The Commander of the Tonga Defence Services, Colonel Tau'aika 'Uta'atu (55) was made a Brigadier by the Tonga Defence Board on Friday July 28.

By promoting Col. 'Uta'atu to the rank of a Brigadier the Defence Board also approved the expansion of the Tonga Defence Service by recruiting more soldiers.

Lt. Colonel Siamelie Latu said that the expansion of the TDS, included the allowing of young women to be recruited as commissioned officers for the first time. He said that the change means that commissioned officers now have to be commissioned by the King of Tonga, whereas before they were commissioned by the commander.

Lt. Col. Latu said that the promotion of the commander of the TDS to a Brigadier, the expansion of the Service and the recruiting of young women for officers, "is a new era for Tonga. This is a blessing for us because it enables lower ranked officers to move up...”.

He said that the promotion of Brigadier ...‘Uta...’atu gives TDS easier exposure to the international arena, and because of their many international duties it was important to promote the rank of the TDS Commander from Colonel to Brigadier so that it matches the level of negotiations.

Brigadier 'Uta'atu said today, August 3, that this is the first time that the rank of a Brigadier rank has been introduced to the TDS. He said that Brigadier is a rank in the British Army, Royal Marines, Australian Army, New Zealand Army, Fiji Military Forces, Papua New Guinea Defence Force and several other Commonwealth armies ranking above Colonel and is the beginning of the General level, also similar to Brigadier General used in the United States Army.