The Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) welcomed 104 new Marine recruits in July 2026, marking a historically high level of defense readiness. The RBDF ranks now number more than 2,000 for the first time since its founding nearly a half century ago. The July 17 graduation ceremony included 62 men and 42 women, clad in their dress whites, who executed complex drills on the Coral Harbour Base’s parade grounds.
Deputy Prime Minister I. Chester Cooper, the guest of honor at the Passing Out Parade, praised the recruits’ tenacity during the 20-week training camp. “You have earned the privilege of serving our nation. Wear your uniform with pride and always put The Bahamas first. I also congratulate your families, instructors and officers who helped make this achievement possible. The government remains committed to strengthening the RBDF through continued investment,” Cooper said, according to a July 20 RBDF Facebook post.
The training began in late February at The Bahamas Military and Maritime Academy in Coral Harbour. The four-phase program was “designed to develop disciplined, resilient and mission-ready Marines capable of serving the Commonwealth of The Bahamas with professionalism, honour, loyalty and integrity,” the post read. Training included instruction in navigation, seamanship, weapons handling, combat conditioning, patrolling, self-defense, survival, international ship and port facility security, and first aid. Recruits also learned training standards, field craft, human trafficking awareness, crisis and disaster management, firefighting, and communication skills.
That training culminated in the Passing Out Parade where graduates demonstrated their expertise in precision marching, weapons and physical training drills, and infantry tactics before family members, friends and RBDF and government officials. The RBDF’s Commander, Commodore Floyd Moxey, noted the historic nature of the day as the force reached its highest-ever number of Marines and officers. Moxey said it reflected a commitment by The Bahamas to fulfil its mission of providing security and defense capability for the Caribbean region. The continued growth of the RBDF represents a long-standing effort of “optimizing excellence by bridging generations and embracing modernization. As such, we remain committed to recruiting and developing men and women of integrity who will uphold our core values as we protect the territorial integrity of The Bahamas,” the post stated.
All recruits met the standards of admission into the RBDF:
- Bahamian citizenship
- Between 18 and 30 years of age
- No criminal record and a strong high school academic performance
Minister of National Security Myles Laroda said the newest RBDF Marines have taken an important step in their development, which “marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. Twenty weeks ago, you arrived as civilians from different backgrounds, each with your own aspirations and challenges. Today, you stand before us transformed by discipline, determination, teamwork, and sacrifice.”
The Bahamas recognizes the critical role the RBDF plays in protecting the nation’s sovereignty, he said in a July 22 Facebook post. The RBDF is essential to the task of “securing our maritime borders, responding to emergencies, combating transnational crime, and serving the Bahamian people whenever duty calls.”
The RBDF was organized in late 1979 and officially commissioned in 1980. Just six weeks later, the fledgling force was tested severely in what has become known as the Flamingo Incident. On May 10, 1980, an RBDF patrol vessel, HMBS Flamingo, detained two Cuban fishing vessels illegally poaching in Bahamian waters near Cay Santo Domingo in the southern Bahamas. When the Flamingo began towing the ships back to port, Cuban Mig-21 fighter jets strafed the RBDF ship with machine gun and rocket fire, sinking it and killing four RBDF Marines. The surviving 15 RBDF crew members eventually escaped on one of the seized boats. The Cuban government eventually issued a formal apology and paid $10 million in restitution to The Bahamas.