On May 15, 2026, the Belize Coast Guard welcomed 49 freshly trained service members into its ranks at an official graduation ceremony held at the organization’s Belize City headquarters. These new recruits, part of the service’s Recruit Intake #12, completed 13 weeks of grueling military training that transformed them from ordinary civilians into disciplined national guardians.
The ceremony marked a major personal and professional turning point for every graduate, who left their civilian lives behind to commit to national security service. In a keynote address, Rear Admiral Gregory Soberanis, the top leader of the Belize Coast Guard, congratulated the new service members on their remarkable achievement.
“Three months ago, the men and women standing before you arrived at this institution as civilians, young people who made the most consequential decision to step forward to serve their nation,” Soberanis remarked. “They came with potential, hope and a willingness to be tested to their limits. Today they leave as uniformed Coast Guard men and women of Belize. That transformation does not happen by accident – it is earned, and every one of these graduates earned this honor through their hard work and perseverance.”
Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, also attended the celebratory event and framed the graduation as a landmark occasion for both the new recruits and the entire country. Calling the moment “a proud and significant milestone,” she highlighted the enormous challenges the recruits overcame to reach this day.
“You have endured physical hardship, mental challenges, strict discipline, and personal sacrifice through long days of preparation,” Balderamos-Garcia told the graduates. “Your commitment strengthens our nation’s ability to protect our coasts and our people, and every Belizean should be proud of the dedication you have shown.”
Following the formal remarks, the event featured coordinated military drills and capability displays from the new graduates, before the service members officially entered active duty. This intake of new personnel is expected to boost the Belize Coast Guard’s operational capacity as it carries out its core mandates of maritime security, search and rescue, and border protection along Belize’s extensive coastline.