About

THE BARBADOS REGIMENT

ABOUT THE BARBADOS REGIMENT

The Barbados Regiment traces its roots back 1640 when the first units of the Barbados Militia were raised “for the defence and protection of Barbados.” In 1859 the Militia became The Barbados Yeomanry Corps.

The Barbados Volunteer Force was formed in 1902 and was founded as a volunteer unit raised to provide local defence for the island following the withdrawal of the British Garrison. Soldiers of the BVF during the First World War who were desirous to join international  Regiments were allowed to do so. During the Second World War the BVF went into abeyance and formed the Home Guard; while the British Army returned as part of both the South Caribbean Force and the Caribbean Regiment, from 1941 – 1947.

In 1948, the BVF was re-established and renamed the Barbados Regiment. Barbados was part of the Federation of the West Indies and contributed to the 3rd Battalion, West India Regiment.

The Regiment received its first stand of Colours in 1953. These colours were later changed in 1979, after the country gained Independence in 1966.

On the 15th of August 1979 the Barbados Defence Force was formed and the officers of the Barbados Regiment were given the option of joining full time or remaining on the reserve.

Today the Barbados Regiment is the land force component of the Barbados Defence Force and its mission is “To conduct an array of land-based operations in support of the achievement of the BDF’s aims, objectives and priorities.”

The Regiment is comprised of a number of sub-units and is responsible for the execution of land operations.  The Regiment provides military aid to the Civil Power, Civil Ministries and Civilian Community, and is an integral part of the nation’s disaster response and management system.

 

Command Element

Commanding Officer

Lieutenant Colonel Carlos A R Lovell MA, psc(j), MCMI

Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Lovell was born on 25 April 1979 and joined the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) on 22 July 1998.  In his youth he was a member of the Barbados Cadet Corps and he credits this organization with his early passion for military service.  So strong was his passion, that even before he graduated 6th form at the Lodge School, he enlisted in the BDF and was promptly dispatched to an infantry officer’s training course in Canada.

During the two decades of his service, he has enjoyed a fulfilling career in the Barbados Regiment prosecuting landbased operations and embarking on training as far a-field as China.  Despite his infantry background, he is most well-known to the public as the Aide-de-Camp to the former Governor General of Barbados…

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Lieutenant Colonel CARLOS A R LOVELL  MA, psc(j), MCMI

Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Lovell was born on 25 April 1979 and joined the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) on 22 July 1998.  In his youth he was a member of the Barbados Cadet Corps and he credits this organization with his early passion for military service.  So strong was his passion, that even before he graduated 6th form at the Lodge School, he enlisted in the BDF and was promptly dispatched to an infantry officer’s training course in Canada.

During the two decades of his service, he has enjoyed a fulfilling career in the Barbados Regiment prosecuting landbased operations and embarking on training as far a-field as China.  Despite his infantry background, he is most well-known to the public as the Aide-de-Camp to the former Governor General of Barbados.

For his outstanding and dedicated service to the Head of State, Lieutenant Colonel Lovell gained the distinction of being the first Barbadian to be awarded the Governor General’s Gold Medal of Honour.  Thereafter, he became the first BDF officer to attend the prestigious Defence Academy of the United Kingdom where he attained a Master’s Degree in Defence Studies from Kings College of London.

Lieutenant Colonel Lovell has been a dedicated military officer for the past twenty years and continues to be committed to the BDF’s motto of excellence.  He seeks to inculcate this virtue in every aspect of his career.

 

Second in Command

Major Joel Greenidge

Major Joel Greenidge a proud student of the Parkinson Memorial Secondary School began his military career in the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) as an infantry soldier in 1994. He served as a Section Commander in the then Commando Squadron, a recruit training instructor in Training Company and a Platoon Sergeant in Alpha Company (presently Special Operations Company, Barbados Regiment). In May 2004, he attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and was commissioned as an officer in the BDF after successfully completing Commissioning Course 042 in April 2005. Major Greenidge’s military postings include service with the: Commando Squadron 1997 – 1999, Section Second-in-Command; Alpha Company 1999 – 2003,  Alpha Company 2003 – 2004 Platoon Sergeant…

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Major Joel Greenidge

Major Joel Greenidge a proud student of the Parkinson Memorial Secondary School began his military career in the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) as an infantry soldier in 1994. He served as a Section Commander in the then Commando Squadron, a recruit training instructor in Training Company and a Platoon Sargeant in Alpha Company (presently Special Operations Company, Barbados Regiment). In May 2004, he attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and was commissioned as an officer in the BDF after successfully completing Commissioning Course 042 in April 2005. Major Greenidge’s military postings include service with the:

