In parallel with the upcoming training of 650 military aspirants currently on standby, the Armed Forces of Haiti (FAd’H) have launched a new recruitment drive aimed at enlisting one thousand new officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers. The announcement was shared with Le Nouvelliste by the Commander-in-Chief of the FAd’H, General Derby Guerrier.
According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Defense, this massive recruitment effort aligns with the objectives of the 2026-2027 Action Plan, which focuses on progressively reinforcing military personnel numbers. The registration process will be decentralized across all ten departments of the country to facilitate access for interested candidates living in regional provinces. General Guerrier noted that the Vertières military base has the structural capacity to accommodate and train a class of one thousand applicants at a time. He also mentioned that the 650 candidates who successfully passed previous recruitment tests will begin their official training shortly, following minor structural modifications being made to the base’s dormitory facilities. Additional recruitment cycles for the Military Academy and professional specialists are also anticipated.
The Ministry of Defense emphasized that the selection criteria will introduce social profiling aimed at promoting civic awareness, patriotism, and mutual aid, adding to the standard physical, medical, and intellectual evaluations. Candidates must provide institutional or social proof of at least one community engagement, such as being a voluntary blood donor, demonstrating eco-citizenship, participating in community development initiatives, supporting isolated patients, belonging to educational youth movements (such as the Scouts), assisting vulnerable adults, engaging in reforestation projects, leading civic or athletic training for underprivileged youth, exemplifying positive masculinity, or advocating for peace within their community.
To sustain local security and prevent the return of armed gangs to neighborhoods recently reclaimed by the National Police, a defense source confirmed that 200 FAd’H soldiers have already been deployed to reinforce law enforcement presence in those areas. The Haitian Armed Forces are also awaiting the delivery of previously ordered equipment and tactical gear intended to scale up operational effectiveness in their ongoing fight against organized crime groups.
