Military Knowledge and Defence Studies
Military Knowledge and Defence Studies tests the Nigerian Army's organisation, ranks, customs and basic doctrine. It rewards candidates who understand how the army is structured and how its parts work together.
Core rules
- Army headquarters is in Abuja, commanded by the Chief of Army Staff under the Chief of Defence Staff and Defence Headquarters.
- Officer rank progression: Second Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, Brigadier General, Major General, Lieutenant General, General.
- Corps include Infantry, Armoured, Artillery, Engineers, Signals, Intelligence, Supply and Transport, Ordnance, Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Medical, Legal, Chaplain and Education.
- Customs include the salute, smartness, loyalty and respect for the chain of command.
- Principles of war include selection and maintenance of the aim, concentration of force, economy of effort, surprise and flexibility.
Worked example
Which rank is senior: Major or Lieutenant Colonel?
Lieutenant Colonel. In the sequence, Major is followed by Lieutenant Colonel, so the latter is senior. Reciting the rank ladder from Second Lieutenant upward prevents guessing.
Traps that cost marks
- Mixing army ranks with navy ranks: Captain is senior in the navy but junior in the army.
- Assuming Colonel is junior to Major; the ladder runs the other way.
- Confusing combat, combat support and service support corps.
- Using outdated command names or foreign equivalents.
- Treating the principles of war as tactics rather than guiding principles.