Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment

Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment
Active	2020 – present
Country	Turks and Caicos Islands  United Kingdom
Branch	British Army Royal Marines
Type	Line Infantry Marines
Role	Internal security, local and regional humanitarian operations, maritime security operations
Commanders
Commanding officer	Lieutenant Colonel Ennis Grant
Warrant Officer	WOII Joel Richards

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.

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 third 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]

Major John Galleymore was appointed as Second-in-Command of the Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment.^[5]

Commanding officers[]

As of January 2020, the commanding officer is Lieutenant Colonel Ennis Grant.^[5]

Recruitment and training[]

Cadet Officers and or Officers take on training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Junior Soldiers or Marines do an on-islands training course.

Uniforms[]

Clothing[]

The uniforms, weapons, and equipment for the Turk & Caicos Islands Regiment will be provided by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence. During the basic training, the recruits are given the same kits as those of the Royal Bermuda Regiment and Cayman Islands Regiment recruits. This is mainly the British Army's No. 8 Combat Dress Multi-Terrain Pattern Personal Clothing System – Combat Uniform (PCS-CU). The PCS-CU mostly consists of a windproof smock, a lightweight jacket, and trousers with a range of ancillaries such as thermals and waterproofs. Recruits are also issued with British Army standard issued brown combat boots. Regimental Personnel also have the No.2 Service Dress, This is (part of Future Army Dress (FAD) programme)a khaki Jacket and Trousers with Fawn dress shirt with tie and dress shoes. No.3 Warm Weather Dress, This is a white Tunic with black Trousers with a red stripe at the sides. No.4 Warm Weather Service Dress, This is for the Officers its similar to the No.2 however in a Stone colour. The No.13 Barracks Dress, This is similar to the No. 2 without the jacket and could be worn with green 'wolly-pully' jumper or woollen jersey.

Ranks[]

Rank group	General/flag officers										Field/senior officers						Junior officers								Officer cadet
Turks & Caicos Islands Regiment
													Lieutenant-colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant			Officer cadet

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Turks & Caicos Islands Regiment																													No insignia
	Warrant officer class 1						Warrant officer class 2		Staff		Sergeant												Corporal				Lance corporal

Cap badges[]

The Regimental Cap Badge consist of two symbols laid on top of one another. The phoenix – a mythical bird that rises renewed and strengthened from the ashes of disaster, in Turk and Caicos Island’s case natural disaster, and The Crossed Tridents – representing the support The Regiment will provide to the protection of the island's maritime borders both on land and sea.

See also[]

• Cayman Islands Regiment
• Royal Bermuda Regiment
• Royal Gibraltar Regiment
• Royal Montserrat Defence Force
• Falkland Islands Defence Force

References[]