Core Values: A Soldier's Story

By Major Stanley P. Ford

The home my family occupied after we moved to Kingston was situated along the route taken by dignitaries on their way to Jamaica House, the Prime Ministers official residence. As a result of this fortuitous bit of luck, we never had to join the throng at the airport eagerly awaiting Queen Elizabeth, Emperor Haile Selassie or other important visitors to our island; we merely had to wait by our gate for the motorcade and wave furiously as they drove by, escorted by the police and a line of other official cars.

I was a teenager then and although the excitement was undeniable, other issues held my attention. Jamaica was changing, an independent country gradually shedding the mantle of colonialism and on the cusp of forging a new identity. The Black Green and Gold was everywhere along with a sense of pride and all the possibilities the future held and I needed to find my place in this new country. Little did I know then how much my life would change, that in time I would be a part of that inner circle greeting official guests to Jamaica and meeting with the Prime Minister at his residence.

This then is my story, written not only as an observer but an active participant in events of the still unfolding tale that is Jamaica. To my humble parents who without treasure gave the best they had to give, a love that has solidified the bond between their children; to my wife and sons and finally to the men and women of the Jamaica Defense Force with whom I served proudly for more than half of my life. And to the active soldiers and reservists who continue to serve in this their finest calling, to defend the honor of their country.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Oct 29, 2012
• ISBN: 9781475957211

Major Stanley P. Ford

Maj. Stanley Paul Ford (Ret) has been a soldier ever since his first chance introduction to the Cadet Forces in his native Jamaica. Core Values speaks to his love of country and the military which intersected seamlessly at a time when Jamaica was transitioning from colonial rule to establishing its own identity as a independent country. The end result has been a life that has been lived richly and is now shared with the people of Jamaica during the 50th year of that independence. Major Ford has seen change from the inside and tells his story with passion, humor and a fervent wish for a younger generation to understand from whence we came in the hope they will rise to meet the challenge of the future. Major Ford divides his time between Jamaica where he works as a security consultant, and Atlanta where he resides with his wife Donna and sons Gavin and Andrew.

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Copyright © 2012 by Major Stanley P. Ford (Ret’d).

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ISBN: 978-1-4759-5720-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4759-5721-1 (ebk)

iUniverse rev. date: 12/03/2012

CONTENTS

Dedication

Acknowledgement

Foreword

Introduction

PART ONE

1.   The Military—A Family Affair

2.   Country Days

3.   High School

4.   Cadets

5.   Caribbean Prejudice

PART TWO

6.   National Reserve Service

7.   Echo Company

8.   General Elections:.   1972 And 1976

9.   Wareika Hills Operation

10.   State Of Emergency 1976

11.   Rest And Recreation

PART THREE

12.   The Regular Force

13.   Election 1980

14.   Deployment 3Jr

15.   Turbulent Times For Jdf

16.   Attempted Coup

17.   The Death Of Roy Mcgann

18.   Wareika Hills Again

19.   Sugar Loaf Hill

20.   Airborne Hunters

21.   My Oasis

22.   Warminster

23.   Bravo Company 2Jr

24.   Operation Urgent Fury

25.   Flameout In C130

26.   Alpha Company 2Jr

27.   Last Troops Out

28.   Canadian Training

29.   Liberty Weekend N.Y.C

30.   Charlie Company 2Jr

31.   Headquarter Company 2Jr

32.   Garrison Administrative Unit

33.   Force Transport Unit

34.   Military Intelligence Unit

35.   Argentina

PART FOUR

36.   Hallmark Of Jdf

37.   Officers Of Jdf

38.   Women In Jdf

39.   Shooting

40.   Sports

PART FIVE

41.   Life After The Army

42.   Caribbean Cement Company

43.   Old Foes Face Off Again

44.   Antigua

45.   Border Protection

46.   Voluntary Service

PART SIX

47.   Political Awakening

48.   Cultural Burdens

49.   Ghettorization Of Kingston

50.   Politicians And Dons

PART SEVEN

51.   Green Bay

52.   Underestimating The Jdf

53.   Failure To Capitalize

54.   New Castle And Moneague

SUMMARY

55.   A Soldier’s Perspective

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my humble parents who gave us so much love that it serves to solidify the bond between our family; to my wife and sons; to the men and women of the Jamaica Defence Force with whom I proudly served for more than twenty-two years of my life; and finally to the active soldiers and reservists who still continue to perpetuate the proud military tradition handed down to us to serve in defending the honor of our country.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Thanks to my brother, Keith, and to Major General Stewart Saunders who assisted me in turning my jumbled, disorganized pages into something orderly; the same is extended to my sister, Pauline, for her journalistic input. Thanks also to Captain Noylis Amair and Lt. Colonel Desmond Grant who checked the accuracy of my stories. Finally, thanks to my wife, Donna, for her support and encouragement and thanks to all those who made invaluable contributions to the production of this book.

