Army selection process for new recruits sees 70% assigned to units of first choice

The selection process for this year’s army recruits and their allocation in various units of the national guard has been decided with meritocracy, Defence Minister Charalambos Petrides said on Thursday.

According to the minister, the selection was made through a certified software that processed data submitted electronically by recruits on the defence ministry’s platform.

“I want to emphasise and reassure parents and recruits that via the use of this software, the integrity of the process is guaranteed and is not vulnerable to any human intervention,” the minister said.

According to the minister the meritocratic allocation approach is measurable and determined by a scoring table and on the recruit’s statement of preference, while more than 70 per cent of recruits were assigned to the post of their first choice.

The new recruits will be informed of their assigned post on the day of their enlistment.

In view of that, the defence ministry announced that enlistments will take place between 11-15 of July at Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos recruitment training centers, and at the ‘Christos Samaras’ camp in Athalassa, Nicosia.

All recruits must arrive for enlistment on the time and date specified wearing their combat fatigues, given they have received one. They must also present a valid negative rapid test and wear a medical face mask, and the necessary enlistment documentation.

Conscripts who have had a positive covid diagnosis have the right to enlist up to one week after the last day of enlistment by presenting the necessary supporting documents.

The selection process took place in the presence of national guard chief Demokritos Zervakis.