The deadline to apply to join the Cayman Islands Regiment is 21 June, and Governor Martyn Roper is calling for more Caymanians to sign up for the new defence agency.
Roper, speaking at the Friday COVID-19 press briefing, said the recruitment drive for the regiment has been going well, and more than 200 people had already applied to join it.
“I want this regiment to be predominantly Caymanian, and I encourage as many Caymanians to apply as possible, and I really do believe… we are building something here which the Cayman Islands can be very proud of,” the governor said.
The recruitment drive to fill the 50 reservists’ posts in the regiment ends this Sunday, 21 June.
Five junior officers flew out of Cayman last month to take part in formal training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom.
Regiment Commander Simon Watson, speaking with the Cayman Compass last week, said the junior officers are undergoing a “pretty intensive nine-week course”.
“They’re on about their third week, and it’s been busy. They’re doing well, but they’re very busy,” he said.
Watson said he is heartened by the response from the public to the ongoing recruitment drive.
“We’re still going through the applications and it’s looking really positive,” he said.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, plans to move forward with the regiment were put on hold. However, earlier this month, Roper announced the recruitment drive to get the regiment back on track.
Watson said the intention was to have 50 recruits in place by 1 Aug., but that date has now slipped back a month to 1 Sept.
“It [COVID-19] has impacted us, but not massively. The intent is to have a disaster relief force stood up by 1 September and this will be a group of men and women who are able to deploy within Cayman or within the Caribbean to respond to natural disasters,” Watson said.
He said the COVID-19 crisis has changed the way the regiment officers will be trained.
“It’s been something that’s been particularly difficult for us. Obviously, we still recognise that there is a need, while COVID-19 is here, to social distance and we’ve adapted our training [for that] to be able to take place within those remits,” he added.
The creation of the regiment was announced last October during the visit of the then UK Minister of State for the Armed Forces Mark Lancaster.
The UK will assist in the effort to establish the regiment, Roper said.
He added that the regiment is aimed at supporting Cayman’s resilience in disaster preparedness. Where the regiment goes from there, he said, is something which is still under discussion.
“The UK is funding equipment, including uniforms. It’s also providing training, and we will be bringing out a small training team from the UK, probably later in July, to help us do the training,” he said.
A base for the regiment in Cayman has yet to be finalised, but the governor said there are locations already in the plan and an announcement will be made later on as to where it will be situated.
Who can apply?
As well as Caymanians, the recruitment campaign is open to British Overseas Territories, British, Irish and Commonwealth citizens who have permanent residency in the Cayman Islands.
Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 50 years old, and will be required to pass written and fitness tests, and then undergo 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.
For more information, and to get the application and medical forms, go to www.gov.ky/ciregiment.
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