Jamaica Military - 2022

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Military and security forces

Jamaica Defense Force (JDF): Jamaica Regiment (Ground Forces), Maritime-Air-Cyber Command (includes Coast Guard, Air Wing, Military Intelligence Unit, Special Activities Regiment, and Military Cyber Corps), Support Brigade (logistics, engineers, health service, and military police); Jamaica National Service Corps (JNSC); Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) (2022)

note: the JNSC is a third category of service that military recruits can join as a preparatory phase for future careers; JNSC soldiers receive basic military, vocational, and life skills training; upon completion of 12 months of service, soldiers can continue on with the JDF or the JDF reserves or seek  opportunities in other public sector entities such as the JCF, the Department of Correctional Services, the Jamaica Fire Brigade, the Jamaica Customs Agency, or the Passport Immigration and Citizenship Agency

Military expenditures

1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

1.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

1.6% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $300 million)

1.4% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $260 million)

1% of GDP (2017 est.) (approximately $190 million)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 4,000 active duty personnel (2022)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the JDF is lightly armed with a limited inventory featuring equipment mostly from Europe and the US (2022)

Military service age and obligation

no conscription; 18-23 for voluntary military service (17 with parental consent); 18-28 for the reserves; since 2017, the JDF's standard mode of recruitment is to enroll recruits ages 18-23 through the Jamaica National Service Corps (JNSC); in the JNSC, soldiers receive basic military, vocational, and life skills training; upon completion of 12 months of service, soldiers can continue on with the JDF or seek other opportunities with other government agencies (2022)

Military - note

as of 2022, the JDF’s primary missions were maritime/border and internal security, including support to police operations in combating crime and violence

NOTE: The information regarding Jamaica on this page is re-published from the 2022 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Jamaica 2022 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Jamaica 2022 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.