Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment

The Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment is the home defence unit of the British Overseas Territory of the Turks and Caicos Islands. It is a single territorial infantry battalion of the British Armed Forces, formed in 2020.

Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment
Active2020 – present
Country Turks and Caicos Islands (British Overseas Territory)
Branch British Army
TypeLine Infantry
RoleInternal Security, Local & Regional Humanitarian Operations
Commanders
Commanding officerLieutenant Colonel Ennis Grant
Warrant OfficerWOII Joel Richards

Background

The Turks and Caicos Islands, as a British Overseas Territory, are defended by the United Kingdom.[1]

History

Governor Nigel Dakin announced in early December 2019 that the Turks and Caicos was going to build its own defence regiment, the Turks and Caicos Regiment, with the assistance of the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence, similar to the Royal Bermuda Regiment, the Cayman Islands Regiment, the Royal Montserrat Defence Force, the Falkland Islands Defence Force, and the Royal Gibraltar Regiment. The Turks and Caicos Regiment, like the Royal Bermuda Regiment and the Cayman Islands Regiment, would focus on increasing the nation's security, and, in times of natural disasters, the Regiment would be trained in engineering and communications. In mid December 2019, a team from the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence was on Turks and Caicos to start building the Regiment. It is projected that the Turk and Caicos Regiment will become operational sometime in the 3rd Quarter of 2020.[2]

In spring 2020, a Security and Assistance Team from the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence arrived in Turks and Caicos to assist with the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, and to help build the new Turks and Caicos Regiment.[3]

In early June 2020, Lieutenant Colonel Ennis Grant was appointed as commanding officer of the new Turks and Caicos Regiment.[4] An additional five permanent staff and forty reserve posts consisting of non-commissioned officers and marines will be recruited later in 2020.[4]

On the 11th December 2020, three Officers and one warrant were officially commissioned as members of the Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment. These were Lieutenant Colonel Ennis Grant, Captain Francis Glinton, Captain Adrian Parker, and Warrant Officer II Joel Richards.

See also

References
  1. "CIA World Factbook- Turks and Caicos Islands". Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  2. "TCI to build its own military regiment". Turks and Caicos Weekly News. 16 December 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  3. "Arrival Of A Security Assistance Team In TCI From The UK". Turks and Caicos Tourist Board. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  4. "TCI Regiment gets its first commanding officer". Turks and Caicos Weekly News. 12 June 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
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