Commitment to Duty!
BDF Media Release| 18 September 20
Photography and Story credit: BDF Media
The Officers, Enlisted Ranks and civilian staff of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) proudly extend warm congratulations to our Chief of Staff, Colonel Glyne Sinatra Grannum on the occasion of his 35th anniversary with the Force. In February 2017, Colonel Grannum assumed command of the BDF becoming the Force’s fifth Chief of Staff.
Colonel Grannum confidently enlisted in the BDF on Friday 18 October 1985 and embarked on a journey which saw him successfully undertake a variety of local, regional and international military training courses. Such training included career development training at the Canadian Forces Officer Candidate School, Chilliwack and the Combat Training Centre, Gagetown New Brunswick, Canada.
Colonel Grannum is a qualified Regimental Signals Officer and has held other notable appoints such as Commanding Officer Barbados Regiment, Finance Officer in Headquarters BDF and Director of Operations and Plans in the Regional Security System. He was instrumental in the developing the careers of junior commissioned officers as a member of the Directing Staff of the Caribbean Junior Command and Staff Course in Newcastle, Jamaica. One gem in his career’s portfolio is being the lead architect for the design of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 Security Plan. This plan which he conceptualized became the template for other Caribbean states which we selected to host the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2007.
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Over his illustrious career he has been awarded several medals in recognition of his selfless service to Barbados and the region. These awards include the Chief of Staff’s Commendation (1994), two Defence Board Commendations (1996 and 2007), the Meritorious Service Medal (1998), the Services Medal of Honour, the General Service Medal (2011), the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (2013) and the Governor-General of Barbados’ Medal of Honour (2017).
Some of his achievements to date are;
A successful deployment of troops to assist in the rehabilitation and security for the hurricane devastated Republic of the Dominica after the passage of Hurricane Maria in 2017.
2. Rebranding of the Training and Development Institute to incorporate study for Caribbean Vocational Qualifications levels 1 – 4.
3. The development of the BDF Field Medical Facility which achieved Level 1 certification in 2019
4. Enhanced operational capacity to counter contemporary multidimensional security threats
His 35 years of military service have been tremendously meaningful, worthwhile and he has exemplified the Core Values of the BDF in every assignment which he undertakes. Despite the many sacrifices along this 35-year journey; Colonel Grannum considers it a privilege to be at the helm of the BDF. He reflected on his vision of leading the Force to become the region’s premier military institution. Trained, organized and ready to respond to any form of security threats. At the core of the Force’s modernization for Colonel Grannum is youth development. His desire is to ensure the youth acquire the necessary skills and mentorship needed through programmes within the Barbados Cadet Corps to become upstanding members of society.
Sir, as you celebrate this milestone of exemplary service, we wish you all the best as you continue to provide sound leadership to the men and women of the Barbados Defence Force.
Commodore (Cdre) Errington Shurland enlisted in the Barbados Defence Force in February 1984.
Colonel Glyne Grannum joined the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) on 18 October 1985 and underwent career development training at the Canadian Forces Officer Candidate School, Chilliwack and the Combat Training Centre, Gagetown New Brunswick, Canada. He subsequently attended the Infantry Training Centre and the Signal Wing in Warminster, UK (PCBC and RSO Courses respectively), the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in San Remo, Italy; the Lester Pearson Canadian Peacekeeping Centre, the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College, Kingston, the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College, Toronto, the National Defence University of the People’s Liberation Army People’s Republic of China and the Centre for Hemispheric Defence Studies, National Defence University, Washington. He also attended a Defence Resources Management programme at National Defence Headquarters, Ottawa, Canada. In addition to being a qualified infantry officer, Col Grannum is a qualified Regimental Signals Officer and a former Operations Officer and Finance Officer of the BDF.
Colonel Banfield joined the Barbados Battalion of the South Caribbean Force in 1941 having just left the Cadet Corps at Combermere School, and was granted a commission as a Second Lieutenant in 1942. He was a Platoon Commander and a Company Commander during the war and served in Barbados, Dominica (as part of the Gale Force), St Lucia and St Vincent.
Warrant Officer Class 1 Colin Marshall is a graduate of the St Michael, and was born on the 5 November 1969 and enlisted in the Barbados Defence Force on 16 August 1994. He was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal in August 1997, Corporal in 1999, Sergeant in 2007, Color Sergeant in 2014, Warrant Officer Class Two in 2017 and Warrant Officer Class One in 2020. He was Most Outstanding Student on Junior Leadership Course in 1998, the Most Outstanding Student on Junior Non Commissioned Officer Cadre in Jamaica in 2000, best at Leadership on the Search Adviser Course in Jamaica in 2007 and the Most Outstanding Student on the Warrant Officer Course in Jamaica in 2015.
