Web Site of the Jamaica Defence Force

Commanding Officer

Support & Services Battalion

Lieutenant Colonel Desmond T Edwards JP,MSc,MA,nsp

Lieutenant Colonel Desmond Theodore EDWARDS is the Commanding Officer of Support & Services Battalion.

Lt Col EDWARDS, a graduate of Clarendon College, joined the Jamaica Defence Force in October 1984 and was commissioned in the rank of Second Lieutenant in June 1986 after completing his initial officer training at the Indian Military Academy in Dehra-Dun India.

During his military service, Lt Col EDWARDS held appointments of Infantry Platoon Commander, Battalion Intelligence Officer, Support Platoon Commander, Training Officer (JDF Training Depot now Military Training Wing), Infantry Company Second in Command, and Infantry Company Commander. Lt Col EDWARDS has also served for over fifteen years (1993 to 2008) in the HQ JDF Intelligence Unit, where he has held various appointments, including Desk Officer, Unit Second in Command and Commanding Officer.

Lt Col EDWARDS is a graduate of the Infantry Officers Advance Course at Fort Benning Georgia USA, Defence Intelligence and Security School at Ashford in Kent, UK; and the International Security Management Course at the Royal Military College of Science (Cranfield University), Shrivenham, UK. Lt Col EDWARDS is also a graduate from the Canadian Forces College in Toronto Canada, where he successfully completed the inaugural ‘National Security Programme

He holds a Certificate in Management Studies from the University of the West Indies, a Master of Science Degree in Corporate Security Management from Cranfield University, and a Master of Art Degree in Defence and Security Management and Policy from the Royal Military College of Canada

Lt Col EDWARDS has been involved in research surrounding transnational threat entities affecting Jamaica and the wider region, and was instrumental in the drafting the National Strategy to counter transnational crime, which was commissioned by the Ministry of National Security in 2002.

Lt Col EDWARDS has made presentations on the subject of transnational threat activity, particularly with regards to the trafficking of narcotics and weapons, at a number of regional and international security and intelligence conferences and seminars. He has also represented Jamaica at International Drug Commanders Conferences in Madrid, Spain and Istanbul, Turkey; the Caribbean Regional Intelligence Conference, Dominican Republic; and at the Regional Security and Intelligence Symposium in Florida, USA. Additionally Lt Col EDWARDS has attended liaison meetings with Colombian intelligence and security officials in Cartagena, Cali, Bogata and San Andres.

Lt Col EDWARDS was instrumental in the establishment of the Counter Narcotics and Major Crimes Task Force
(Operation Kingfish) and was the Chief of Staff of the Task Force from its inception in October 2004 until September 2006.
Lt Col EDWARDS teaches part-time on the MSc in National Security and Strategic Studies at the University of the West Indies where he lectures on ‘Security Concepts and Models’ and contemporary security issues.

Lt Col EDWARDS was awarded the medal of honour for meritorious service in 2002.

His interests and hobbies are scuba diving, photography and sailing.