After more than 30 years in existence, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) finally commissioned its first reserve squad

During a ceremony at the RBDF Coral Harbour Base on Friday the 13 new recruit reserve received their certificates and awards after seven weeks of “intense, rigorous training.”

The eight men and five women range in age from 20 to 47 and represent a variety of career paths, from banking to hospitality, something National Security Minister Bernard Nottage said will bode well for the force.

“You represent a variety of professional expertise such as pilots, air traffic controllers engineers, nurses and computer system analysts,” Dr. Nottage added. “This range of human and intellectual capital strengthens the force’s collective problem solving capability and operational effectiveness.”

Dr. Nottage said at a time when the country is being assaulted by all sorts of the negatives the fact that these 13 Bahamians have volunteered their services to help the country speaks volumes to The Bahamas’ upward mobility.

He added that for years the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) has been armed with its reserve squad – a body he said has proven to as beneficial to the force as those officers who man the front line every day.

“You always need a backup,” he added. “There are people who can always be called upon in times of national need.

“Defence and national security often involve grave dangers and uncertainties,” he said. “You must contend with trans-national criminals, including illicit drug and arms traffickers. You are to be ready when called upon to serve at sea, onshore or aloft, to defend, patrol and protect the sovereignty and integrity of our country.”

“You have to detect, deter and impede the flow of illegal immigrants through our borders. You must arrest those who poach in our waters, you have to assist with search and rescue missions, you must support other law enforcement partners and you must arrive to the occasions when national disasters occur. You are not on holiday.”

After undergoing training in 15 disciplines like fire fighting, first aid, navigation and survival, Dr. Nottage said the Reserve New Entry One makes that organisation even stronger.

For 47-year-old Woman Reservist Recruit Adina Munroe, the oldest of the reserve recruits, transforming a civilian into a marine is no easy task.

She said while the first few weeks of training got the best of her, as time went on she managed to keep up with her 20-something-year-old counterparts.

“I found out that some of them were trying to keep up with me,” she said. “But through it all we all made it and we all have respect for each other. I was nicknamed ‘Mama’ in the group.

“I feel fit. I came in as a non-swimmer and after two weeks I was swimming in open waters. I got disciplined to wake up at 5:00 a.m.; before this I could not do any push-ups or pull ups but now they are easy. I was able to do a six mile run, so physically it has helped me a lot. It helped to enhance my time management.” 

Well before her fiftieth birthday, Ms. Munroe said she is now in her fourth career.

The daughter of World War II veteran Matthias Munroe said military work in her blood.

“I am carrying in the legacy of my father,” she added. “Carrying on the legacy of those veterans is important to me. For every mile, every jog, I did it for them.”

The graduating class’ best male and best female graduates are Reservist Recruit Luther Smith Jr and Woman Reservist Recruit Stephanie Darville.