The Royal Bahamas Defence Force in April 2024 welcomed U.S. Sgt. Maj. James Porterfield, who is the principal advisor to U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command on all enlisted matters. ROYAL BAHAMAS DEFENCE FORCE
THE WATCH STAFF
The senior enlisted leader at United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) visited the Bahamas in April 2024 to exchange ideas and strategies as the partnership between the U.S. and the Bahamas continues to deepen. Sgt. Maj. James Porterfield, along with representatives from the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and officials from USNORTHCOM, made the trip to “foster collaboration and knowledge exchange on enlisted professionalization,” according to a news release from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF).
The Bahamas and the U.S. have been closely intertwined since the sprawling archipelago of more than 700 islands and about 10,000 square kilometers of land gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1973. In 1980, the RBDF was created to defend Bahamian national security in a region that is a known transit point for illegal drugs, human trafficking and irregular migration, and which is a key defense point for the southeastern approaches to the U.S. homeland. Since the 1980s, the U.S. Coast Guard has worked with the Bahamas and neighboring Turks and Caicos Islands on a counterdrug partnership aptly called Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos. The Bahamas also hosts a U.S. Navy submarine testing center on Andros Island. The testing area, adjacent to a deep ocean basin, is an ideal location for submarine testing, according to War on the Rocks, an online news website specializing in defense issues.
Porterfield’s visit “aimed to gain a deeper understanding of The Bahamas’ security landscape, institutional and readiness challenges, and the RBDF’s operational facets,” according to the RBDF release. Porterfield, who joined the Marines in 1989, was hosted by RBDF Commodore Dr. E. Raymond King and Deputy Commander Defence Force Capt. Shonedel Pinder.
Porterfield is the principal advisor to the NORAD and USNORTHCOM commander on all enlisted matters, providing an enlisted perspective “on strategic vision, goals, objectives, theater security cooperation and enlisted professional development,” according to the USNORTHCOM website. Porterfield is responsible for mentoring senior enlisted leaders throughout USNORTHCOM and coordinating matters related to the command’s “mission, vision and core values.”
While in the Bahamas, he visited the Harbour Patrol Unit, which conducts harbor and beach patrols around Nassau, Paradise Island and outlying cays. The unit also provides waterside security for cruise ships in Nassau Harbour and works jointly with the marine divisions of the Police Force and Customs Department, according to the RBDF website. The unit demonstrated its SAFE boat boarding capabilities, “highlighting the RBDF’s maritime security expertise,” the release stated.
Porterfield also attended a luncheon where the military leaders discussed family programs, gender equity initiatives and wellbeing in the RBDF forces. Porterfield’s observations of “basic entry and/or commando pre-deployment training methodologies” will be helpful in RBDF training structure and operational preparedness, the release stated. The group also brainstormed ideas on how to provide professional development opportunities for junior and senior enlisted RBDF members.
Porterfield’s visit was the latest example of the close collaboration between the Bahamas and the U.S. with mutual benefits to both allies. The U.S. gains valuable insight into the operational readiness and interoperability of U.S. and Bahamian forces and increases its domain awareness of the southeastern approaches to the homeland. The Bahamas and the U.S. benefit from a commitment to a secure and prosperous Caribbean region.
Porterfield’s visit “underscores the RBDF’s strong emphasis on mutual learning and collaboration to advance enlisted professionalization. This focus ensures our personnel are well-equipped, highly trained, and fully prepared for the diverse challenges they face, from maritime security and disaster relief to peacekeeping missions. By consistently demonstrating professionalism and maintaining a state of readiness, the RBDF fulfills its responsibilities in domestic and regional operations, solidifying its enduring partnership with its allies,” the RBDF release stated.