FOREWORD

Jamaicans have never been a people to set about assiduously recording their history and by extension the Jamaica Defence Force falls in this category. Major (retired) Stanley P Ford is changing that trend with the story he tells in "Core Values: A Soldier’s Story."

Major Ford’s journey from being a member of the Jamaica Combine Cadet Force (JCCF) through the 3rd Battalion the Jamaica Regiment-National Reserves-3JR(NR), to service in the Regular Force of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and back to civilian life, is a classical expidition, an experience, in which he has gained a wealth of knowledge and a strong sense of philosophical maturity. His experiences in the JDF will appeal to those greenhorns who have just commenced their service and bring back memories to senior members of staff, and also to those of us who, like myself, have retired. It is important to note that his account speaks to the good as well as the bad experiences he has had while serving his country.

Stanley’s journey not only depicts time spent in active service but also transcends time developing youth and character, time mastering core competencies, time building national and international cooperation and time nuturing family life. He does this as he takes the reader across the length and breadth of the Caribbean, North and South America and the United Kingdom. Of note is his loyalty to the JDF and his country and the view that the JDF which has made him what he is today, still continues to be inadequately funded by successive governments. It is a viewpoint shared by many. He vividly makes the point when he states . . . many difficulties, which traumatize a country, can be traced back to the failure of imagination; and failure of imagination is often just another way of describing persistent error.

The challenges he faced in the service and how the knowledge and experiences gained from them have continued to help him in civilian life are well presented, so too are his experiences with politicians. He emphasizes the good and the bad aspects of our political system and implores the JDF to continue its long standing and noble tradition of not becoming involved in politics in any way, shape, or form.

This work gives a highly factual account of military service and the story is told with passion and humour. It has great value to those who have never served, to those who are currently serving as well as to those who have already served.

CORE VALUES, in essence, is a very candid and balanced portrayal of a soldier’s story.

Well done, Stanley!

Major General Stewart Saunders (Retired) CD, JP, MSc, psc

Chief of Defence Staff

Jamaica Defence Force

21 January 2012

INTRODUCTION

Try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value.

~Albert Einstein

The home my family occupied, after we moved to Kingston, was situated along the route taken by dignitaries on their way to Jamaica House, the official residence of the Prime Minister. As a result of this fortuitous bit of luck, we never had to join the throng at the airport eagerly awaiting Queen Elizabeth, Emperor Haile Selassie or other important visitors to our island. We merely had to wait by our gate for the motorcade and wave furiously as they drove by, escorted by the police and a line of other official cars.

I was a teenager then and, although the excitement was undeniable, other issues held my attention. Jamaica was changing. We had just gained independence. And, as an independent country, we were gradually shedding the mantle of colonialism while forging a new identity for ourselves as a people. Our flag, made up of black, green and gold colours, was seen everywhere flown with a sense of national pride and endless possibility in the future. I needed to find my place in this new country. Little did I know then how much my life would change, that in time, I would be a part of that inner circle greeting official guests to Jamaica and meeting with the Prime Minister.

This then is my story, written not only as an observer, but as an active participant in some of the events of the still unfolding tales of Jamaica. This book, therefore, serves to highlight some of the exploits of those who served during the turbulent period of the 1970s and into the General Election of 1980, especially those who made the supreme sacrifice by laying down their lives for their fellow Jamaicans. May their sacrifice never go unappreciated. Long may they linger in our memories for they too were young soldiers once.

PART ONE

1

THE MILITARY—A FAMILY AFFAIR

Although they served under different banners and by extension wore different uniforms, we grew up in a household in which our parents were given to service. Our mother had been a member of the St. John’s Ambulance Brigade during World War 11, while our father was a Captain in the Salvation Army; so, from an early age, we were exposed to their experiences in serving. Therefore, the thought of joining the military was never out of the realm of possibilities for any of Walter and Monica Ford’s children.

