Watch: ‘This means a lot to me’ – AFM officer on UK military academy prize

A newly graduated Armed Forces of Malta officer has spoken of her pride after earning a military academy prize for athletic performance during her training in the UK.

Second Lieutenant Melanie Calleja, a recent graduate of Royal Air Force (RAF) Cranwell, the world’s first air academy, beat scores of trainees to be awarded the UK Warrant Officer Bill Torrance Trophy, recognising outstanding physical performance during training.

She was among a group of 24 Maltese officers – including former UK military academy graduates – to take part in a ceremony onboard an AFM patrol boat welcoming Maltese personnel home.

High Commissioner of the UK to Malta Victoria Busby, who took up the post in September, and her Maltese counterpart Stephen Montefort were in attendance to meet the AFM officers.

Speaking to Times of Malta onboard the AFM P71 vessel, docked for the ceremony in Floriana, Calleja, who received the award last month, said she was proud to have won the award.

She explained that her UK training “focused a lot on how to adapt your leadership style depending on the situation”, adding the programme also focused on fieldcraft and weapons training.

Calleja joined the armed forces aged 28, and after finishing her training in Malta, was sent to Cranwell for officer training. She spent over seven months at the RAF base and now hopes to be a helicopter pilot.

Other officers present for Friday’s ceremony included Colonel Jonathan Cutajar, a 2002 graduate of Britain’s prestigious Sandhurst military academy, where he was awarded the coveted Sword of Honour, given to the best overseas cadet that year.

Britain’s high commissioner noted that Malta and the UK enjoyed a long-standing tradition of defence cooperation, including the training of AFM officers, which led to “lasting professional and personal relationships” between armed forces personnel.

The two countries’ bilateral relations “reflect a shared commitment to developing people and strengthening professional skills”, said Busby.

Second Lieutenant Melanie Calleja recently returned from the UK.

“Trainees often speak about the value of learning in a different environment, gaining exposure to new perspectives and returning with broader experience that benefits the AFM. Many maintain friendships and networks long after training is completed.”

She noted that Malta and the UK’s coordination in the region, especially regarding Royal Navy and RAF logistical coordination within Malta due to the country’s strategic location, was “grounded in day-to-day professional collaboration”.

The UK and Malta reaffirmed their close relationship at a meeting between Foreign Minister Ian Borg and British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper in November, where the two countries announced deeper ties on migration, and a commitment to promoting smooth border and visa procedures.

In April last year, the UK and Malta signed a wide-ranging bilateral defence agreement, seeking to expand cooperation between both countries’ military branches.