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PRESIDENT JOHN Evans Fiifi Atta Mills yesterday commissioned 96 Officer Cadets into the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) after completing a Regular Career Course 49 and a Short Service/Special Duties Course 48 at the Military Academy and Training Schools (MATS) in Accra. Out of the 96 newly-commissioned officers, 74 would be posted to units within the Army, 12 into the Air Force while 10 would also receive placements in the Navy. The Commander-in-Chief of GAF admonished the graduating cadets to be responsible in their chosen fields of endeavour and together, �we must work relentlessly to build a better Ghana�. He indicated that their loyalty was to the state and not to any religious, tribal, political or social interests. �You must therefore act at all times with loyalty, undisputed political impartiality, absolute integrity and undoubted selflessness�, President Mills said. For him, their career progression would largely depend on how they apply themselves to the profession, stressing, �You must at all times defend the interest of the nation, protect the lives of the men and women under your command and represent the best of Ghana�. �The safety of your troops as well as the safety of our country and its interests would depend upon the soundness of your military judgment,� he added. President Mills, who reviewed the graduation parade, reminded the newly-commissioned officers of their stake in the development and protection of the country�s democracy in this modern age, emphasizing that �it is your sacred calling to support the officer corps to continue to protect our democracy�. Government, he noted, is very much committed to bringing about constructive changes in the operational, administrative and logistics standing of the Armed Forces. �As I stated in Burma Camp recently, government would not do anything, either covert or overt to undermine the professional integrity of the military. On the contrary, government would concentrate on pursuing policies and programmes that would build esprit-de-corps and high morale within the Armed Forces,� the Commander-in-Chief recounted. He said it is government�s expectation that the Ghana Armed Forces would continue to deliver on its core mission of safeguarding the territorial integrity of the State, as well as maintenance of internal law and order. It is also anticipated that GAF would perpetually provide the congenial atmosphere for peace and security for national development. Present at the august occasion were the Defence Minister, Lt. Gen. J.H. Smith (rtd), Lt. Gen. Arnold Quainoo (rtd), Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Maj. Gen. P.A. Blay, Commandant of the Military Academy and Training Schools, Rear Admiral M.M. Tahiru, Commander of the Military Academy, Brig. Gen. O.B. Akwa and other senior officers.