January 2002
 

Friends of CJCSC
 

The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) is the proud host of the Caribbean Junior Command and Staff Course (CJCSC). The Canadian Armed Forces provides tremendous support in terms of training material and staff. The British Army and the Defence Forces of the English Speaking Caribbean also provide assistance with the staffing for the course.

Each year officers of the Defence Forces across the region and Canada are selected to attend this prestigious course which is staged in the salubrious environment of the historic New Castle Training Depot. Jamaican Officers on the course are drawn from all Units of the Force. The Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Department of Corrections and the Jamaica Fire Brigade are also represented
on the course.

The aim of CJCSC is to prepare junior officers for higher levels of responsibility in their respective armed forces in staff and command appointments appropriate for their rank. Already one of our graduates has gone on to become the Chief of Staff of his military in Belize.

Starting in 2000, we extended an invitation to a select group of civilian friends of the JDF to participate in the hosting of our overseas officers, as “Friends of CJCSC”. The response was favourable and it is intended to expand and formalize the “Friends of CJCSC” for subsequent courses.

Friends participated in social activities organized to help expose the international officers to the sights, sounds and tastes of Jamaica in a non-regimental setting. Friends also acted on their own initiative to assist the JDF with entertaining individual students, when the course work-load permitted such interaction.

The 2002 serial of the course is scheduled to take place over the period 19 August to 12 December, 2002 and we are once again inviting our friends of the JDF to participate as ‘Friends of  CJCSC”. If you are interested please contact us at [email protected]. We are interested in mature individuals who are given to hospitality and who have an appreciation for the military.