MONROVIA, Montserrado – The scramble for recruitment into the Armed Forces of Liberia continues in Monrovia unabated more young people spending long hours and sleepless nights on the streets.

Following the celebration of the Armed Forces Day on February 11, defense authorities announced that additional men and women would be needed to increase the strength of the force from its size of approximately 2,500 members in the wake of the United Nations Mission in Liberia drawdown by June 2016.

Immediately following the climax of the program at the Barclay Training Center, scores of young Liberians began turning out at the military barracks in anticipation of being enlisted into the army.

Some of these young men have come from long distances, braved the hot sun and cold weather, and are sleeping in the queue for fear that someone would occupy their spot if they left. Others who are from nearby communities make their way home and return as early as 3 A.M. in the morning.

When night starts to fall, some who have come from long distances are seen gathering empty cartons and rice bags to use as their beddings.

Some of the youths did not know that the recruitment exercise would take long and did not bring any money or food and had to rely on handouts from bystanders.

In a recent visit to the military barracks, its entrance on UN Drive was a scene of hundreds of young people waiting to go through the recruitment process.

Some applicants eagerly waiting to be enlisted in the AFL Photo Zeze Ballah

Some of the young men and women told The Bush Chicken they spent up to four days at the gate of the Barclay Training Center seeking authorization for an aptitude test.

Clarence Sherman, a 27-year-old resident of the Caldwell community, told The Bush Chicken that in three days of waiting, he has yet to go through the process.

Sherman said he was excited to join the Liberian army, despite the long and slow process.

“As a graduate from the D. Tweh High School without any qualification, the only means of sustaining myself is to join the AFL and help defend the country,” Sherman said.

Captain Saimo Kortu, one of the AFL officials spearheading the nationwide recruitment exercise, told The Bush Chicken that the process started on February 1 in Nimba County. He said the recruitment exercise started in Monrovia on February 12.

Kortu said the process was very slow because a large number of youth are enthusiastic to join the army.

Captain Saimo Kortu stressing a point to a female applicant Photo Zeze Ballah

Kortu explained that applicants wanting to be part of the new army should be Liberians between the ages of 18 and 35. They must also be a high school graduate with a West African Examination Council certificate or and diploma.

“The applicant will first be screened and later asked to write an aptitude test which will be followed by physical and medical examination,” Kortu said.

Explaining further, he said a total of 49 females applied in Nimba County, noting that in Monrovia 65 females have completed and 70 of them were still going through the process.

“These applicants will also have to go through a vetting process which includes verifying their documents and human rights records. They will later be place in an order merit,” he said.

Kortu said the recruitment exercise was planned to end on February 19 but due the enthusiasm from young men and women to join the army, defense authorities have extended the process to February 23.

Applicants walking into the Barclay Training Center with their documents. Photo: Zeze Ballah

Liberia’s military force initially began in 1908 as the Liberia Frontier Force. The force was comprised of 500 men whose mission was originally to patrol the borders in the hinterland against British and French territorial expansion.

The Force became the Armed Forces of Liberia in 1962 but the civil war, 14-years civil war effectively destroyed the institution.

Featured photo by Zeze Ballah