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Customs of the Jamaica Defence Force
 
SECTION X CUSTOMS IN THE JDF COAST GUARD

GENERAL
  • Since the inauguration of the JDF Coast Guard the unit has been under the command and control of the military. As a result the Coast Guard has had to adopt some practices, customs and traditions of the JDF. However, JDF Coast Guard has a number of naval customs and traditions to which it adheres.

CEREMONIAL
  • Saluting
    .
    As is normal in all arms of the service, enlisted men pay compliments to Officers and Junior Officers to their Senior Officers, by means of the hand salute. The Coast Guard has adopted the naval type of salute. This is the salute which requires the hand to be brought up to the line of the eyebrow with the palm parallel to the deck, for a period of two marching paces. The Coast Guard, unlike the other units of the Defence Force, salutes both in and out of uniform and also without head-dress.

QUARTERDECK
  • The Quarterdeck is the place designed for all ceremonials and parade in the navy. All Ships and Shore Establishments possess a Quarterdeck. A Shore Establishment Quarterdeck consists of a Mast from which the ensign is flown and in front of the Mast is also a Saluting Dias. Onboard Warships it is the practice that when all enlisted men and Officers embark or disembark, they salute the Quarterdeck.

COLOURS AND SUNSET
  • The daily ceremonial which takes place both aboard Ships and Shore Establishments is the raising and lowering of the Ensign. This is known as "Colours" and "Sunset" takes place at 0800 hours and at the astronomical calculated time of sunset respectively. All service persons stand to attention and salute during the ceremony.

PIPING THE SIDE
  • The naval pipe is normally blown between Colours and Sunset as a mark of respect in the following instances:
    • Foreign naval officers boarding or leaving HMJ Ships.
    • Officers of Flag Rank.
    • Naval Ships saluting one another, with the junior ship piping first.
    • Boarding of Head of States.
    • A body when bought on or off a Ship.
    • After Sunset the pipe is only blown for Royalty.
DIPPING OF ENSIGNS
  • As an act of courtesy and recognition, merchant ships dip their Ensigns on passing a warship. Whenever this salute is given the warship acknowledges it by dipping her Ensign until she has seen the warship re-hoist hers.

MESSES
  • All Messes have their own customs and traditions and the Officers’ Mess (The Wardroom) is no exception. If a cap or any head gear, Sam Brown or Sword is brought into the Wardroom, the offender has to buy a round of drinks for all those present. A tradition of the Wardroom is that on the 31st of December each year all the Officers of the Wardroom are cast into the sea to see the Old Year out.

THE SHIP’S BELL
  • The Ship’s Bell always bears the name of the Ship and the date of her launching. Unless it is damaged, the Bell remains with the Ship until she is sold or broken up when it is either presented to some public body or offered for sale, preference being given anyone who serve in her.

EMBARKING AND DISEMBARKING
  • Embarking and disembarking of service personnel on board Her Majesty’ Jamaica Ship is always done in a particular order. Juniors always embark before the seniors and seniors disembark before their juniors.

CHRISTENING
  • Children of JDF Coast Guard personnel are allowed the privilege of being christened onboard HMJ Ships.