• A new beginning
  
• Young at heart

When you are young your parents will tell you to choose a career path and work towards it.  It was no different for Second Lieutenant Toniann Black, who is presently the youngest member of the Officer Corps in the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF).  She recently returned from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, UK, where she completed the Common Commissioning Course.

Lieutenant Black is the first of two children for Sandra McCalla Nicely of Gayle, St Mary, whom she credited for keeping her focussed on achieving a good career.   She attended Mary Mount High School and completed Sixth Form at St Mary High School, before joining the JDF.

  “I learned about the Jamaica Defence Force through an ALERT magazine given to me by a friend,” said Lieutenant Black.  “Initially I considered joining as a Private but after talking to my teacher at school, who had some knowledge about the JDF, she told me to apply as an Officer.

“From observing, I love the way the JDF operates so I decided to join,” she said.  “I think the JDF is a great institution and I think I have a lot to offer the JDF.

“It was easy for me to make the transition from civilian life to the military because I am a disciplined person.”

Lieutenant Black spent five months at the Jamaica Defence Force Training Depot in Newcastle, St Andrew, which prepared her for the Initial Officer Training at RMA Sandhurst.

“I got a lot advice from my Training Officer, who himself attended Sandhurst,” said Lieutenant Black.  “There were also other females in Newcastle which made life more comfortable for me. 

“After arriving at Sandhurst, I initially found the training challenging because of the weather.  It was not until after a couple of months there that I adjusted to the weather,” she said.

Lieutenant Black stands at 5’ 9” and weighs 125 pounds. She recalled weighing 119 pounds at the start of the course, which was below the required Body Mass Index for the training and backpack she had to carry.   “I had to be given a lot of supplements to build up my body mass during my first couple of months at Sandhurst,” said Lieutenant Black.  “They told me that if I did not build up my body I would be sent home. 

“I think I adjusted to Newcastle better than how I adjusted to Sandhurst,” she added. “Being in your own country you feel much more comfortable because at any time you can contact a family member to talk.”

Black remembered being appointed the Company Sergeant Major during her Final Exercise there with responsibility for getting her Company fully prepared for the exercise.  She had been given the task before so she was familiar with the requirements, however, she had special praised for her own Company Sergeant Major who provided added guidance and views this role as a big achievement.

Lieutenant Black was awarded the King Hussain prize at the end of training.  This prize is awarded to the ‘Most Improved Junior Under Officer’.  The prize was donated by King Hussain of Jordon.

Lieutenant Black returned from her course overseas on 15 December 2007 and commenced her service as an Officer in the JDF on 02 January 2008.

“At the moment I serve alongside the Assistant Adjutant for the Support and Services Battalion Headquarters and learning about the roles and responsibilities of that post as I am the incoming Assistant Adjutant.

“Nothing has changed regarding my impression of the Force before I joined. The discipline and high standards present then are still being upheld.

“My expectation of the JDF as an officer is basically to be constantly challenged and being put on the spot to see how well I can deal with different situations. I expect to learn from these challenges,” she said.

When she is not working, Lieutenant Black spends most of her spare time singing, dancing and listening to music.

ALERT magazine is a biennial magazine of the Jamaica Defence Force.