On June 18, a major milestone ceremony was held for the National Army of Suriname, where more than 150 active-duty service members received promotions to the next higher rank in their military careers.
Leading the ceremony, President Jennifer Simons, who also holds the position of Supreme Commander of the Surinamese Armed Forces, opened her remarks by framing the promotions as a formal state recognition of the consistent dedication, unwavering discipline, loyal service, courage and proven competence that these soldiers have demonstrated while serving the nation and its people.
According to official statements released by the Suriname Communication Service, Simons emphasized that a military promotion carries far more meaning than simply wearing an upgraded rank insignia. “You have carried the core values of discipline, loyalty and courage with dignity throughout your service in the National Army,” she told the promoted service members. “Today, you advance to a new rank, and I congratulate you on this well-earned step forward in your careers.”
The president also highlighted that the promotions reflect not only the professional growth of the individual soldiers, but also the constant personal sacrifices that service members and their families make on a daily basis to support national security. “When we see the men and women in green uniform, we do not always stop to acknowledge the person and the waiting family behind the uniform,” she added.
Simons went on to stress that higher rank brings with it expanded responsibilities for the military personnel. “With your new rank, your authority increases, but so does the weight of accountability placed on your shoulders,” she said. “Higher expectations are placed on you now in terms of leadership and decisive decision-making. A higher rank also means a higher standard of duty to the nation.”
She also publicly acknowledged the challenging working conditions that Surinamese soldiers face in their day-to-day service. “We know you operate under difficult circumstances, with limited resources at your disposal. Many of you are stationed deep in the country’s interior, far away from your loved ones for long stretches. The government is fully aware of these hardships, and we will never leave you or Suriname behind,” she assured the assembled service members.
Per Simons, the Surinamese government has made a formal commitment to strengthening the country’s security institutions across both personnel and material infrastructure. A key part of this ongoing effort is improving the legal and employment status of active-duty military personnel. “Legal job security is the foundation for service stability, unity and motivation among our ranks,” she explained. “Our goal is clear: sustainable institutional strengthening and long-term capacity building for our armed forces.”
Defense Minister Uraiqit Ramsaran echoed the president’s remarks, adding that the current round of promotions is part of a deliberate, step-by-step strategy to address long-standing backlogs in military career advancement. “This is not an isolated, one-off process,” Ramsaran noted. “It is a deliberate approach to deliver justice to our personnel, and to address existing backlogs one step at a time — not just with empty words, but with tangible, visible results that service members can see.”
Closing the event, the minister called on all newly promoted soldiers to continue their dedicated service to advance the development of a strong, forward-looking defense organization that remains fully committed to serving Suriname and its population.