Twenty-six members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force recently returned from the Dominican Republic after participating in the Southern Combined or Ground Phase of Exercise Tradewinds 2008. The Defence Force contingent took part in a three-week joint training course, which the United States Marine Forces South (MARFORSOUTH) served as the overall Executive Agent for the exercise.
Exercise Tradewinds is a joint exercise designed to develop and encourage partnerships and common professional practices among law enforcement officials throughout the region.
The purpose is to test the inter operational effectiveness of Caribbean Forces in an event of national disasters and other major security breeches in the various countries operating side by side as a Caribbean multi-national force.
The Defence Force contingent, led by Lieutenant Commander Michael Simmons, comprised of four (4) officers and twenty-two (22) enlisted personnel. The annual military regional exercise was conducted in Santo Domingo from 26 March – 11 April 2008.