The Commander of the Defence Force is the professional head of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force. He is responsible for the administration and the operational control of the Defence Force. The current commander is Raymond King, who was appointed on 21 May 2020, after serving as acting commander since 16 October 2019.[1][2]
| Commander Defence Force of Bahamas | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of the Bahamas Defence Force | |
Incumbent since 21 May 2020Raymond King | |
| Royal Bahamas Defence Force | |
| Formation | October 1976 |
| First holder | William Swinley |
| Deputy | Deputy Commander Defence Force |
| Website | Official website |
List of commanders
edit- Acting
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
| 1 | Commodore William Swinley (?–2014) |
October 1976 | 1981 | 4–5 years | [3][4] | |
| 2 | Commodore Christopher Belton Royal Navy |
1981 | 1983 | 1–2 years | [3] | |
| 3 | Commodore Leon L. Smith |
1983 | 1997 | 13–14 years | [3][5] | |
| 4 | Commodore Davy Rolle |
1997 | 2006 | 8–9 years | [3] | |
| 5 | .jpg)
|
Commodore Clifford Scavella |
1 November 2006 | 21 January 2010 | 3 years, 81 days | [3] |
| 6 | Commodore Roderick Bowe (born 1961) |
21 January 2010 | 15 March 2015 | 5 years, 53 days | [6] | |
| – | 
|
Commodore Tellis Bethel |
15 March 2015 | 1 May 2017 | 2 years, 47 days | [7][8] [1] |
| 7 | 1 May 2017 | 16 October 2019 | 2 years, 168 days | |||
| – | Commodore Raymond King (born 1968) |
16 October 2019 | 21 May 2020 | 218 days | [1][2] | |
| 8 | 21 May 2020 | Incumbent | 4 years, 164 days | |||
References
edit- ^ a b c Smith, Sloan (16 October 2019). "New acting RBDF commander". ewnews.com. Eyewitness News. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
- ^ a b Thompson, Lindsay (21 May 2020). "Prime Minister Welcomes a New Commander of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force". bahamas.gov.bs. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Former Commodores". rbdf.gov.bs. Royal Bahamas Defence Force. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
- ^ "The Bahamas' First Commodore William Swinley Passes". Bahamas Press. 1 July 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
- ^ "PM lauds Commodore Leon Smith for 'positive leadership' of RBDF". Bahamas Local. 23 September 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
- ^ "Commodore Roderick Bowe BSc. CMELI (Retired)". rbdf.gov.bs. Royal Bahamas Defence Force. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
- ^ Bahamas, Jones (3 May 2017). "Commodore Bethel Heads Largest RBDF Promotion Exercise". jonesbahamas.com. The Bahama Journal. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
- ^ "Commodore Tellis A. Bethel, MALIC,". rbdf.gov.bs. Royal Bahamas Defence Force. Retrieved 10 May 2021.