RBDF - Commando Squadron

The Commando Squadron is an amphibious light-infantry unit, also tasked with additional national security/anti-crime duties. The Commando Squadron is a sizable force of 500 Special Marine Commandos. Training is conducted with U.S. Special Operations Forces and British equivalents (such as the Royal Marines) in special operations and maritime warfare.

As of 2007 the Commando Squadron of marines, 150 strength, was the land component of the force, equipped only with light weapons like the Uzi and FAL guns.

Selected Commando Squadron marines receive training in a number of professional military subjects in areas such as Counter Terrorism, Amphibious Operations, Demolition and Explosives Identification and Recognition, Skill at Arms, Communications, and Field Craft. They also participate in the marine phase of Trade Winds, an annual exercise that includes forces from the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Sixty-three participants from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force successfully completed various training courses conducted by the Marine Forces North (MARFORNORTH) of the United States Marine Corps in 2016. Lasting just under 3 weeks, the training included the areas of: Combat Skills Training (CST), Urban Tactics (UT), Marine Core Martial Arts Program (MCMAP) and Tactical Questioning.

Some of the areas covered included Combat Shooting Skills, Combat Operations in Urban Areas, Hand-to-Hand and Close Quarters Combat Techniques and Detainee & Document Handling in Offensive, Defensive, Stability and Support Operations. All training received focused on the development of each marine’s character, responsibility, leadership and teamwork skills needed in today’s modern battlefield.

Not just anyone can endure Commando Squadron Infantry Training. After three intense months of training, the marines successfully graduated from Infantry Training. This is the initial phase of many more disciplines to come as these men will endure continuous training to perfect their skills. The training included field craft, rappelling, rope climbing, small boat handling, weapons classification, land navigation, self-defence and radio communications. Having gone through rigorous and specialized training, these marines have been sharpened into more skillful and proficient soldiers in the area of infantry tactics.

In September 2013, just days after the government announced that 150 Defence Force marines would be deployed to the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) to help those officers fight crime Police Staff Association (PSA) Executive Chairman Dwight Smith said police don’t need their help. “We’ve got this,” said Mr. Smith during an interview with The Bahama Journal. “We’ve been handling crime since 1840 and we can handle anything that comes our way and we’re not that far off and we’re not that bad.”

“If they want to use them at static points, that’s fine, but when you’re talking about patrolling that’s a special patrol; that’s an art that we have developed from 1840. We’ve had riots and the police were there and gained control. We’re doing a great job. Our arrest rate is the best.” National Security Minister Dr. Bernard Nottage said the Defence Force officers would be deployed to do sedentary duties so that crime fighting police officers could be placed on the frontlines.