The Barbados Defence Force (BDF) is the name given to the combined

armed forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a ...

Barbados Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...

. The BDF was established 15 August 1979, and has responsibility for the territorial defence and internal security of the island. The Headquarters for the Barbados Defence Force is located at St. Ann's Fort, The Garrison,

Saint Michael Michael, also called Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael and Saint Michael the Taxiarch is an archangel and the warrior of God in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and second- ...

Organization

There are two main components of the BDF: * The Barbados Regiment – This branch is commanded by the Commanding Officer of the Barbados Regiment Lieutenant Colonel Julia DaBreo and is based at St Anns Fort and Paragon Base. This is the main land force component, and encompasses both regular and reserve units. * Barbados Coast Guard – This branch is commanded by the Commanding Officer of the Barbados Coast Guard

Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank as well as a job title in many army, armies. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countri ...

Derrick Brathwaite and is based at BCGS Pelican. This is the maritime element, with responsibility for patrolling Barbados' territorial waters as well as drug interdiction and humanitarian and life-saving exercises. It too encompasses both regular and reserve units.

Other formations

Barbados Cadet Corps

Barbados Cadet Corps is commanded by the commandant of the Barbados Cadet Corps,

David Dowridge, who is also a former deputy chief of staff (DCOS). This is the military youth organisation of the Defence Force. Includes Infantry and Sea Cadets. This organisation was started in 1904. The first females joined the cadet corps in the 1970s to 1980s. The Cadet Corps has a pledge and also a song. It started with 3 normal units but today has expanded to 22. These units are grouped into zones. There are also a band, sea cadet, and medical units along with a shooting programme.

BDF Sports Program

The Barbados Defence Force Sports Program is the sporting arm of the BDF, specializing in the recruitment and training of athletes in five sports;

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

cricket Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...

table tennis Table tennis (also known as ping-pong) is a racket sport derived from tennis but distinguished by its playing surface being atop a stationary table, rather than the Tennis court, court on which players stand. Either individually or in teams of ...

, athletics and

boxing Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...

Barbados Legion

Similarly to its American, British and Canadian counterparts, the BDF has a voluntary veteran's organization known as the Barbados Legion. It was founded in 1957, nine years prior to independence. Being a registered charity, it receives assistance from the Barbados Poppy League and the national government.

Bands

The Zouave Band is the premier musical unit in the BDF, with the other being the band of the Barbados Cadet Corps. Its national uniformed military counterpart is the Barbados Police Band. It traces its own history back to the Band of the West India Regiment, which is considered to be the precursor to most Caribbean military bands formerly under British control. As a result, the band also has a shared lineage with the Jamaica Military Band. The BCC maintains a marching band known as the National Cadet Band and performs on national occasions with the BCC and the BDF. It is composed of students from public and private schools in the area. They performs in two modes configurations: a

marching band A marching band is a group of instrumental musicians who play while marching. Historically they were used in armed forces and many marching bands remain military bands. Others are still associated with military units or emulate a military sty ...

and a

concert band A concert band, also called a wind band, wind ensemble, wind symphony, wind orchestra, symphonic band, the symphonic winds, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of members of the woodwind instrument, woodwind, brass ...

. The band of dates back to the early 1920s when the local cadet corps maintained a fife and drum corps. Between 1950 and 2006, individual school units had drum corps which catered to the activities of the unit and school. In 1973, the Combermere Cadet Band was formed and for 22 years it was the only brass and reef cadet band among other secondary schools on the island. Its last performance was at the Independence Day Parade of 1995 when the National Cadet Band was formed. As part of the centennial anniversary celebrations of the BCC in 2004, the Band became a permanent full-time unit, performing at an Independence Day Parade that year and again the following year.

Defunct

Barbados Air Wing

This branch was formed in 1979, it operated one Beech Queen Air. In 1981 a Cessna 402C was acquired. Since 1985 all aircraft have been retired and the air wing ceased to exist.

Traditions and ceremony

Uniform

In 1856, a French Zouave uniform was adopted and was first paraded in Barbados in 1858. It was subsequently adopted by the Barbados Defence Force Band as a symbolic tribute to the old Band of the West India Regiment. The uniform is also worn by the Jamaica Military Band. It consists of a red fez wound together by a white turban and a scarlet sleeveless jacket. It survives as the full dress uniform and is where the band's nickname; the Zouave Band; derives from. It is commonly believed that

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...

saw the uniform worn by the colonial Zouaoua tribe in

French Algeria French Algeria ( until 1839, then afterwards; unofficially ; ), also known as Colonial Algeria, was the period of History of Algeria, Algerian history when the country was a colony and later an integral part of France. French rule lasted until ...

. She was immediately struck with the style of the uniform and the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

to adopt the uniform for one of its regiments, with the honour being conferred onto the West India Regiment.

Changing of the Sentry

The Changing of the Sentry is an event performed by the BDF that takes place in front of the 1804 Main Guard or Clock Tower. The guardsmen from the BDF are known commonly as The Main Guard. The sentries are drawn by members of the Barbados Legion, other retired personnel, and the

Barbados Regiment The Barbados Regiment is the land force component of the Barbados Defence Force. Its main tasks are the defence of Barbados from external threats, internal security and assisting the local police in maintaining law and order. The regiment also pr ...

. During the ceremony, a Corps of Drums provides musical accompaniment. It is performed every Thursday morning at 11:45 am.

Leadership

Commander in Chief

Since 30 November 2021, President Dame Sandra Mason has been the commander-in-chief of the Barbados Defence Forces. Prior to the transition to a republican system, the monarch of Barbados,

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

, was head of the Defence Force, with the Governor-General of Barbados as her Vice-Regal representative.

List of Chiefs of Staff

Leadership structure

*Chief of Staff (COS) - Brigadier Carlos Lovell *Deputy Chief of Staff (DCOS) - Captain (N) Mark Peterson *Force Sergeant Major (FSM) - Master Chief Petty Officer Class 1 Austin Howell

Gallery

US Navy 100824-N-9643W-390 Capt. Michael Jacobsen, center, Capt. Kurt Hedberg, left, and the commanding officer of the Barbados Defense Force look at old photos.jpg, The former Commander of The Barbados Coast Guard, the late lieutenant Commander Sean Reece, meets two US Chiefs of Staff during a visit to the island USMC-10618-M-OS573-002.jpg, A US Marine participates in a BDF training exercise concerning crowd control US Navy 100817-N-4971L-021 Members of the Royal Barbados Defense Force disassemble a small boat engine during a maintenance management subject matter expert exchange.jpg, Members of the BDF disassemble a boat engine during training exercises with the US Navy PH-MAZ Directie Noordzee (cropped).jpg, A Cessna 402C similar to the one used by the BDF

References

External links

Barbados Defence Force official website
{{Military of the Americas Organisations based in Barbados Military units and formations established in 1979