| Commander of the Botswana Defence Force | |
|---|---|
 Botswana Defence Force flag | |
| Abbreviation | Commander, BDF |
| Reports to | Minister of Defence, Justice and Security |
| Appointer | the President |
| Formation | 1977 |
| First holder | Mompati Merafhe |
The Commander of the Botswana Defence Force is the highest-ranking military officer in the Botswana Defence Force and is responsible for maintaining control over the service branches.
The former heads of the Botswana Armed Forces were referred to while in office as either General Officers Commanding or Commander of the Botswana Defence Force.
| No. | Portrait | Name (birth–death) | Term of office | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
| 1 |  | Lieutenant general Mompati Merafhe (1936–2015) | 1977 | 1989 | 11–12 years | |
| 2 |  | Lieutenant general Ian Khama (born 1953) | 1989 | 1998 | 8–9 years | |
| 3 |  | Lieutenant general Louis Matshwenyego Fisher | 1998 | 1 November 2006 | 7–8 years | [1] |
| 4 | | Lieutenant general Tebogo Masire | 1 November 2006 | 1 August 2012 | 5 years, 274 days | [1] [2] |
| 5 |  | Lieutenant general Gaolatlhe Galebotswe | 1 August 2012 | 8 September 2016 | 4 years, 38 days | [2] [3] |
| 6 |  | Lieutenant general Placid Diratsagae Segokgo | 8 September 2016 | Incumbent | 7 years, 188 days | [3] |
The Bahrain Defence Force is the military force of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Bahrain Defence Force is under the direct command and leadership of a commander-in-chief who holds the rank of field marshal. The Government has a Minister of Defence Affairs, responsible for BDF representation in the Cabinet.
Bophuthatswana, officially the Republic of Bophuthatswana, was a Bantustan that was declared (nominally) independent by the apartheid regime of South Africa in 1977. However, its independence, like the other Bantustans of Ciskei, Transkei and Venda was not recognized by any country other than South Africa.
First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment.
The Botswana Defence Force Air Arm is the air force of the Botswana Defence Force.
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The Botswana Defence Force is the military of Botswana. The main component of the BDF is the Botswana Ground Force; there is also an air wing and a riverine patrol contingent attached to the ground forces, with 10 Panther airboats and 2 Boston Whaler Raider class.
Mompati Sebogodi Merafhe was a Botswana politician who was Vice-President of Botswana from 2008 to 2012. He was a retired Lieutenant-General and served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1994 to 2008.
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Donald Thobega, often known by his nickname Boboza, was a Motswana footballer who played as a midfielder. A sergeant in the Botswana military, he last played for Botswana Defence Force XI. Between 1999 and 2006, he won a total of five caps for the Botswana national football team.
The Botswana Ground Forces is the army of the country of Botswana, and the land component of the Botswana Defence Force.
The Republic of Botswana has an honours system comprising orders, decorations, and medals. They are awarded to civilians, members of the defence force, the police, the prisons service, and teachers.
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The Belize Defence Force Air Wing is the aviation branch of the Belize Defence Force. Formed in 1983, it is based at the Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport in Ladyville. The main tasks of the Air Wing are Reconnaissance, SAR, CASEVAC, aerial resupply and troop transport. Furthermore, they assist the police in drug interdiction and anti-smuggling operations, and can be called upon by the Maritime Wing.
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The Embassy of the United States in Gaborone is the diplomatic mission of the United States of America in Botswana. It is located next to the government enclave and main mall neighborhood.
On 4 November 2020, anti-poaching forces of the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) killed four men at Sedudu on the Chobe River at the Botswana–Namibia border. The men killed were brothers Tommy Nchindo, Martin Nchindo, and Wamunyima Nchindo, and their cousin Sinvula Munyeme. The killings caused an international incident between Botswana and Namibia.
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