Jamaica Defense Force

Jamaican Defense Force Jamaica Defense Force
guide
Commander in Chief :	Minister for Security and Justice
Military leadership:	Major General Rocky Meade
Headquarters:	Up Park Camp , Kingston
Military strength
Active soldiers:	around 2,500
Reservists:	around 700
Conscription:	No
Resilient population:	Age: 15–49 years: Males: 592,018 Women: 616,500 thereof annual entry into seniority Men: 27,923 Women: 27.88 (estimated 2005)
Eligibility for military service:	18 years (as of 2001)
household
Military budget:	$ 31.17 million (total 2003 expenditures)
Share of gross domestic product :	0.4% (2003)
history
Founding:	1962
Factual foundation:	July 31, 1962

The Jamaica Defense Force (JDF) make up the armed forces of Jamaica . It consists of a 3,300-strong professional army and a reserve . There is no conscription . The main task of the JDF is to protect the country and ensure internal security. It reports to the Prime Minister , represented by the Minister for Security and Justice. The Commander-in-Chief has been Major General Rocky Meade since December 1, 2016 .

history

Troop flag

The JDF was founded on July 31, 1962, a few days before Jamaica's independence on August 6 of that year. It emerged from the West India Regiment (WIR). During the two world wars, there had already been a volunteer army supporting Great Britain. The JDF is organized in the same way as the British Army . Training, weapon systems used and traditions are comparable to those of other Commonwealth countries. The defense budget in 2003 was $ 31.17 million, about 0.4% of the state budget. In 1998 there were 3,320 professional soldiers , 90% were in the army, 5% each in the navy and air force . Officer candidates are largely trained abroad, mainly in the UK and Canada . In the course of their careers they will return there for further training. Lower-ranking soldiers receive their training in a local barracks .

The military has also had police duties since it was founded . In the past few years it was mainly used to combat drug trafficking and criminal gangs . In 2001 it was embroiled in riots in the capital, Kingston , in which 140 people were killed. As a result, the country was repeatedly condemned by various human rights organizations. In 1983 the JDF was involved with some soldiers in the invasion of Grenada . They guarded captured enemies and secured port facilities for supplies.

Women were first recruited into what was then the women's company of the Support and Services Battalion in 1976 .

Military Commander in Chief

Period	Commander in chief
Chief of Staff (COS)
1962-1965	Brigadier Paul Edwin Crook
1965-1973	Brigadier David Hartman Smith
1973	Brigadier Dunstan Fitzgerald Robinson
1973-1979	Major General Rudolph Edward George Green
1979-1990	Major General Robert J. Neish
1990-1998	Rear Adm. Peter L. Brady
1998-2002	Major General John I. Simmonds
2002-2007	Rear Adm. Hardley M. Lewin
Chiefs of Defense Staff (CDS)
2007-2010	Major General Stewart Emerson St. Leonard Saunders
2010-2016	Major General Antony Bertram Anderson
since 2016	Major General Rocky Ricardo Meade

organization

The headquarters of the armed forces is the Up Park Camp in Kingston , where, in addition to the headquarters of the armed forces , the military prison , a military cemetery of honor and the headquarters of the military intelligence department are located.

The headquarters report directly to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd ( NO )  Company of Jamaica Regiment (JR), Supply and Services Battalion (Sp Svcs and Bn; Supply and Support Battalion), the JDF AW and its National Reserve, the JDF CG as well as its National Reserve, the 1st  Engineer Regiment , the Military Intelligence Department and the Combat Support Battalionb .

Land Forces

→ Main article : Land forces (Jamaica)

The Army is the largest armed force with a man strength of nearly 3,000 men. It consists of two battalions and a reserve. In addition to fighting crime, the most important task is disaster control . In addition to a small number of armored vehicles of the Cadillac V-150 type , all-terrain transport vehicles are primarily available.

Naval forces

→ Main article : Jamaica Defense Force Coast Guard

County-class patrol boat

The Coast Guard is the most technically well-equipped part of the military. In addition to three modern patrol boats made in the Netherlands , a number of smaller boats are used, especially near the coast. Together with the US Navy , it carries out measures to combat drug smuggling and monitors compliance with environmental protection regulations.

Air Force

→ Main article : Jamaica Defense Force Air Wing

In addition to some Bell- type helicopters , there are mainly unarmed fixed-wing aircraft available. Together with the Coast Guard, they monitor ship traffic. The focus is on the search for smugglers and illegal immigrants as well as environmental pollution, but also search-and-rescue operations.

Military music

The Jamaica Defense Force has two military music bands .

• Jamaica Military Band: This is part of the tradition of the military music band of the West India Regiment, which was founded in February 1927. Apart from the Jamaica Military Band, only members of the band of the Barbados Regiment of the Barbados Defense Force wear the uniform of the Zouaves worldwide .

• Jamaica Regiment Band: The regimental band of the Jamaica Regiment also goes back to the regimental band of the West India Regiment founded in 1959. Organizationally, the band is part of the 1st  Battalion of the Jamaica Regiment. The band has had its current name since the formation of the 2nd Battalion in 1979.

Ranks

The ranks of the Jamaica Defense Force were largely taken over by the British armed forces . The military personnel of the sea-going units of the JDF Coast Guard have ranks and insignia analogous to the Royal Navy . Only the military commander-in-chief of the armed forces has a general or admiral rank . The Brigadier or Commodore is comparable to British forces not a real member of the generals' / admiralty.

JDF in general				JDF Coast Guard
Generals / Admiralty
Major General Maj Gen				Rear Adm. Maj Gen
Officer corps
Brigadier Maj Gen	Colonel Col	Lieutenant General Lt Col	Major LtCdr	Commodore Cdre	Captain ( M ) Capt	Commander Cdr	Lieutenant Commander LtCdr
Captain Lt	Lieutenant Lt	Second Lieutenant 2nd Lt	Officer Cadet OCdt	Lieutenant Senior Grade LtSG	Lieutenant Junior Grade LtJG	Sub-Lieutenant SLt	Midshipman Mid
Corps of non-commissioned officers
Warrant Officer Class 1 (FSM) WOI	Warrant Officer Class 1 WOI	Warrant Officer Class 2 WOII	Staff / Color Sergeant SSgt / CSgt	Master Chief Petty Officer 1 (FSM) WOI	Master Chief Petty Officer 1 WOI	Master Chief Petty Officer 2 WOII	Chief Petty Officer CPO
Sergeant Sgt	Corporal Cpl			Petty Officer PO	Leading Seaman LR
Team ranks
Lance Corporal LCpl	Private (Pvt)			Able Seaman (AB)	Ordinary Seaman

Web links

Commons : Jamaica Military  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Website

Individual evidence

1. ↑ [1] , JDF.
2. ↑ History ( Memento of the original from October 25, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The  archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , JDF, p. 3.
3. ↑ Jamaica ; In: Peter Calvert: Political and Economic Dictionary of Latin America , Routledge, 2004, p. 175.
4. ↑ Amnesty International, Reports on the Human Rights Situation in Jamaica ( Memento of the original from December 1, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
5. ↑ History ( Memento of the original from July 1, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The  archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , JDF.
6. ^ History Command , JDF.
7. ^ Organizational Chart of the Jamaica Defense Force , JDF.
8. ^ Jamaica Military Band , JDF.
9. ^ The Jamaica Regiment Band , JDF.
10. ^ Rank Structure , JDF.