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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The government has been asked to increase the hazardous allowance for all soldiers involved in marine-based activities. The request was made by Maj Gen James Birungi, the Commander of the Special Forces Command, the elite force that protects the president.
Maj Gen Birungi was speaking after the pass out of up to 65 Special Force marine soldiers who passed the 11th Maritime based induction course at Kalangalo Marine Training School in Kasanje sub County on Tuesday evening.
He said that there are several challenges faced by marine soldiers while on duty in water including entering untreated water that easily leads to life-threatening infections.
He now wants all soldiers who engage in marine activities to be given a hazardous allowance to enable them to have resources that would cater for their lives away from the general medical offers given by the institution of the UPDF.
The soldiers have been trained in life-saving and swimming in the lake with rough water and wind and how to protect themselves and their territory against an enemy while on water and emergency rescue. There was only one female among the 65 graduating soldiers.
Maj Gen Birungi also advised the just recruited soldiers to ensure discipline and offer dedicated service to the marine forces if they want to grow their career.
Among the activities of the Special Forces, Marine unit is to ensure the safety of the president on water. Usually, a team of the marine forces is dispatched off to distant shores to monitor activities on Lake Victoria whenever the president leaves the country.
Some of the recruits Uganda Radio Network spoke to say there is a need to increase allowances of the different soldiers, especially while on duty protecting the country.
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