An apt description for my family, especially my mother and her three youngest children, Pauline, Keith and I, would be the expression: it’s in their blood! Our mom especially had a deep and abiding love for all things military. Maybe it had something to do with the crispness of the uniform, or the order and precision inherent in the military attitude; yet, for whatever reason, she was never a one to miss a military exhibition or Tattoo, as they were called. We still have a photo of her firing a 105 Howitzer field artillery during a firing demonstration put on by the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg where Pauline was once based.

For the most part, I think it is fair to say, children tend to follow in the their parents’ footsteps. Hence the Jamaican maxim: chip never fly far from block! Our attraction to these types of garbs may very well have to do with our innate calling to be of service to our nation. Certainly for me, it’s the discipline and the order of precision inherent in the military that attracted me to serve.

Both my sister, Pauline, and my brother, Keith served in the United States Army. My sister’s military service began in 1974 and lasted until 1988, when she requested and received an honourable discharge. She spent most of her career at Fort Bragg. During her tour of duty, she was awarded five Good Conduct Medals, the Army Commendation Medal and the Army Achievement Medal. The Achievement and Commendation medals with which she was decorated were for her work in the radiology department where, within a few months after being promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant, she put together a quality control program that was singled out as outstanding during the annual Inspector General’s visit.

My youngest brother, Keith, did three years of active service in the United States Army and three years reserve service. Of the three years active service, two were spent outside Frankfurt, Germany, with the 32nd Signals Battalion. His military service was the source of a private joke that runs between members of our family.

After leaving Kingston Technical High School, he went on to Canewood Teacher’s College where he did a short teaching course called an Emergency Teachers Program which was a precursor for those who were interested in going on to study at Mico Teacher’s College. As far as the family was concerned, Keith’s sail looked set on embarking on a teaching career. However, it turned out to be wishful thinking on our part, because my brother did not make it beyond the first stage of the program. His first assignment was at an inner city school, August Town Primary. There his teaching practice duty turned out to be his undoing. According to him, he was assigned a class consisting of nearly forty kids. They all seemed to have attention deficit problem, so, for the most part, each one was absorbed in doing his or her own thing. Being a teenager himself, my baby brother was totally overwhelmed.

A few years prior to all this, our parents had migrated taking Pauline along with them as she’s the youngest among their children. The moment they settled into their new life style in Jersey City where they set up residence on Park Street, they filed for Keith who without hesitation jumped on the opportunity to join them there in the latter part of 1970. By then the Vietnam War was at its feverish pitch, yet within a few weeks of his arrival in the United States, Keith decided that war must be easier than teaching those kids whom he left behind in Jamaica; so, with that mindset, he volunteered to be enlisted in the military service.

Luckily for him he had made the decision to volunteer. Had he not done that, there is no telling exactly what his fate might have been during that era, as within three months of him taking up residency in the US, he received draft orders for Vietnam War in the mail. That means he would have been conscripted directly for the war had he delayed enlisting, but by volunteering to serve, he had beaten the Draft Board off the mark. Nonetheless, his service was still not without anxious moments. At one stage his Unit was mobilized and prepared for deployment to Vietnam, but after what seemed like eternity, the deployment was called off.

The family was relieved that Keith didn’t fight in the Vietnam War, as it was an extremely unpopular war. I vividly remember my brother coming home from his base at Fort Dix in New Jersey to our home in Jersey City and not daring to wear his uniform along the journey as he would be ridiculed and possibly attacked by persons opposed to the war. In other words, Americans at home were hostile to their own troops and their government’s involvement in that war.

Many felt that the war could’ve been avoided and subsequent lives saved if the government had chosen to use proper diplomatic channel to settle their dispute, which to many arose from an attack carried out by a North Vietnamese torpedo boat that fired on an American war ship sailing in the gulf of Tonkin in 1964. It’s belived by some that that single action triggered the Vietnam War which continued from then until it ended in 1973. However, war historians are of the view that the torpedo attack was just the straw that broke the camel’s back. They opine that the Vietnam War actually started in 1959, upon the division of the country into North and South Vietnam sanctioned by the Geneva Conference held on July 21, 1954. The North had a communist government led by Ho Chi Minh, while the democratic government of the South was led by Ngo Dinh Diem.

