Royal Montserrat Defence Force | |
Headquarters: | Brades |
Commander-In-Chief: | King Charles III |
Commander-In-Chief Title: | Commander-in-Chief |
Commander: | Lt Col Alvin E. Ryan, ED CCM |
Commander Title: | Commanding Officer |
Reserve: | 40 personnel as of 2018-19; Objective for 2021-22: 50 personnel[1] |
Deployed: | 0 |
Founded: | 1898 |
Branches: | Royal Montserrat Defence Force Montserrat Cadet Corps |
Age: | 17 |
Available: | males age 17-49: 1,291 |
Fit: | males age 17-49: 1,291 females age 17-49: 1,252 (2010 est.) |
Reaching: | male: 35 female: 34 (2010 est.) |
Conscription: | No |
Foreign Suppliers: | United Kingdom |
History: | Montserrat in World War I |
The Royal Montserrat Defence Force is the home defence unit of the British Overseas Territory of Montserrat. The force has an authorized strength level objective of 50 reserve personnel as of 2021-22, akin in size to that of a platoon-sized unit.[2]
Raised in 1899, the unit is today a reduced force of about forty to fifty volunteer soldiers, primarily concerned with civil Defence and ceremonial duties. The unit has a historical association with the Irish Guards.[3] [4] [5] [6] The current Commanding Officer is Lieutenant-Colonel Alvin Ryan, who was first appointed the force commanding officer in 2014, and who assumed command from the late Captain Horatio Tuitt. The appointment of a unit commander at the Lieutenant-Colonel level in 2022 was a first-time event for the force.[7] As a British Overseas Territory (BOT), defence of Montserrat remains the responsibility of the United Kingdom.
Ranks are as follows:(The RMDF use the Star of St Patrick as a 'pip' like Irish Guards)
Royal Montserrat Defence Force | < | --None--> | < | --None--> | ||||||||||||||||||
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Lieutenant Colonel | Major | Captain | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Officer cadet |