SERVICE LIABILITY FOLLOWING
ATTENDANCE
ON COURSES OF INSTRUCTION
General
1. It is JDF policy that where officers or soldiers undergo
protracted or specialised training, particularly on long courses in Jamaica or overseas,
they should be required to continue serving with the JDF for a reasonable period after
their course finishes.
2. This policy lays down the minimum residual service
required for students attending certain long courses.
3. In every case the minimum service period will count from the
date upon which the course concerned is scheduled to end.
Officers
4. The courses and linked minimum service periods are shown
in the table at Annex A. Before attending such courses an officer is to sign a certificate
as at Annex A. This certificate will be signed by his Commanding Officer who will ensure
that he explains to the officer concerned:
a. That he will be committed to his new period of service once
he joins the course concerned whether or not he completes it, unless:
(1) The Commandant of the school or
establishment running the course certifies that failure to complete the course was in no
way the fault of the student, and
(2) The Chief of Staff, in view of this
certificate recommends that the new period of service be waived.
b. That if any student completes
more than half the course and then, through no fault of his own, has to cease attending he
may be returned to his Unit but may be ordered to attend the whole or part of a subsequent
similar course within the next 12 months. If he attends such a subsequent course his first
declaration shall be considered void and he will be required to undertake to complete the
minimum service period from the date the second course ends. If he refuses to attend a
subsequent course then the declaration made in respect of his initial course shall stand.
This rule shall be waived if the Chief of Staff (in consultation with the Defence Board)
considers it would unduly penalise the student concerned.
Soldiers
5. a. Soldiers must have the minimum period
shown in column c., of Annex A remaining on their engagement before attending a course in
column b. If this does not cover such a minimum period they must re-engage so that it
does.
b. Soldiers may, under these conditions, re-engage for the
exact period needed to complete this period of residual service.
6. When a soldier re-engages for
this purpose his Commanding Officer is to ensure a responsible officer explains to the
individual the conditions governing attendance on long courses. This officer will
counter-sign the certificate. The conditions will be as for Officers, laid down in para 4
above, except that throughout, the expression "new period of service" will be
read as "minimum residual engagement".
7. a. Where a soldier is required to re-engage to
complete the minimum period of service then he is to sign the certificate at Annex C,
which must be approved by his Commanding Officer personally.
b. Where his current agreement already covers this minimum
period then he shall complete the form at Annex D
Appeals
8. Appeals against the provisions of this instruction
will be made to Headquarters Jamaica Defence Force.
Certificates
9. Certificates at Annex B & C are to be prepared in
quadruplicates, completed and forwarded to HQ JDF with units nominations for overseas
courses by the Senior Staff Officer and disposed of as follows:
a. Officers Certificates, one copy each to :
(1) PRO to be kept in the Officer’s documents.
(2) SO Admin for the Officer’s MS file.
(3) The Officer’s Unit for the Unit file.
(4) The Officer’s Unit for his personal documents.
b. Other Ranks Certificates, one copy each to:
(1) PRO to be kept on the Other Rank’s
documents.
(2) HQ JDF file No. 536.
(3) The Other Rank’s Unit for Unit file.
(4) The Other Rank’s Unit for his personal documents.
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