Cayman Regiment looking for rank and file
(CNS): The recruitment campaign to find troops for Cayman’s first ever military organisation has been launched by the governor’s office. The local army was established last year and began with the recruitment of senior and junior officers. But now they are looking for the rank and file for the regiment, which officials say will be heavily focused on hurricane related activity.
The five junior officers previously recruited from Cayman have all started their training programmes at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the UK.
The search for the 50 reservists, which began this weekend, is open to British Overseas Territories Citizens and British Citizens, Irish Citizens and Commonwealth Citizens who have permanent residency in the Cayman Islands.
Men and women who are interested in joining must be between 18 and 50, pass written and fitness tests and then an interview. Experience is not required but previous military service, such as the Cayman Islands Cadet Corps, is welcomed. Full training will be provided and successful candidates will be paid a per diem allowance when they attend.
Governor Martyn Roper said it was “highly appropriate” that the recruitment had begun this weekend at the start of the hurricane season.
“I’m delighted that even in the midst of the current crisis we are continuing to move forward with the recruitment programme,” the governor said. “Advancing the Cayman Regiment during a global pandemic is a significant achievement. I would like to thank the commander of the regiment, UK SAT team and my own staff for delivering this at great pace under much pressure.”
But with weather forecasters predicting a busy hurricane season this year, having the first reservists available to the Cayman Islands by the end of August will be a welcome addition, the governor added.
“The premier and I are committed to ensuring that Cayman is ready for the challenge and the formation of the regiment is an important part of this,” Roper stated in a release about the recruitment.
“The extensive external assistance provided to Anguilla, BVI and TCI after the 2017 hurricanes and last year to The Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian, demonstrate the importance of ensuring that UK forces and OT responders are properly prepared. This is especially important this year as we have to adapt due to COVID19,” he added.
Meanwhile, the British naval ships, HMS Medway and RFA Argus, which are in the Caribbean for the season, will be exercising their plans to support Cayman if a hurricane or similar natural disaster occurred. This will include bringing troops and equipment ashore to test logistics and then checking to ensure they have appropriate communications and can carry out medical evacuations.
The exercise this year will also ensure that appropriate measures are in place to avoid contact between the ships’ company and those onshore. Both ships are COVID-19 free and the crews have been at sea and isolated for an extended period of time, the governor stated at Friday’s press briefing. To prevent possible infection being transmitted to the ships, there will be no close contact with the population on shore.
RFA Argus arrived in Cayman territorial waters on Saturday, while HMS Medway was expected today. The Royal Navy Merlin and Wildcat helicopters on board RFA Argus will also provide search and rescue cover, carrying out counter-narcotics and border protection patrols and will be available to attend critical incidents as requested while the RCIPS helicopters are being serviced in the USA.
The Security Assistance Team (SAT) has been supporting the arrangements, including coordination of the exercises, obtaining the agreement for helicopter cover and support for the training and kit required for the 50 new reservists.
For more information and the application and medical forms to join visit the
Cayman Islands Regiment website.
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Category: Local News
All respect for Gabby. Know him and think he is just wonderful. He was a plus for RCIPS and the fire brigade at home. Good man. Od he is on charge then I give it an A. Hopefully he is in charge. Wishing you all the best Gabriel. X
Left, right, left, right, the government boots, the government boots.
Mighty Gabby, you have a point, but how about “left, right, left right, the public hoots, the public hoots”.
I recall the Commissioner at one of the Covid-19 press briefings speaking about the abuse of the privilege that had been afforded to persons to ‘drive to exercise’. His officers were encountering persons who were all dressed up but claiming they were driving to exercise. He recognised that the privilege was being abused and it was soon discontinued.
One would have thought that the Governor and Premier would have taken note of the Commissioner’s common sense observations when choosing the uniforms for this new body and assumed the public also has common sense.
Like the Commissioner, we don’t believe you Governor and Premier about why you are establishing this new ‘toy’. Construction or cycling helmets, brightly coloured shirts with identifying letters and jeans or khaki pants, both of a quick drying material, would have been much more convincing. Even with the huge hint form the Commissioner, you still messed up – like the people who claimed they were driving to exercise.
Please explain, this just sounds like incoherent rambling.
‘Don’t push me’ John Rambo ©️
When are we going to get our own Cayman Islands Space Force?
Perhaps we can have some experts from the Motherland (ie British Air Force) come and do a study and justify the need for a small contingent for our new Space Force. All will be civil servants and the pay will be exceptional.
They can hire a two or three Caymanians at the lowest pay scale to ensure that it can be aptly named Cayman Islands Space Force.
They can also have “satellite” offices on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.
Just a thought in this new economy ahead . . . ie creating public service opportunities.
And to my Government, you are welcome for this idea.
I Remain,
Mo$e$ Trump-wannabe
So tired of expats telling Caymanians what to do in our island. If we can’t get 100% Caymanians don’t select anyone.This is Alden idea. Can’t wait till next year May to get rid of this government. Another money wasting idea.
You people keep forgetting that your “country” was built and populated by so-called “expats” (immigrants). You’re as ungrateful and bigoted as Trump.
Do you get a gun?
No, only the fired bullets.
Ask the old boys about duty in British Honduras. La la la……
First signs toward independence, the making of an army
You could not be more wrong.
So much negativity, I think this will be a good thing, why not have a unit focused on providing disaster relief? I’m encouraging my son to join.
Do you really believe this is about “disaster relief”. WAKE UP!
Absolutely! Were you there after Ivan? Shambles. I do think that Gab will know exactly what to do if it ever happens again. Trust me on this, he can only do better than the leadership before; apart fm Mr Baines. He was excellent! If not for him…
Yes, why didn’t they create that instead of a quasi-military Regiment? That is the question.
