Retirement Not Death Sentence, CAS Tells Retiring Personnel

The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar has reassured retiring military personnel that leaving active service marks the beginning of a fulfilling new chapter in their lives, not an end.

The CAS stated that retirement should not be seen as a death sentence but rather as a new beginning.

“Do not entertain fears about your future. With the training, discipline, and skills you have acquired, as well as God’s guidance, you will enjoy a prosperous future with good health and sound mind,” he said

Air Marshal Abubakar stated this on Thursday at the Passing Out Ceremony of the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC) Participants Course 02/2024 in Oshodi, Lagos.

In a statement by the NAF Spokesman, Air Commodore Olusola Akinboyewa, the CAS lauded the graduands for their unshakable commitment and discipline throughout their military careers.

He highlighted the importance of the six-month training programme, which equipped personnel transitioning to civilian life with skills pertinent to entrepreneurship, management, and national development.

Reflecting on a popular military saying, “Soja come, Soja go, barracks remain,” the CAS emphasised that while individuals leave the Service, their values and contributions continue to shape the Armed Forces and the nation.

He urged the graduands to deploy the discipline, courage, and commitment they exhibited while in uniform to becoming role models and ambassadors of the military profession in their communities.

He paid glowing tributes to fallen heroes who sacrificed their lives for the nation, while also also commending families of the retirees for their unwavering support and sacrifices.

The Air Chief further assured the audience of the Armed Forces’ commitment to the welfare of its personnel, both serving and retired, and expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his dedication to capacity development within the military.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Commandant of NAFRC, Air Vice Marshal Bashir Mamman, thanked the CAS, who was the Special Guest of Honour, as well as eminent personalities, commandants, commanders, special guests, and well-wishers for honouring the invitation and gracing the occasion.

“Your presence here today is a clear manifestation of how dearly you hold this great institution,” he remarked.