Brasília (DF) – The Minister of Defense, José Mucio Monteiro, together with the Commander of the Army, Tomás Miguel Ribeiro Paiva, took part in the ceremony to hand out swords to 395 cadets of the Brazilian Army. The ceremony took place on Saturday (17), at the Agulhas Negras Military Academy (AMAN), in the state of Rio de Janeiro. The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Fleet Admiral Renato Rodrigues de Aguiar Freire, also attended the event.
During the ceremony, the cadets received a miniature replica of Caxias’ sword. The symbol of “honor and merit” for the future officers of the Force represents the patriotism and dignity of the patron of the Brazilian Army. At the end of their 4th year, the cadets will receive the sword itself – a ceremony that will mark their arrival as officers. “Being a cadet means having a commitment to the Army and to Brazil. Their military training journey has only just begun, but we can already witness achievements and materialize the construction of a career of dedication, service and accomplishments,” said José Mucio.
In all, 187 cadets from the southeast, 85 from the northeast, 77 from the south, 22 from the midwest and 10 from the north of the country were honored. In addition, 14 military personnel from friendly nations – Bolivia, Cameroon, Honduras, Namibia, Panama, Paraguay and Vietnam – also received the replica.
The rapier
This event takes place annually. The cadets receive the rapier during Soldier’s Week, celebrated on August 28. The activity was instituted by Marshal José Pessôa – Aman’s founder – and has been taking place for around 90 years.
By Mariana Vicara – Ministry of Defense – Photos: Brazilian Army