The Fiji military is to beef up numbers by about 1,000 territorials to meet the growing demand for UN peacekeepers.
Fiji has committed to send more than 500 soldiers to the Golan Heights and this with deployments already underway will mean more than 1,000 men are overseas at any one time.
The Land Force Commander, Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga, says 40 percent of any deployment is drawn from the territorial force and many of these soldiers are ageing.
He says the additional recruits will boost the territorials to 2,500, with 3,000 regular force soldiers.
"Currently we can manage with the numbers we have but we are looking long term and we are doing this recruit and it will take the recruits [from] after the end of this year and all of next year to put them through the various courses in preparation for peace keeping deployment."
Fiji Land Force Commander Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga.
