US Supports BDF PAHO
Field Medical Facility Type 2
US Embassy Barbados | 14 SEPT 18
Photography credit: Lt S Gollop
The United States Embassy, through its Military Liaison Office, will partially fund the development of an Emergency Medical Team (EMT) Level 2 Capability Project within the Barbados Defence Force as part of a Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization proposal. EMT Level 2 Capability will afford the Barbados Defence Force the capacity of providing basic surgical expertise, life support services and ancillary services.
The project will support countries of the Eastern Caribbean by creating a high quality and flexible rapid deployment team that can triage and treat patients in the shortest possible time in case of major medical emergencies, as well as respond to the health consequences of climate change related disaster and other public health threats.
This support, totaling approximately US$760,000 of an approximately US$1.2 million total cost, will cover medical equipment, consumables, and logistics equipment to our partners, and is just one part of a broader, enduring commitment to our friends and neighbors in the Caribbean. United States Ambassador to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean and the OECS, Linda Taglialatela, stated that “this isn’t just a commitment by the United States…it’s a commitment shared by all like-minded nations in the Caribbean…a commitment to work together to advance prosperity, security, and stability across our hemisphere.” She added, “We look forward to working with the Pan-American Health Organization, the Barbados Defence Force, and other partners to make that shared goal a reality.”
Commander Elizabeth Booker, Senior Defense Official/Defense Attaché U.S. Embassy Bridgetown, Barbados Defence Force Chief of Staff, Colonel Glyne Grannum, U.S. Ambassador to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean, and the OECS, Linda Taglialatela, Dr. Godfrey Xuereb, PAHO/WHO and Lt Colonel Florence Gittens
Commodore (Cdre) Errington Ricardo Shurland was appointed Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) on 1 September 2021. He enlisted in the BDF in February 1984 and in a military career spanning over 34 years, has served in various operational and administrative appointments.
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.
