Warrant Officer Class One (WO1) Dowell Forrester was born on 19 April 1960 at Fruit Full Vale in Portland. He attended the Port Antonio Primary School from 1969 to 1972 and later the Port Antonio Secondary School, graduating in 1977, with passes in five Jamaica School Certificate Examinations and six Secondary School Certificate Examinations.

After leaving school he worked at the Social Development Commission as a Field Officer from 1977 to 1980. He enlisted in the Jamaica Defence Force on 24 April 1980, where he completed recruit training at the JDF Training Depot, Newcastle, St Andrew, after which he was posted to the First Battalion the Jamaica Regiment. He also served in the Support and Services Battalion and the Second Battalion the Jamaica Regiment where on promotion to the rank of Warrant Officer Class Two, he was appointed Company Sergeant Major for Charlie Company and Drill Sergeant for the Second Battalion the Jamaica Regiment.

Warrant Officer Class One Forrester has had a conspicuous career, which saw him winning a number of shooting competitions, both locally and overseas; the local competition being The Queen’s Medal Shoot and the overseas competition, the Annual Bisley Competition, where he got an award for the Highest Possible Score (HPS).

He has held several key appointments such as Recruit Training Instructor, Acting Officer Commanding Support Platoon, Unit Fire Officer, Drill Sergeant, Company Sergeant Major and eventually his current appointment as Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) at the Jamaica Defence Force Air Wing.

Warrant Officer Class One Forrester served overseas, in Grenada, as a part of Operation “Urgent Fury”. He is a recipient of the Medal of Honour for General Service.

RSM Forrester has completed various courses to include the Senior Leaders Course in Trinidad, where he was recognized as the top student on the course. In addition, he has successfully completed the Search Course, Sniper Course, Unit Fire Officers’ Course, Law of Armed Conflict Course, Warrant Officer Class One Course and a Range Management Qualification Course. He has also received certificates in Personnel and Supervisory Management from both the Institute of Management and Production and the University of the West Indies School of Continuing Studies.

He is a Methodist, married, and the father of five children. His hobbies are reading, sports and being close to nature.