Colonel Ulric Pilgrim
Ulric Pilgrim enlisted in the British Guiana Volunteer Force (BGVF) in 1956 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1964. He was embodied on full-time service during the ‘disturbances’ of 1964-1965.
He joined the British Guiana Special Service Unit (BGSSU) and was among the first three officer cadets to be trained at the Mons Officer Cadet School in the UK in 1965. He transferred to the Guyana Defence Force and was soon appointed Adjutant to the Chief of Staff. Colonel Ulric Pilgrim was appointed Commander in 1972 was awarded the Military Service Medal (MSM) for distinguished service.
Ulric Pilgrim attended various training courses including the Commonwealth Jungle Warfare School; Junior Division Staff College; Army Staff College; Army School of Education; and, Royal College of Defence Studies. The GDF officer cadet school was named the Colonel Ulric Pilgrim Officer Cadet School (CUPOCS) in his honour.
CUPOCS
Colonel Ulric Pilgrim Officer Cadet School
The Guyana Defence Force commenced training its own Officer Cadets in 1969. After 12 years, the Officer Cadet Division of Training Corps evolved into the first Officer Cadet School in the English speaking Caribbean. It became known as the Colonel Ulric Pilgrim Officer Cadet School (CUPOCS), in honour of Colonel Ulric Pilgrim, the first commander of the Force.
This school was established by Colonel Ulric Pilgrim with a simple ceremony on the 22nd of September 1981. In his feature address, he charged the Cadets of the school to aim for the highest standards in all areas and uphold the school’s motto, “I SERVE GUYANA.”
Several courses have since been conducted at the school, commissioning Officers for the Disciplined Services locally and from sister CARICOM countries.
The role of the CUPOCS is to train young potential leaders of the various Disciplined Services to serve their country. The training seeks to:
* Develop good character and powers of leadership.
* Instill qualities of discipline, initiative and self confidence.
* Teach the duties of citizenship, loyalty and patriotism
