The Jamaica Regiment
| The Jamaica Regiment | |
|---|---|
Cap Badge of the Jamaica Defence Force | |
| Active | 31 July 1962–Present |
| Country | Jamaica |
| Branch | Jamaica Defence Force |
| Type | Line Infantry |
| Role | Light infantry |
| Size | Five battalions |
| Part of | Jamaica Defence Force |
| Garrison/HQ | RHQ - Moneague 1st Battalion - Kingston 2nd Battalion - Montego Bay 3rd Battalion - Kingston 4th Battalion - Central Region of Jamaica Combat Support Battalion |
| Motto(s) | First and Foremost (1st Battalion) Strive to achieve, never to yield (2nd Battalion) Always Ready (3rd Battalion) |
| March | Quick - Jamaica Defence Force |
| Commanders | |
| Colonel in Chief | King Charles III |
| Insignia | |
| Cap band dicing | |
The Jamaica Regiment is the main formation of land troops in the Jamaica Defence Force. It is a non-mechanised infantry regiment consisting of five battalions, three regular infantry battalions, one territorial infantry battalion, and a Combat Support Battalion. A fifth infantry battalion (5 JR) is starting to be formed. The regiment has two main operational missions:
- The territorial defence of Jamaica.
- Assisting the Jamaica Constabulary Force with local law enforcement.
It also has been known to provide public duties in for the government and the capital on behalf of the JDF.
The regiment has two main camps. Traditionally, the two regular battalions (1 JR and 2 JR) rotated annually between them. This approach is evolving towards a geographic deployment in three regions. The battalion at Up Park Camp in Kingston has a commitment to assisting the local police in maintaining law and order, while the battalion at Moneague Training Camp in Moneague, St Ann is mainly committed to anti-drug patrols.
In 2018 the Jamaican government decided to have an enhanced, regional structure for the Jamaica Regiment. Thus, it decided to add a third regular battalion (4 JR) to support the police in Jamaica's central region. In addition, the regiment is one of the main units that supplies United Nations peacekeeping troops for situations in the Caribbean region.