By Louis Maingu
A military officer of the Papua New Guinea Defense Force has been awarded the Force Commander’s Commendation for outstanding service during his deployment with the United Nations Peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.
In a small but significant gathering held at UN House in Juba, South Sudan on November 26, 2024, the force commander of the United Nations peace keeping mission in South Sudan, Lieutenant General Mohan Subramanian presented the Certificate of Commendation to Major Mark Komet.
This accolade is awarded to individuals who demonstrate exceptional commitment, leadership, and impact in their roles, significantly contributing to the mission’s objectives.
During his deployment, Major Komet played a crucial role in facilitating trainings, coordinating patrols, writing reports, planning and leading critical operations as a military observer with the Force Protection Sector. Acknowledged by peers and superiors alike, he consistently exhibited professionalism, resilience, and a profound dedication to peacekeeping efforts in Unity State, which is beset by conflict, political instability and humanitarian crises.
In his acceptance speech, Major Komet expressed gratitude for the recognition and emphasized the collective effort involved.
“I am deeply honored to receive this commendation, but it truly belongs to my entire unit,” he stated.
He said the teamwork and dedication of his colleagues have been instrumental in overcoming the challenges they faced.
“Together, we have made a meaningful difference in the lives of many especially in our area of responsibility to fulfill UNMISS primary mandate of Protection of Civilians,” he said.
Major Komet expressed that receiving the UNMISS Force Commanders Commendation award has become the second highest recognition in his career path. He was the 2022 Divine Word University (DWU) Valedictorian, scoring the highest GPA in the Master’s program, which was the first time awarded to a Postgraduate student by the DWU Academic Board.
In his statement Major Komet thanked his PNGDF superiors for the opportunity given to him to take up this mission. He also acknowledged the Australian Peacekeeping Training Centre in New Castle, Australia where he attended the initial pre-deployment training that prepared him take on the challenges of the mission.
He also extends his gratitude towards his siblings and other family members who supported him throughout his year of deployment.
He said he will return home soon and he is looking to sharing the experiences and insights gained during the mission.
Additionally, he plans to contribute to the ongoing training and development of future peacekeeping forces. He plans to raise awareness about the importance of international peacekeeping efforts.
