A twenty-eight-member team of RBDF personnel inclusive of Officers, Warrant Officers, and Senior and Junior Rates represented the Bahamas at Tradewinds 22, co-hosted by Belize and Mexico. Led by Captain Carlon Bethell, team members were integrated throughout many critical components necessary for both (Maritime and Ground Phases) success along with militaries from twenty-three participating nations. The Royal Bahamas Defence Force’s participation in the regional training exercise underscores the Commander Defence Force, Commodore Raymond King’s strategic objective of strengthening the organization’s relationship with the country’s partner nations to ensure interoperability and joint Maritime Interdiction Operations against transnational criminal organizations and non-state hostile actors.Tradewinds is a combined, joint Caribbean-focused exercise that has been held since 1984 and co-hosted by partner nations. Tradewinds 22 was sponsored by the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) and its objectives were to expand the region’s capability to mitigate, plan for, and respond to crises; increase regional training capacity and interoperability; develop new and refine existing standard operating procedures (SOPs); enhance the ability to defend exclusive economic zones (EEZ); increase readiness; promote human rights and adherence to shared international norms and values; fully integrate women into defense, peace and security missions; and increase maritime domain awareness to deter illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing activities.Maritime assets were pivotal in providing maritime domain awareness, troop transportation, and dominance of the maritime battlespace. The Maritime Component Command (MCC) was led by Lieutenant Commander Prescott McPhee who was tasked with directing all maritime operations to facilitate the mission from CARICOM Task Force (CTF) headquarters established a headquarters at the MCC which supervised and directed Command and Control (C2) of two subordinate maritime units. Additionally, Maritime Operations Centre North (MOCN) in Cozumel Mexico, and Maritime Operation Center South (MOCS) in Belize fell under his remit. Lt. Commander McPhee also shared an overview of his experience, “The training experience of learning and executing the doctrine of the Operation Planning Process was invaluable. In addition to this, the relationships, trust, and synergy from working in the joint CARICOM Task Force were very rewarding to my professional growth and development.”The Defence Force Infantry Team consisted of eleven Marines led by Petty Officers Taren Hanna and Michael Wring who functioned as Section Commanders for infantry, advisors, and Platoon Leader. Additional advisement was provided by US Army C/2-54 Infantry based in Florida. The Infantry Team in conjunction with troops from Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force, Belize Defence Force, and members of the US Army National Guard participated in Tactical Combat Casualty Care, Close Quarters Combat Room Clearing, Marksmanship Principals, and Combat shooting with the M4 rifle and Sig Sauer pistol.This year’s Cyber Training component allowed for practical application in a simulated environment of the theories inclusive of ranges, defense techniques, and tools covered during the previous year’s Cyber Training in St Augustine Florida. With the Bahamas’ establishment of the National Cyber Security Project in 2021, and a Cyber Incident Response Team (CIRT), the Royal Bahamas Defence Force is now building the capacity to support this objective and to help mitigate any cyber threat the country may face as well as be a part of the enforcement of procedures and policies that should be in place.Notably, two team members who participated in this year’s Tradewinds namely; Able Seaman Carlos Sturrup, son of retired Chief Petty Officer Carlos Sturrup, and Marine Seaman Dwayne Taylor Jr, son of Chief Petty Officer Dwayne Taylor, who in the past had the experience of Tradewinds vicariously through the lives of their fathers, now have stories and experiences of their own. Marine Seaman Taylor shared, “The training was not far from what I expected, it was a learning experience. I was able to meet new people and I understood that each military has its own methods of training based on their culture.”The RBDF remains committed to Guarding Our Heritage.
