Newly appointed Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Rear Admiral Antonette Wemyss-Gorman says her efforts in piloting the army’s role in Jamaica’s national security apparatus will be anchored in the military’s five pillars of transformation.

These, as articulated in the Jamaica Defence Force’s (JDF) Strategic Defence Review, are capability development, human resource management, infrastructure, command, and control.

“This will ensure that the Force is fit for purpose and capable of effectively confronting current and future threats to Jamaica’s security,” Rear Admiral Wemyss-Gorman said.

She was speaking during Thursday’s (January 20) historic swearing-in ceremony at King’s House where she was installed as the JDF’s first female CDS.

Governor General Sir Patrick Allen presented Wemyss-Gorman with the Instrument of Appointment and presided over her taking and subscribing the Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Office.

She succeeds Lieutenant General Rocky Meade, who retires from the JDF after a 38-year career. He had been CDS for the past five years.

Noting the opportunity she seized to join the JDF in 1992, Wemyss-Gorman acknowledged that, in assuming command of the organisation, “I will be called on to deliver greater levels of service”.

“My confidence in my ability to deliver on the expectations that come with this appointment is rooted in the firm belief that I’ll be able to rely on the commitment and loyalty of the men and women of the Jamaica Defence Force. I joined to serve… and my service continues,” she said.

The new CDS also pledged to preserve and not compromise the JDF’s integrity “nor flout the long-standing hard-won trust of the Jamaican people”.

“Each service member will be held accountable for his or her actions, and they can be assured of my commitment to the good administration and welfare of the Force,” Wemyss-Gorman added.

In his remarks, the governor general noted that Wemyss-Gorman’s appointment is also a first in the English-speaking Caribbean and British Commonwealth.

He noted that the CDS is the highest-ranking military officer, who, among other things, advises the prime minister on defence-related matters.

“Rear Admiral… you have been placed squarely at the helm of the defence of our country. However, you are no stranger to challenges. Your outstanding track record, your history of firsts and trailblazing career, to date, speak to your suitability for this post,” he added.

Prior to her promotion, Wemyss-Gorman served as JDF executive officer for two years, during which she provided Force development guidance in support of the Chief of Defence Staff’s transformation vision.

She led the Force Strategic Defence Review, which charts the JDF’s course up to 2037 and oversaw policies and all the staff branches within the division’s headquarters.