The exercise being held in the Ningo-Prampram District of the Greater Accra Region is aimed at enhancing cohesion and esprit-de-corps among the units under Southern Command, as well as testing commanders at various levels in the tactical handling of an infantry battalion and its sub-units operating within a combat team framework in a conventional war setting.

Brigadier General Thomas Oppong-Peprah, General Officer Commanding, Southern Command, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said current circumstances the world over and happenings in the West Africa sub-region in particular, called for the need for GAF to be combat ready to deal with perceived and potential threats to the security of Ghana.

He said the exercise was designed to assess the physical fitness of troops as well as to practice the planning, preparation, battle procedure, conduct and execution of deliberate defence, advance to contact, house clearing, hasty defence, patrols, ambushes and air mobile operations.

Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Amponsah, the Command Operation Officer, Southern Command said Exercise Starlight Stretch, in times past, had been held once in the year by the Command for all the units, but this year round, each battalion under the Southern Command (which has oversight responsibility for the Volta, Greater Accra, Eastern, Central and Western Regions of the country) is being exercised separately for improved results.

He said the exercise was also to practice and assess commanders at various levels in practical leadership, command and control of troops in the field.He added that it was also to practice the receipt, planning and issue of orders and enhance cooperation of the units in operations.

 The training covers three battalions under the Command, comprising First Infantry Battalion, Michel Camp, Second Infantry Battalion, Myohaung Barracks, Takoradi; Five Infantry Battalion, Burma Camp, with supporting units- Armoured Reconnaissance, 64 Infantry, 66 Artillery and 48 Engineer Regiments.

 Each battalion takes its turn of two weeks to train and use the third week for a final training exercise codenamed Operation Cat-Chase, which is a field training exercise at the Ningo-Prampram District.

The exercises which started in early August will end at the middle of October 2017.