Brigadier Roderick A Williams joined the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) in 1991 and was commissioned in the rank of Second Lieutenant in April of the following year. Over the period April 1992 to July 1993, he completed Initial Officer Training in the United Kingdom (UK) and on returning to Jamaica, he was posted to the Infantry. His most recent appointment was to the position of Force Executive Officer (FXO), at the rank of Brigadier. Brigadier Williams is the first officer in the JDF to hold this post.
Brigadier Williams has completed numerous professional courses throughout his career, including: the Canadian Security Studies Programme, Toronto Canada, (May 2013); the Advanced Command and Staff Course, Shrivenham, UK, (September 2008 to July 2009); the Caribbean Defence & Security Course, Washington D.C., USA (May 2008); the Civil Military Responses to Global Terrorism Course, California, USA, (2007); the United Nations Military Observers’ Course, Ontario Canada, (September 2001); Service Funds Accounting, Kingston, Jamaica, (1998); Infantry Officers’ Advanced Course, Georgia, USA, (1996); and the Jamaica Junior Command and Staff Course (JJCSC), St. Andrew, Jamaica, (1996).
Brigadier Williams holds a MA in Defence Studies from King’s College London; a MSc Computer- Based Management Information Systems and a BSc in Management Studies (Major) and Accounting (Major) from the University of the West Indies. He also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership from the UK’s Chartered Management Institute. Throughout his career, Brigadier WILLIAMS has held the following appointments: Infantry Platoon Commander; Liaison Officer – 3rd CARICOM Battalion, Multi-National Force (MNF), in Haiti; Intelligence Officer – 3rd CARICOM Battalion, United Nations Mission in Haiti (UNMIH); and Adjutant – Second Battalion the Jamaica Regiment (2JR). Staff positions held include: Assistant Staff Officer Administration (Personnel) at Headquarters Jamaica Defence Force (HQ JDF); the Officer Commanding Headquarter Company, 2JR; Directing Staff, Standards Officer and Chief Instructor at the Caribbean Junior Command and Staff Course (CJCSC), formerly JJCSC; Second-in-Command, 2JR; Directing Staff at the JDF Staff Training Seminar (JDF STS); Second-in-Command, of the First Battalion the Jamaica Regiment (1JR); Second-in-Command, Combat Support Battalion; Second-in-Command, 1 Engineer Regiment (JDF); Acting Commanding Officer, Combat Support Battalion; SO1 J5 – Strategy, Plans, and Policy; Commanding Officer, JDF Air Wing, and Colonel Adjutant Quartermaster.
Among his awards to date are the:
His current interests include emergent transnational threats, cyberspace, strategic thought, and the notion of cyberspace warfare. Brigadier Williams is married to Nicole and they have three young children.
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