PNGDF soldier to study in the United States

Twenty-two year old Gareitz Rapola is the first Papua New Guinean to be a candidate in one of United States high ranking military service academies.

United States ambassador to PNG Catherine Ebert-Gray did the honour of presenting scholarship documents to Rapola at the National Museum in Port Moresby.

PNGDF Cadet (centre) Gareitz Rapola holding the baseball
cap and his scholarship certificates with US Ambassador
Catherin Ebert-Gray

He flies out of PNG a day later for a four year scholarship at the West Point service military-one of the oldest service militaries established by former US President Thomas Jefferson in 1802 and located along the Hudson River in New York.

“This is one of the first we’ve provided scholarship to in one of the service militaries,” Ambassador Ebert-Gray said.

In presenting the scholarship certificates she explained: “This certificate represents the future of our military relationship and the future of Papua New Guinea’s continuous development and excellence in security and in many other ways that our nation will be bonded for a generation or two to come.”

She also presented to Rapola his first baseball cap.

He is expected to graduate in 2023 with a Bachelors Degree after taking a curriculum that grades cadets' performance upon a broad academic program, military leadership performance, and mandatory participation in competitive athletics.

A soft spoken Rapola told the media it meant so much-something he didn’t dream about.

His father Colonel Nelson Rapola is the commanding officer for the 2RPIR based in Wewak.

He flew in from Wewak together with his wife to witness their son’s official announcement of the military scholarship.

Young Rapola completed grade 12 at Jubilee Catholic Secondary School in 2016 and was selected to do a course in Information Technology at the Institute of Business Studies University but turned it down and he joined the PNGDF as a cadet.

Ambassador Ebert-Gray said it’s very competitive to get into West Point as thousands and thousands of applications come from within and outside of the United States and only 1300 are selected every year.

“It’s going to be quite a long a great experience for him in the United States,” she said.

PNGDF Chief of Staff Captain Philip Polewara was on hand on behalf of PNGDF Commander Gilbert Toropo who was on an official trip overseas.

US Ambassador Catherine Ebert-Gray making her comments
as PNGDF Chief of Staff Cpt. Philip Polewara look on

He commended Rapola and already giving him peep talks on how to succeed in his military scholarship as he did training in the US as well.

Rapola was selected based on his academic, civic, military, and athletic history and he was successful among 34 highly qualified and competitive PNGDF applicants.