They won’t drag you out of your houses.
Well I don’t qualify but I’m keen to see how a team performs at the next “corporate challenge”
This is a total over kill and waste of public funds. Neither Bermuda or Cayman have ever been at war! Young boys here can join the Boy Scouts, YMCA and other organisations that offer the same guidance without any cost to the Public purse. It is laughable!
Who wants to be a puppet for the power greedy politicians.
One day Seymour will tell you that his god wants you to help the us fighting allah.
This the beginning.
Just get a job, dont be an idiot.
yup following the great America like the so many who died believing that the Lord was on their side.
I’m the man in black
Couldn’t fight themselves out of a wet paper bag, utterly pointless.
This is a horrible idea! Just look at the military lurking in the waters already! Enough is ent! Send them home!
Are you dumb? They are here ever year for hurricane season. This year is no different.
It really is a bit of a joke. It’s difficult enough to get a military unit up and running in 1st world country let alone a British backwater.
The guys running the show are nice enough chaps if you have a beer with them but this whole thing will be a gong show with the “Tank Commander” at the head.
And really, a regiment? A regiment usually has about 1,000 soldiers in it, this is a platoon begging to become a company.
The money could be way, way better spent training a volunteer search and rescue unit partnered with the Red Cross. Lots of training for urban search and rescue and emergency management etc which we can actually use if there is an earth quake, tsunami or hurricane.
Good luck Simon and Simon, you pulled a good one over on the Governor when you told him you got this and it’s a great idea. Lol.
Kind of like the Ferris Wheel. I totally agree a civilian search and rescue would a better option.
You clearly have no idea what you’re talking about, one of the main roles of this regiment is disaster relief, including urban search and rescue, you might want to get your facts straight
You don’t need military training for that. I was a civilian search and rescue in an earthquake zone. All walks of life and no military training. The military trains killers.
True dat.
Urban search and rescue and disaster relief does not require battle fatigues and a quick run through Sandhurst. And usually you want your emergency personnel to be SEEN not hidden in the bush wearing camo! Get YOUR facts straight! All the things they “say” they are going to do don’t require military training…especially when you want this group to seamlessly work with other civilian organizations. Army speak and civvie speak don’t gel well.
This is all about stroking egos among other things…
There are lots of people on this island with many years of military experience who are stealing far clear of this boondoggle for good reason!
The regiment is doing urban search and rescue, that’s part of their role
I firstly would request that CNS retract the use of the word “army” to describe the CI regiment as the intent isn’t by any means for CIG to establish a military, armed forces but more so to establish a national regiment that will be made up of primarily volunteers.
No nothing to do with the military. That’s why its being commanded by officers who are either ex army or attending Sandhurst. Why they are using military uniforms, military ranks and terminology. And why they are working with the UK Security Advisory team. And you think they are going to be unarmed? Well they may not carry weapons day to day, but you can bet your boots there will be an armory so come the day they will have access to arms. You think the Royal Marines were strolling around BVI unarmed after IRMA, and that the Governor will turn down the opportunity to have 50 plu armed men to impose law and order in an emergency? The fact that they are part time doesnt mean they wont be trained to use firearms and have access to them – the whole concept is modelled on reservist forces like the Bermudan Regiment of the TA.
Government, please drop the ‘regiment’ aspect of this. Its unnecessary and sticks in our craw. You would get a lot more community support, and participation, if it was focused on emergency response only (basically enhanced CERTs, or voluntary fire & rescue, or supplemental emergency services, or etc.) not militarised emergency response. The military aspect is unnecessary and inappropriate, unwanted and unwarranted. And will be a waste of funding and focus.
100% right on the button!
Sadly though, we already have police, immigration, BS, I mean ah CBS, police marine unit, fire department, fire department marine unit, DOE enforcement unit and supposedly a coast guard somewhere out there…it just wouldn’t be credible to bring in another public safety entity during a time when Cayman will surely be strapped for cash…so, why not a regiment that’s not a regiment! You can’t make this stuff up!
Colonel Klink to the rescue!
WOW,
I bet they make Grand Cayman the safest place on earth where one can leave a purse full of money unsupervised on a table and walk on a deserted beach alone in darkness.
Tropic Thunder Pt2
Feh reeeeeeel!!!
Complete waste of our tax payer dollars! This government’s main objective with this “regiment” is to have some sort of tool to use to quell civil unrest. The demonstrations happening right now in the US and around the world are calling for law enforcement agencies to be redesigned to work FOR the people that pay their salaries, rather than AGAINST them. It is only a matter of time before the government starts using this “regiment” to keep people at bay, while they do their dirty work!
You are not paying for it, the British tax payer is…..
Really? Says who? The UK doesn’t pay for the RCIPS – we do. We even pay for the governors expenses. What makes you think HMG is paying for this?
Got nothing to do with hurricanes.
They are going to suffer from heat exhaustion wrapped up like mummies as in the photo. How about shorts and T shirts?. It looks like they are kitted out for urban warfare with their grey camouflage outfits, would not green be better so they can blend in with the jungle like our native iguanas. I assume at some stage they will be supplied with weapons, even if only catapults.
Urban warfare is correct.
Dude, get to the opticians, they are wearing green!
9.08pm They sure blend in with the green trees behind them, can hardly see them.
and the civil service keeps growing….
As least we’ll be safe if we’re invaded.
by green iguanas?
Or idiots, but oh we have been for a long time.
I think it could be useful in case Jamaica decides to invade one day.
I’m sorry…haven’t that happened already?
All jokes aside seems they’re setting up for independence soon!