The Governor’s Office, in a statement on Friday, said the National Security Council has authorised an initial force of seven officers and 50 reserve volunteers, all of whom will be put through initial training and equipped before summer 2020.

The office has issued a call for expressions of interest from potential officer recruits for the new regiment.

Governor Martyn Roper welcomed the start of the recruitment drive.

“This is excellent news for Cayman. The primary role of the Regiment will be to provide Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief support following disasters,” Roper said in the statement. “We’re now looking for a dynamic leader with UK military experience to take this exciting project forward. They will need to have a wide variety of skills, including project management, and will need to be adaptable, resilient and able to deal with the day-to-day challenges a programme like this will inevitably have.”

Roper said the lead role is part-time and a per diem allowance will be paid.

“There will be opportunities to refresh, re-hone and improve existing skills and talents with further training with some of the best military teams in the world. And the candidate will need to be able to start work immediately,” he added in the statement.

The creation of the new regiment was announced in October during a visit from then UK Minister of State for the Armed Forces Mark Lancaster.

Premier Alden McLaughlin, following that announcement, said the military regiment will be a volunteer reserve force with only a handful of full-time personnel. It will be capable of rendering humanitarian aid during disasters, he added.

Training and equipment, McLaughlin said, will be supplied by the UK.

Last month, UK military officers Commander Con Burns, Major Rennie Bulmer and Major Ed Dutton conducted a scoping exercise to help support and advise Cayman on the regiment.

The governor said six junior positions for the regiment will be filled during the initial phase.

Roper said those officers would be employed for one year on full-time, fixed-term contracts, “after which they might become part-time reservists to enable them to continue their civilian careers, although there will also be some full-time positions created in future”.

During this year, he said, the officers will receive basic training overseas and will also attend officer training at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, in the UK.

The recruits, the governor said, will help the commanding officer set up the regiment and recruit 50 reservists initially.

“Eventually this number will rise to 150. Junior officers would need to be available to start in February,” the governor added.

The force will be similar to the regiment in Bermuda, which is part of the community’s post-hurricane response team.

British Overseas Territories citizens, British citizens or Irish citizens are eligible to apply.

Other Commonwealth applicants may be considered on a case-by-case basis and must be legally resident in Cayman, according to the enlistment requirements.

Specific details of the roles have been drawn from the UK Reserve Regiment.

Expressions of interest must be emailed to staffoff@candw.ky by 1 Jan. 2020.

Requirements for positions

This will be a part-time role. The commanding officer will work closely with the Governor’s Office and new Defence Board to shape the new regiment and provide strategic direction on policy, training, equipment and Regimental ethos. Requirements for this position are as follows:
• Minimum 5 years’ experience as an officer in the British Armed Forces.
• Aged between 23 and 50 years old.
• Nationality: British Overseas Territories citizen, British citizen or Irish citizen. Other Commonwealth applicants may be considered on a cases-by-case basis. Must be legally resident in Cayman.
• Minimum qualification: Bachelor’s degree.
• Experience and qualifications in project management preferred.
• Must pass medical and fitness test.
• Required to start January 2020.
• Part-time (hours to be agreed).
• Salary to be agreed.

Junior officers

• No minimum experience required but previous service in the Cayman Islands Cadet Corps or other military experience preferred.
• Aged between 18 and 50 years old.
• Nationality: British Overseas Territories citizen, British citizen or Irish citizen. Other Commonwealth applicants may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Must be legally resident in Cayman.
• Minimum qualifications: Two A levels at Grade C or above, two years study at UCCI or equivalent level of education.
• Must pass medical and fitness test.
• Required to start February 2020.
• Full-time, one-year, fixed-term contract.
• Salary to be agreed.