people, based on patriotism and noble spirit.
Cadets, who are going to serve as the junior leaders in the Tatmadaw, should have the ability to instill the three capabilities in the troops under their commander. They must be able to face and overcome all hardships and lead the units to work in harmony and unison. They must try to become models and precisely follow the orders and directives.
As they had already learnt military leadership science in-cluding military tactics during the course, they must act and live in accordance with the 16 points of military leadership. Leadership is not just an inher-ent ability. It is a science that can be learned and practised through perfect means and hard work. It is also the ability to organize the subordinates to accomplish a mission. They will be able to make correct decis-ions only through constant studies on the skills a leader should know. Here each and every person must make efforts to reach the goal.
Since it was founded, the foundation of Tatmadaw was laid with discipline and morale. Discipline is the lifeblood of the Tatmadaw. Tatmadaw members are born of the people, and they joined the military of their own accord. So, they must abide by the military laws and disciplines set by the Tatmadaw and also the civilian laws and rules.
To effectively fulfill national defence duties, individuals must maintain good health, physical strength, and continuous combat readiness. Adhering to the directives issued by Tatmadaw, including those from staff, adjutants, and quartermasters, cadets must also undergo training to enhance personal discipline and professional development.
In particular, in accordance with the motto “Study, Practice, and Follow,” it is essential to continuously learn to adapt to the evolving advancements in military equipment and skills. Regular daily practice is also necessary to maintain health and physical fitness appropriate for one’s age. Training is the process of developing both strength and skill. Just as strength is essential for maintaining a soldier’s physical and mental well-being, skill is developed through training to ensure proficiency in weapons and mastery of military techniques. Only through such expertise can confidence be built, and with confidence comes the courage to overcome any challenges faced. Therefore, it is crucial to follow this process diligently.
Our military personnel are dedicated to upholding Our Three Main National Causes and bear the primary responsibility for safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty and defending the
country. Furthermore, in the event of an incident that threa-tens Our Three Main National Causes, the military stands as the strongest force, protecting the country and its people with a spirit of self-sacrifice and a willingness to give up one’s own life.
At present, Tatmadaw is ful-filling the state’s responsibilities in accordance with the 2008 Constitution, striving to firmly follow the path of a genuine, disciplined multiparty democracy as desired by the people, while working towards the establish-ment of a Union based on democracy and federalism.
Currently, some ethnic armed groups, which refuse to abandon the armed path, are collaborating with groups labeled as terrorists, including the NUG, CRPH, and PDF. These groups are employing unlawful armed violence, using political motives to instill fear among the people and expand the areas under their control. Such violent and armed methods have led to instability in certain areas, adversely affecting the socio-economic conditions and lives of local communities. The insurgents, who have chosen a path of violence and armed conflict, are focused on gaining control over their own territories instead of seeking lasting peace and contributing to the Union’s progress toward a multiparty democracy. In particular, the terrorists are threatening and coercing people, including civil servants, who seek to live in peace and harmony. They are intensifying their attacks nation-wide, causing significant harm to the lives, homes, property of people, and public infrastructure. As a result, innocent individuals who desire peace are deeply repulsed by the terrorist insurgents who attempt to resolve political issues through violence and armed conflict.
Tatmadaw is a people’s armed forces, born from the people, and is a part of the state. The utmost effort must be made to protect the lives and property of the people and safeguard the state. The entire public, seeking peace and stability, supports the just war being waged by Tatmadaw. It is crucial for the people, the government, and Tatmadaw, united in spirit, to eradicate insurgents and combat terrorism. The only peoplecapable of bringing stability and development to a region, or of causing the delay of stability and development, are the locals and local insurgents living in that region. Tatmadaw must continue to wage a just war in cooperation with local communities seeking stability and peace, in response to the unlawful actions of armed insurgent groups and their attempts to battle for territorial expansion.
Therefore, upon arriving at each battalion or unit to which assigned, it must be ensured that there is no abuse towards the public using armed violence in area of assignment. I urge cooperation with the public in carrying out security and operational duties, and service to the state and the military with courage and determination. In addition, we must take all necessary measures to ensure that free and fair elections are successfully conducted and that those with the right to vote do not lose that right.
Unity is essential for the success of an organization. The military personnel must firmly build unity within the army based on their love for their country and patriotism. In doing so, they must build in accor-dance with the four major armybuilding projects: training, administration, welfare, and morale. Every soldier must for-ever cultivate the spirit of comradeship, which is the love, bond, and loyalty that must be shown to each other. In addition, they must strictly follow the soldier’s ethics and organize family members to live in unity with mutual respect and consi-deration like brothers and sisters and like a family. Only by doing so can strong unity within the army be built.
With the rapid advancement of information technology and communication networks, opposing individuals and organizations have increasingly used social media to politically dis-credit the Tatmadaw, erode public trust, and spread misinformation. Such attacks and baseless claims not only impact the Tatmadaw but also threaten national unity. To safeguard the nation, all citizens, including military personnel, must think critically and act wisely. A weakened bond between the Tatmadaw and the people can compromise national defence efforts. Therefore, it is essential to prioritize outreach and engagement beyond the military. We urge military personnel to actively participate in public welfare initiatives within their assigned areas, embracing the spirit of “The people are the mother and father of the soldiers” in their community efforts.
After completing the training, we should maintain our conscience and live as good officers in carrying out their duties. We must continue to read and study literature that will benefit us. If we continue to study, it will help us to perform our duties well. We need to use and share what we have read. We must strengthen our knowledge through reading, remembering, discussing, and using. I would like to ask you to strive to become good officers who can be relied upon by the state and the Tatmadaw.
We must continue to preserve the good past and historical traditions that Tatmadaw has stood tall and defended for the state through successive governments and generations. We must practice and live in accordance with the 16 leadership characteristics to become good leaders and continuously study and learn the knowledge and skills that a leader should know. Since discipline is the soul of the Tatmadaw, we must strictly follow the military laws and regulations as well as the laws and regulations of the Tatmadaw. The Senior General urged the military personnel to regularly carry out exercises that are appropriate for their age and fitness level to ensure they are always fit for combat, and to strive to become “future military leaders” who will protect and uphold the three main national causes of the Tatmadaw.
Then, the Senior General left the parade after taking the salute from the cadet companies.
After the parade, the Senior General met the outstanding cadets, including Cadet Thet Naing Soe, who received the Best Cadet Award, Cadet Nay Thway, who received the Excellent Award in Training, Cadet Aung Lwin Htay, who received the Best Shooting Award, and Cadet San Zaw Oo, who received the Best Fitness Award, and their parents and relatives, and delivered a congratulatory speech.
In his congratulatory speech, the Senior General expressed his pride and joy at receiving such awards, and said that the continuous efforts and good principles of self-control during the training period should be maintained throughout life.
Throughout the journey of life, the good principles taught by parents and teachers, the ability to work hard to improve oneself, self-control, and good discipline that one has gained from this training, must be maintained and continuously strived for.
The Senior General said they should not forget the gratitude of their parents and teachers who have nurtured and taught them from childhood until now, and strive to become good military officers who are the pride of their families and the trust of the state and the military. They should continue to main-tain the good foundations they already have, improve their lives, and continue to strive to achieve their goals. They should continue to study and acquire knowledge and skills that will help them improve their lives, and continue to strive to become people who are trusted by the state and the military and who are reliable to their subordinates.