  •  Commando Squadron 1997 – 1999 Section Second-in-Command;
  •  Alpha Company 1999 – 2003 Section Commander;
  •  Alpha Company 2003 – 2004 Platoon Sargeant;
  •  Special Operations Company 2005 – 2007 Platoon Commander;
  •  Officer in Charge Special Operations Group 2007 – 2009;
  •  Officer Commanding Training Company 2009 – 2010;
  •  Second-in-Command Special Operations Company 2010;
  •  Assistant Staff Officer, Operations, and Training HQ BDF 2010 – 2012;
  •  Assistant Staff Officer, Finance HQ BDF 2012;
  •  Staff Officer Finance HQ BDF 2012 to 2017;
  •  Officer Commanding Support Company;
  •  Second in Command, Barbados Regiment 2017 to present

 

During his 23 years of service, he attended various training courses locally and overseas. Some of these courses included training in Land and Maritime Counter Terrorism conducted locally by former members of the UK SAS, Special Operations Command conducted at the Shijiazhuang Mechanized Infantry Academy in Hebei, China, and Defence Resource Management Course in Guatemala.

In addition to his core military duties, Major Greenidge has also performed the several other ancillary functions such as:

  • Barbados Coast Guard Service Fund Account Manager 2007 – 2009
  • Barbados Defence Force Officers’ Mess Treasurer 2010 – 2012
  • Barbados Defence Force Pension Fund Account Manager 2010 – 2012
  • Barbados Defence Force Cricket Team Manager 2010 – present
  • Aide de Camp to The Right Honourable Freundel Stuart QC MP, Prime Minister of Barbados 2011 – 2013
  • President of the Officers’ Mess, Barbados Defence Force 2016 -2017

 

Major Greenidge a proud recipient of a General Service Medal and the Barbados Defence Board Commendation. He also holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management (Finance), from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus.

Major Greenidge is married and is a proud father of 2 boys Kodi and Kamal. He enjoys fishing, cricket and horse racing where time permits. Major Greenidge lives a Christian life and lives by the motto “Success equals Sacrifice.”

Regimental Sergeant Major

Warrant Officer 1 Adrian Lopez

Warrant Office Class 1 Adrian Lopez was born on 14 November 1968 and joined the Reserve element of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) in May 1985.  He transferred to the full-time element of the BDF in May 1990 and was posted to the then Commando Squadron.  He was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal in December 1992, to the rank of Corporal in April 1994; to the rank of Sergeant in August 1997; to the rank of Chief Petty Officer in August 2007, to the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2 in August 2014 and to the rank of Warrant Officer Class 1 in August 2017. While serving in the Reserve element of the Force, he completed a Junior Non-commissioned Cadre at New Castle Jamaica in 1988.  In 1997 he was awarded the best student accolade having successfully completed the Senior Non-commissioned Officer Cadre…

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Warrant Officer 1 Adrian Lopez

Warrant Office Class 1 Adrian Lopez was born on 14 November 1968 and joined the Reserve element of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) in May 1985.  He transferred to the full-time element of the BDF in May 1990 and was posted to the then Commando Squadron.  He was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal in December 1992, to the rank of Corporal in April 1994; to the rank of Sergeant in August 1997; to the rank of Chief Petty Officer in August 2007, to the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2 in August 2014 and to the rank of Warrant Officer Class 1 in August 2017.

While serving in the Reserve element of the Force, he completed a Junior Non-commissioned Cadre at New Castle Jamaica in 1988.  In 1997 he was awarded the best student accolade having successfully completed the Senior Non-commissioned Officer Cadre.  He was best student of the All Arms Advance Drill and Ceremonial Course in 2003 and completed the Warrant Officer Course in May of 2014.  He has successfully completed Commando training courses in Barbados, Antigua and Martinique, is trained as a Medical Assistant, a Military Police, a Combat Engineer; is a qualified Range Officer up to Field Firing level, has successfully completed Airborne training at Fort Benning, United States Army and is a qualified senior All Arms Advance Drill and Ceremonial instructor.

To date, he has served within the BDF as a full-time soldier and worked through-out the Barbados Regiment and within the Barbados Coast Guard.  He performed the duties of section commander at Commando Squadron, platoon sergeant and platoon commander at Training Company and Special Operations Company and as the platoon sergeant in the Special Operations Group.  He has also functioned as a junior and senior instructor in Training Company.  He was chief instructor, Training Company 2007 – 2008, Company Sergeant Major, Training Company 2009 – 2010, training sergeant , Barbados Regiment

2010 – 2011, Company Sergeant Major, Special Operations Company 2011, SNCO i/c Maritime Special Operations Unit 2012 – 2013, Divisional Chief, Operations Division Barbados Coast Guard 2013 – 2014.  He is currently the Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) Barbados Regiment.

He is the recipient of the Chief of Staff’s Commendation, the General Service Medal, the UN Peacekeeping Medal (Haiti), the Barbados Service Medal of Honour and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.