Inside Intense Training That KDF Cadets Undergo

A collage image of Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) cadets undergoing field training exercises.
A collage image of Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) cadets undergoing field training exercises.
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Just like the normal Kenyan Defence Forces soldiers, cadets undergo intense mental and physical training programs as the disciplined force aims to incorporate professional civilians into the military.

So intense is the process that the KDF sets high standards during the recruitment exercise. Among the requirements for cadets include the age limit of 18 to 26 years for General Service Officers and 18 to 30 years for specialised servicemen.

Other requirements include weight limits of 54.5kg for males and 50kg for females. Additionally, recruits are expected to have attained a mean grade of B (plain) in the Kenya Certificate for Secondary Education (KCSE).

A previous KDF recruitment exercise
A previous KDF Recruitment exercise
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After the recruitment process, successful recruits are then enrolled to the Kenya Military Academy (KMA) in Lanet, Nakuru County where another intense program is put in place to pick the best-suited candidates to start their training.

At KMA, the disciplined forces incorporate both intense physical and academic training for the cadets. The training lasts from six months to three years for various categories and is anchored on three pillars of Professional Training, Academic Development, and Character Development.

Under the professional training, the recruits are taken through various training such as battle fieldcraft, physical fitness, map reading, military communication, land, air, and maritime operations. 

For the academic pillar, recruits undergo academic training before being awarded a Bachelor of Science in Military and Security Studies. KSCE candidates go through a three-year program, graduate recruits undergo a one-year program while professional recruits with work experience undergo a six-month training program.

Under the final pilar, cadets are trained on character development through class and field training where they conduct field operations in harsh environments such as Samburu County with the aim of preparing them for their future role in the military.

Additionally, before being commissioned by the President, the cadets go through a review process by a commissioning board upon completion of their training.

"The commissioning board is a statutory requirement that evaluates their level of assimilation of their training and their suitability to serve in the KDF.

It recommends to the Defence Council suitable cadets for the grant of the commission which is what makes them KDF officers," Col Elijah Mbithi, a commandant at cadet school, stated.

After their commissioning, the cadets are then deployed to various departments where they use their academic and professional background to help soldiers in defending Kenyan borders.

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4th President Uhuru Kenyatta commissions Officer Cadets’, Specialists and Special Duty Officer Cadets at Kenya Military Academy in Nakuru County on Friday, 26 November 2021
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