Uganda Military Academy (UMA) Admissions
About the Uganda Military Academy
The Uganda Military Academy is a military academy in Uganda, East Africa. Traditionally, graduates of the Military Academy are commissioned as officers in the Uganda People’s Defence Force. Other African countries also send their cadets to the academy for training.
The academy was formed in 2007 by merging the Cadet Officer School, which was originally housed at Jinja with the Uganda School of Infantry, originally housed at Kabamba.
OBJECTIVES
At the end of the course at UMA, the graduands ought to have been taken through and mastered:
The art of keeping themselves physically fit.
The military theory at the elementary level.
The practical conduct of military operations up to company level.
The analysis of the socio-politico-economic history of Uganda, the region, the world, and present, and possible future trends.
The professional and ethical conduct of honor in the discharge of the public affairs
The overall commander of the UMA is the Commandant, now an officer of Major General Rank. He is deputized by the chief instructor, who is a Colonel. Blow them are the Training Wing and the Administration Wing.
Courses Offered
UMA COURSES
UMA is currently mandated to run a number of junior officers’ courses. In the future, following its expansion plan, UMA will expand its faculty to be involved in research as well as offer diploma courses.
OFFICER CADET COURSE
The commissioning course is the first stage of officer training and education. Its main purpose is to develop an officer with the generic leadership qualities to lead soldiers both on and off operations. UMA develops leadership in cadets by expanding their character, intellect and professional competencies to a level demanded of an army officer on the first appointment through military training and education. The core objectives reflected the three key elements in the training and education of young officers: the Moral, the intellectual and the physical
PLATOON COMMANDERS COURSE (PCC)
An infantry platoon commander leads soldiers on operations and maintains the platoon’s effectiveness as a fighting unit. He/she commands a rifle platoon of up to 45 soldiers within an infantry battalion, with the help of experience NCO, although the responsibility for its operational effectiveness rests with him/her. There is, therefore, the need for majority and sense of responsibility necessary for a role in which soldier’s well being can depend on the outcome of his/her decisions.
As part of a larger unit, an ability to take orders is essential, but the platoon commander must also be able to act on his/her own initiative if the situation calls for it. In addition, he/she is expected to take an active interest in the welfare of the soldiers and the development of their carriers and will resolve any disciplinary problems within the platoon.
All officers are, therefore, expected to master the same basic military skills and tactics as the soldiers they command. This will include drill, basic field craft, map reading, first aid and how to fire and maintain ones’ personal weapon. In addition to these soldiering skills, one must also learn the skills pertinent to being an infantry officer, and how to command soldiers in the field and barracks through a series on different indoor and field exercises.
OFFICERS BASIC COURSE (OBC)
Officer Basic Course (OBC) is an infantry course designed for officers who commissioned without undergoing the cadet or any commissioning course. It is now a requirement that all officers in this category must attend this course in order to earn a promotion or prior to their retirement to the army. There is no limit on the rank, appointment or age of one in order to attend the course apart from having earned a commission before undergoing a commissioning course.
This course is designed to formally introduce the UPDF infantry doctrine to officers who previously commissioned prior to attending any formal officer’s course. The course is almost an abridged cadet package; it, however, takes into account the fact that the participants all have operational and/or staff experience.
Contact Us
For recruitment dates and admission-related inquiries, use the contact information provided below for support;
UGANDA MILITARY ACADEMY – KABAMBA
P. O BOX 21 MUBENDE Mubende
Location
The military academy is located in the town of Kabamba, approximately 53 kilometers (33 mi), by road, southwest of the town of Mubende, in Mubende District, Central Uganda. Kabamba is located approximately 190 kilometers (120 mi), west of Kampala, the capital of Uganda and the country’s largest city. The coordinates of Kabamba are:0°15’00.0″N, 31°11’06.0″E (Latitude:0.2500; Longitude:31.1850).