MONROVIA-Several soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia who were privileged to undergo training in the United States of America have escaped with no intention to return to Liberia.

The total number of persons who have gone on training since 2006 is about 300. Of that, 16 of them have escaped.
According to the Chief of Staff of the AFL Maj. General Prince C. Johnson, the latest of soldiers to have escaped and refused to return was within one month. They escaped after undergoing their training in the United States of America.
This, according to him is totally unprofessional. Speaking Thursday August 12, on Truth FM, General Johnson said it is disgraceful.

He described the attitude exhibited by some of the soldiers as troubling.
“Each of them signed a commitment document to return following his or her study or training in the USA,” he said.
The AFL Chief of Staff said, Some people see the United States of America as a place for greener pasture, highlighting that such action by those AFL Personals who have escaped as a violation under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).He said it is because such individuals signed a legal document.

General Johnson further said only in the USA that Some of their personals will run away; unlike other countries that they most frequently go for training.
“While will we keep your families in the barrack when your husband refused to return after training in the states? “ he said.

Due to that, they have put in place stringent measures for those who will be going for training. He did not disclose. The Americans are also concerned about the attitude.

So, the high Command will ask such soldiers family out of the solder barrack because there was no need to benefit from any special treatment.
According to him , the high command of the AFL gives home to a soldier and not to a family member, something that the high command will not compromise.

Due to the level of dishonesty, the high command has to put a hold on some AFL Personals who were successful to travel to the USA for training.
“Based on the attitude of some of those AFL who have created bad imaged for the country and the AFL, it will make it difficult for others to go now,” he said.

Maj. Johnson said, unfortunately for one of the soldiers, he was arrested in the USA and deported to Liberia.

While on the Talk show, a lady who claimed to be a wife of one of those run away soldiers complained that she was asked to leave the barrack with her children because her husband refused to return.
But this, one senior AFL officer told this paper by phone on Thursday , “that place is not a charity home or a welfare center. If your husband is no longer working with the institution, you have no reason to stay and enjoy the benefits.
In a related development, General Johnson said it is mandatory for every personal of the AFL to take the coronavirus vaccine.
Liberia has special relations with the United States of America. For that, over the years, the US has been training several army officers in the states.

The Chief of Staff said, other countries where some soldiers went for training in the past, non
of them escaped, only America. They have undergone training in Nigeria, Ghana, China and Israel.
That is a violation of Uniform Code of Justice(UCMJ).
If you are caught, you will be deported. This is not a new thing. When they come, they will not be part of the army.
Why they can’t stay in China, Nigeria, Ghana, but only in USA?

He did not give the names of those soldiers who escaped.
He further said there will be no entrance within the various military barracks for those individuals who will not take the COVID-19 vaccine.