In spite of that, it was agreed that a nationwide election would be held in 1956 in an attempt to unify the country, but that didn’t happen as it was felt Ho Chi Minh would have won and, by so doing, plunged the entire country into communism. As a safeguard against any such occurance, agents and allies of the South thwarted and undermined the election. This provoked Ho Chi Minh into launching a guerrila campaign in South Vietnam with the intent of bringing about unification of the country. The United States in her attempt to stop the spread of communism began training the Army of the Republic of Vietnam and also provided them with advisors to help in the fight against Ho Chi Minh’s guerillas.

Although the United States mustered coalition forces which included the Republic of Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea, the North Vietnamese National Liberation Front proved themselves to be no easy walk over, as they kept sending home American and her ally soldiers in body bags. With more and more citizens filling the ranks of the anti-Vietnam War protesters expressing their disapproval through sit-ins, parades and rallies at home and with over 58,000 US service men dead and still victory for the Americans was nowhere in sight, on January 15, 1973, President Richard Nixon ordered the suspension of all offensive action in North Vietnam, followed by the withdrawal of his troops from that country. Needless to say, with the coalition forces gone, South Vietnam fell to North Vietnam—Ho Chi Minh was triumphant.

And with that being the result, and much to the delight of our family, my brother was spared from fighting in the Vietnam War.

In 1986, just before leaving to enter Staff College in Canada, I decided to take a drive up to the officers mess at New Castle with my wife Donna and my eighteen-month old son, Gavin. It was a beautiful day; the air was crisp and clean, so we decided to walk up to Catherine’s Peak. Thinking it would be a challenge for the toddler, we planned to walk as far as he could go, then turn back. To our surprise, Gavin gleefully walked the entire distance with great ease and a big smile.

Military life is never easy on children, so upon my departure, Gavin found it particularly difficult as it was his first experience in not having me around for an extended period. Prior to my departure, we spent a great deal of time bonding which in many ways only made it worse, because at eighteen months old, he just couldn’t understand where I had disappeared to and why I wasn’t there with him to go to the gym or to go on hikes.

Unable to express himself or understand what was going on, his behavior toward his mother became somewhat aggressive during the times I was away. No doubt his view of the military and the extended period of times it took me away from the family influenced his decision in choosing not to follow in my footsteps when he got older. He has also become very protective of his mother and sticks close to her when I am away from home.

However, by the time my second son, Andrew, came on the scene, my frequent departures were less, and in any case, whenever I had to travel abroad, the trips were considerably shorter than the ones I used to make when Gavin was very young. Furthermore, the fact that Gavin, who’s four years older than his brother, and their mother were there with Andrew might have helped to lessen the impact of my disappearances on him, so he didn’t react to them in the same way Gavin did when he was at his age.

As part of my training as a cadet, I had been introduced to self-defense and I subsequently spent many evenings in the gym at Up Park Camp practicing. The training we did was a combination of different styles of martial arts which we simply called street fighting. Being the father of two boys, it was natural that I would pass on to them some of the more exciting aspects of my training. So many evening if you were to pass our yard, you would find all three of us on the lawn tumbling and kicking about.

One day the boys decided to practice by themselves. Without their knowledge, I dashed for my camera which I angled through the window and proceeded to take some really classic shots of them going through their routine. The training started with Gavin the elder demonstrating the moves to Andrew after which Andrew would execute the movements. To my surprise and joy they handled the manoeuvres quite well. Needless to say how surprised they were when I showed them those pictures later on that evening.

The bonding with my sons was always special to me and I also encouraged them to spend quality time with each other. This was something that was very important to me almost to the point of it being an obsession and I knew exactly where it came from.

At around the age of seven, I was separated from my younger brother, Keith, who’s two years my junior and with whom I was very close. The separation came about because my mother’s parents were getting on in years and, since she was their only daughter, she stayed behind in the country to care for them while I moved to Kingston to live with an older brother, George, and our father who had by then migrated to Kingston where he had gotten a job with National Water Commission as a clerical officer. Keith, Hoover and Pauline remained with our mother in St. Mary. In retrospect, I see how that separation affected me greatly and colored the relationship I’ve with my own sons. I vividly remember waiting anxiously for my father to bring home the Star newspaper on Fridays, because it carried a cartoon with a little fellow named Henry whom I had begun to substitute for Keith. In so doing, I was able to imagine how Keith was doing through Henry whom I assigned as his alter ego.

Because of that early experience of being separated from my younger brother and the tremendous effect it had on me, I’ve gone to great length to ensure that wouldn’t happen to my boys. I made it my duty to see to it that they grow up together. Thankfully the effort has paid off—the closeness between them has been unbroken.

Our family