More than 200 soldiers with the Armed Forces of Liberia successfully completed a month-long training course required for advancement to the rank of sergeant. A graduation ceremony was scheduled for June 20, 2008 to honor their achievements, according to the U.S. Office of Defense Cooperation in Monrovia.

The Basic Non-Commissioned Officer Course (BNCOC) is a qualifying course or prerequisite for promotion as a non-commissioned officer in the AFL and is designed to instill in the soldiers the skills and knowledge needed to excel as a military leader.

The United States partnered with the Liberian government to administer the training, as part of the Security Sector Reform (SSR) funded program, which aims to rebuild the AFL to a total of 478 service members, or 30 percent of the current force strength. This was the fourth and penultimate BNCOC class under the SSR.

Two graduates, Private Mark L. Pajibo and Private Moses Yengbe, were selected to receive honors including the "Distinguished Honor Graduate" award and the "Leadership Award."

In a memorandum released by the Office of Security Cooperation, Lieutenant Colonel William M. Wyatt, Chief, said, "Liberians should be proud of the caliber of these soldiers and their commitment to military service in defense of their nation."

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.

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