• JDF Thanks The Gleaner For Honour Award
• The Gleaner Honour Award to the JDF for Public Service
• Chorale Competition moved up a notch at Little Theatre
• Remembrance Day

From Jamaican Folklore to Negro spirituals to reggae to contemporary sounds, the JDF Inter-Unit Choral Competition hit the highest notes at its new venue. The competition was staged in fine style for the first time at the Little Theatre Movement. The aura, ambiance and setting framed the competition into a stunning exhibit of natural talent. All the items from the units were met with nudges from the crowd as they cheered in amazement.

The choreography, harmony, dynamism in the voices and energy exerted from rhythmic movements spoke to the nature and high quality of the event. The Little Theatre was indeed too small to contain military personnel along with their families and friends who came out to be apart of this grand occasion. The entertainment was as good as the pieces entered, as a quartet performed familiar acappella songs and sousaphonists punched melodious tunes.

It was a competitive event; there was a lot at stake as the Units prepared to avoid ‘kicking the bucket’. All the choirs came prepared to deliver the best they know how. But some were exceptional as they hit the winning notes. The Second Battalion The Jamaica Regiment (2JR) copped the first place, with the Support and Services Battalion (Sp and Svcs Bn) doing a silver performance and the First Battalion The Jamaica Regiment (1JR) sang their way to the third spot.

The Chief Adjudicator sang praises to the teams for their level of performance, especially in their optional pieces. He said that this was what set the Units apart in the decisive moment. He however, lamented that it would have been more competitive (and made the judges work harder) if some of the teams had done more rehearsals.

In the Competition last year, 1 JR, 2 JR and 1 Engineer Regiment (JDF) occupied the top three positions in that order. But 2JR came well prepared to take the reign with it’s performance ‘Ezekiel saw the wheel’ and the optional piece, Bob Marley’s ‘No woman no cry’ medley. They captured the minds of the spectators with Usain Bolt’s ‘To the World’ signature to end their performance. Sp and Svcs Bn who came fifth last year, overtook 1 JR with melodious sounds from Jamaican folk medley, ‘Gal a weh u go a gully; Train a blow and Tell u no lie’.

This annual event has carved out a sphere for itself in the cultural and extra-curricular activities arena of the Force. Units invest a lot of time, energy and resources in this competition yearly as this is the avenue for soldiers to profile their natural vocal ability and prowess.