Duke And Duchess Attend Inaugural Commissioning Parade At Up Park Camp

Their Royal Highnesses, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, attended the Caribbean Military Academy (CMA) inaugural Initial Officer Training Programme (IOTP) 2021 Commissioning Parade held on Thursday (March 24) at Up Park Camp, St. Andrew.

A total of 77 officer cadets from Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, Surinam, and Uganda graduated from the programme.

The IOTP provides basic military officer training to officer cadets and their equivalents from law enforcement and uniformed services.

It falls within the tactical level of the Professional Military Education (PME) framework of armed forces and is modelled from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) Commissioning Course.

The event saw an impressive display of precision by the officer cadets with the Chancellor’s Platoon march through the ranks, parade march past in slow and quick time, and parade advances in review order. His Royal Highness inspected the officer cadets.

Among those present at the inaugural event were Their Excellencies, Governor General, the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, and the Most Hon. Lady Allen; Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, and the Most Hon. Juliet Holness; Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Rear Admiral Antonette Wemyss-Gorman; and Opposition Leader Mark Golding.

Delivering the address, His Royal Highness, the Duke of Cambridge, congratulated the officer cadets on the successful completion of the programme, which involved training in the classroom, on the parade squares and in the exercise areas.

“Remember, this is just the beginning, because now the hard work really starts as you join your units and assume command,” he said.

He also commended the instructors and staff of the CMA, which is the training arm of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), for the successful delivery of the international course, despite the challenges caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“Your collective collaboration and success is a testament to the continuing excellent defence relationship between Jamaica and the United Kingdom,” he added.

Their Royal Highnesses presented awards to the officer cadets who displayed outstanding overall performance.

The IOTP, which is comprised of military and academic components, aims to prepare officer cadets to function effectively at the level required of a military officer on first appointment, by instilling basic military competencies, junior officer qualities and enabling broader academic development.

It was delivered over 48 weeks, inclusive of periods delineated for cultural familiarisation, enrichment activities, and privileged leave.

The programme was developed and delivered by the CMA with support from the RMAS and other stakeholders.