Email: enquires@pngjfa.ac.pg
Beshop Theme By Wp Theme Space
History
November 1971. Cadet George Haurama, of Yule Island in the Central District of Papua New Guinea receives a cane from Brigadier R.T Eldridge, Commander, Papua New Guinea Command, for being the top cadet at the Military Cadet School in Igam Barracks.
Parade in front of the old Igam Headquarters.
The history of Joint Forces Academy (JFA) dates back to February 1967, when it was called the Military Cadet School (MCS) in Goldie River Barracks, Port Moresby. After a year it was decided that the MCS would be relocated to Igam Barrack, Lae in 1968.
The aim of MCS was to prepare selected cadets to undergo training at the Officer Cadet School (OCS) in Portsea, Australia.
In September 1973 the National Executive Council approved the establishment of the Joint Services College of Papua New Guinea.
The College took over the role of MCS and OCS in Portsea to incorporate training of cadets from the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF), Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) and Correctional Service (CS) to undergo training together.
Cadets from the three services underwent twelve months of training on common core subjects relevant to their service. By the end of twelve months the Police and CS cadets marched out to continue training at their own colleges whilst the PNGDF continued a further twelve months of advance defence training.
By the end of twelve months the Police and CS cadets marched out to continue training at their own colleges whilst the PNGDF continued a further twelve months of advance defence training.
In 1980, the joint services training concept ceased and as a result, the Unit was re-named as Papua New Guinea Defence Academy (PNGDA).
In 2016 the joint services training concept was reintroduced and on 11th of February 2016, PNGDA was renamed to JFA.
The Passing Out Parade of the Class of 1971 after successfully passing their Initial Cadet Training in Igam Barracks. They were all accepted for the Officer Cadet School at Portsea, Victoria, Australia.
A parade in 1971.
The Commanding Officer / Chief Instructor and the Regimental Sergeant Major.
Commanding Officer / Chief Instructor
Lieutenant Colonel Rida graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, Australia in June 2004. His first posting was Platoon Commander, Charlie Company, 2nd Royal Pacific Islands Regiment (2RPIR). His later regimental postings included being the first Officer Commanding Ceremonial Guard Company at Force Support Battalion from 2015 to 2016, and then then Officer Commanding of Support Coy 1RPIR and Operations Officer of 1RPIR.
His non-regimental postings include Platoon Commander at Recruit Company – Goldie River Training Depot, Staff Officer Grade 3 at Personnel Branch – HQPNGDF, Aide De Camp Military to the Governor General of PNG – Office of the Governor General of PNG, Staff Officer Grade 2 Land Plans at Force Capability Development Branch – HQPNGDF and Acting Director Officer Management at Personnel Branch, HQPNGDF.
Lt Col Rida’s operational experience includes Security Operations on NATEL 2007 as assistant Operations Officer, 2 deployments for Border Operations as a Platoon Commander in the Northern Border and later a Company Commander in the Southern Border; Platoon Commander during By-Election at Koroba/Lake Kopiago in Southern Highlands Province; Company Second in Command during Operations VAGOS II in Hela Province; Officer Commanding Bravo Company during Operations Pacific Wantok, the 2015 Pacific Games in Port Moresby; Liaison Officer to Enga Provincial Administration during NATEL 2017; Liaison Officer 1RPIR to JTF KIBUN for Ops LUKAUTIM KIBUNG 2018 during the APEC Summit; and Task Force Second in Command for Operations RESOLVE III/IV during VONC 2024.
Lt Col Rida holds a Diploma in Accounting from the International Training Institute and a Masters of Military and Defence Studies from Deakin University.
He is a graduate of the Australian Command and Staff College.
He is married to Ligouri, and they have three daughters Daniella, Natasha and Amelia, and a son Immanuel.
Regimental Sergeant Major.
Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) Mark Sakei enlisted into the PNGDF on 1st of August 1985. Upon enlistment he under went Basic Recruit Training at the Goldie River Training Depot (GRTD) and passed out after six months. His first posting was to the 1st Royal Pacific Islands Regiment (1RPIR) as a Rifleman, in Bravo Company. Whilst in Bravo Company, he was promoted to the rank of Corporal and appointed as a Section Commander where he served for 10 years.
His non-regimental postings include postings at GRTD, Lae Area and JFA. At GRTD, CWO Sakei served as a Corporal Instructor at Recruit Company and made his way up to be the Company Sergeant Major (CSM). Later he was appointed as the Chief Warrant Officer Training at GRTD Training Cell. There he served for 22 years.
Sakei was then posted out of GRTD to Lae Area as the Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) and then eventually to his current posting as the RSM JFA.
His operational experience included five (5) tours on border operations. The first two tours was as a Section Scout and then later as a Section Second In Command(2IC). Sakei was also deployed on security operations during NATEL 1991 in Enga Province as a Section Commander. He also deployed on five (5) tours during the Bougainville Crisis as a Section Commander and later as a Platoon Sergeant. He was also involved in a Humanitarian and Disaster Response (HADR) Operation where he was employed as a first aider during the Aitape Tsunami in 1998.
Sakei was awarded the Distinguished Military Service (DMS) Medal for his service in the PNGDF in 2015 and the British Empire Medal (BEM) in 2019.
CWO Sakei is married to his wife Olgalyneth and they have two children and two grandchildren
