Colonel Murphy G Pryce

Colonel (Col) Murphy George Pryce is the Colonel Adjutant Quartermaster at Headquarters Jamaica Defence Force (JDF); a post he has held since November 2019. He is responsible for personnel, recruiting, training, career management, veterans’ affairs, records, finance, logistics, and legal matters at HQ JDF.

He was born in the parish of Kingston, Jamaica. He attended Wolmer’s Boys’ School and then St George’s College. Throughout high school, he was a schoolboy cadet. After graduating, in July 1995, he enlisted directly into the JDF.

In 1996 he attended a Commissioning Course at the Royal Military Academy – Sandhurst, UK, and received a Queen’s Commission in the rank of Second Lieutenant in the JDF. Since enlisting in the JDF, Col Pryce has received extensive training, and graduated from many prestigious institutions. He is a graduate of the Defence Intelligence and Security School, Chicksands, UK; Caribbean Junior Command and Staff College, Jamaica; US Army Military Police School, Fort Leonard Wood, USA; the US Army Training Center, Fort Benning, Georgia, USA; and the US Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He is an alumnus of the William J Perry Centre for Hemispheric Defense Studies, National Defense University, USA. He is also an alumnus of the Naval Small Craft Instructional and Technical Training School, having attended the Strategic Leaders International Course at Stennis Space Center, Mississippi, USA.

Col Pryce has held a number of significant military appointments throughout his career. These appointments include: Infantry Platoon Commander, Battalion Intelligence Officer, Adjutant, Officer Commanding Military Police Company and Administrative Wing (Cbt Sp Bn), Infantry Company Commander, Detachment Commander for the JDF Military Training Wing (now Caribbean Infantry Training Center), Second-in-Command and then Commanding Officer 1 JR. Col Pryce was the first Commanding Officer for the Fourth Battalion, the Jamaica Regiment, before moving on to his first tour on the Headquarters Staff as SO1 J1 (Personnel and Administration).

Col Pryce has a vast array of experiences in the field of training having served as Recruit Training Officer and Non-Commissioned Officers’ Cadre Training Officer. He was the Detachment Commander for the JDF’s Military Training Wing (now Caribbean Infantry Training Center) for three years. In 2010 he was seconded to the Canadian Forces as a Directing Staff at the Junior Command and Staff Course, Nova Scotia. He also served as a member of staff at the Caribbean Junior Command and Staff College, initially as a Directing Staff and then as the Standards Officer. During this time, he coordinated and instructed on various leadership courses.

Col Pryce has done much academic and professional studies. He has a Bachelor’s degree and four Master’s degrees. His areas of study include: Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management; Master of Science in National Security and Strategic Studies; Master of Science in Occupational, Environmental, Safety and Health; Master of Military Arts and Science (Strategic Studies); and, Master of Science in Adult, Occupational and Continuing Education. His current academic interest is in the field of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET). He holds a Level IV (Assessor) Certificate from the Vocational Training Development Institute (VTDI), Jamaica. He also underwent his Train-the-Trainer certification at the VTDI.

Col Pryce has been a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) since 2016.

Col Pryce is a Justice of the Peace, and a Director of the Lay Magistrates Association of Jamaica (LMAJ) – Kingston Chapter. He is the recipient of the Medal of Honour for Meritorious Service. He is also the recipient of the Medal of Honour for General Service for operational duties locally as well as for his service overseas for one year as part of the International Military Advisory and Training Team – Sierra Leone (IMATT-SL). Col Pryce also served for two years (2012-2014) as the Military Affairs Specialist at CARICOM’s Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

Col Pryce is married to Anazieke, and their union has produced two daughters, Victoria Isabelle (VIP) and Michelle Vanessa (MVP). He enjoys listening to music, dancing, playing spades, dominoes, chess and most sports.