PNGDF promotes senior officers

HARD work, dedication and discipline have paid off for a military officer who was promoted from lieutenant-colonel to colonel yesterday. 
Supply officer Joe Ben, 49, from Taiof Island, off the west coast of Buka, in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, was among six lieutenant-colonels promoted to colonels this year.
He had his pips put on him by Papua New Guinea Defence Force commander Brig-Gen Francis Agwi yesterday.
Ben was promoted to chief-of-logistics, a role that will see him manage the technical, engineering, transport and logistical movement of the force’s supply, machinery and equipment. 
“It’s a long road but I will do my best. I thank my family and my fellow officers for bringing me this far,” he said.
Agwi told other officers who missed out on promotions this year not to feel let down, saying more promotions would be made soon.
“Now that you’ve been promoted to colonel we expect more from you,” he told Ben.
Ben joined the army in 1979 and was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in 2002.
He attended the National Defence University in China in 2003 and will graduate with a master’s in business management at the University of Papua New Guinea this month.
The other officers who were promoted earlier were Walter Enuma, Otto Pandum, Gilbert Toropo, Raymond Numa and Thomas Raivet.
Raivet was promoted to captain (Navy) while the rest were promoted from lieutenant-colonel to colonel.