Dominican Army Explained
The Dominican Army (es|Ejército de República Dominicana), is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic, together with the Navy and the Air Force.
The Dominican army with 28,750 active duty personnel consists of six infantry brigades, a combat support brigade, a combat service support brigade and the air cavalry squadron.
The army's principal small arm is the German G3 rifle. Armored assets include twelve American M41A1 light tanks, twenty armored personnel carriers, and eight Cadillac Gage V-150 Commando armored vehicles. The artillery units are equipped with twenty-two 105 mm towed howitzers.
History
In the 19th century, the forces of the Dominican Republic consisted mainly of militia rather than a professional standing army.
From 1916 to 1924, the United States occupied the Dominican Republic under the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, disbanding existing militias and establishing a Dominican Constabulary Guard trained by U.S. Marines, which contributed to the later development of the Dominican Army.
In the 1930s and 1940s, the army under Rafael Trujillo numbered approximately 3,500–5,800 troops.
In the late 1940s, a small arms factory was established in San CristĂłbal, near Santo Domingo.[2] By the late 1950s, the Dominican Republic had achieved near self-sufficiency in the production of small arms. However, after the assassination of Trujillo in 1961, this capacity declined.
Organization
Under Army Headquarters
Headquarters, Dominican Army in Comendador, ElĂas Piña Province
- 1st Presidential Guards Regiment BRIGADIER A. DIAZ LUCIANO TEJEDA (Santo Domingo)
- Foot Guards Battalion
- Presidential Security Special Forces Battalion (Rapid Response)
- 2nd Honor Guard Regiment of the Ministry of Defence (Santo Domingo)
- Special Operations Brigade
- 1st Special Forces Battalion
- 2nd Special Operations Battalion
- 6th Mountain Rifles Battalion (Constanza)
- 1st Air Cavalry Squadron "Major AnĂbal Vallejo Pilot Sosa" (La Isabela International Airport):
- 2 Robinson R-44
- 4 Robinson R-22
- 5 Bell OH-58C
- 3 Bell OH-58A +
Under the Operations Command
1st Infantry Brigade - CG Santo Domingo
- 1st Infantry Battalion JUAN PABLO DUARTE (Com. And all elements at Camp August 16, Santo Domingo).
- 2 Infantry Battalion Francisco del Rosario Sánchez (Com. And all elements at Camp August 16, Santo Domingo).
- 3 Infantry Battalion MATIAS RAMON MELLA (Com. And all elements at Camp Ramon Mella, San Cristobal).
- Reconnaissance and Security Company (Camp August 16, Santo Domingo) - equipped with soft skin vehicles, including SUVs.
- Heavy Mortars battery (Camp August 16, Santo Domingo) - equipped with four M30 4.2 inch mortars.
- 1st Public Security Battalion (Urban Operations)
2nd Infantry Brigade - CG Santiago
- 5th Infantry Battalion (Com., Support Company Infantry Companies & 5, 6 & 7, all in Santiago.)
- 7 Infantry Battalion (Com, and Support Company Infantry Company 12 in San Francisco de MacorĂs,. Companies Infantry Cotuy 11, 13 & 14 in Nagua Samana).
- 8 Infantry Battalion (Com, and Support Company Infantry Company 8 in Puerto Plata, infantry companies Moca 9 & 10 in San José de las Matas).
- Reconnaissance Platoon (Fortaleza Fernando Valerio, Santiago.) - Equipped with soft-skin vehicles, including SUVs.
- Howitzer Battery (Fortaleza Fernando Valerio, Santiago.) - Equipped with four M-101 105 mm howitzers.
- 6th Battalion (in reserve)
- 7th Battalion (in reserve)
- 11th battalion (reserve)
3rd Infantry Brigade - CG San Juan de la Maguana
- 12 Infantry Battalion (Com, and Support Company Infantry Company 22 at Azua).
Fortaleza March 19, headquarters of Infantry Battalion 12 Azua
- 13 Infantry Battalion (Com, and Support Company Infantry Company 23 at San Juan de la Maguana, 24 Infantry Company in Elias Pina).
- 14 Infantry Battalion (Com and Support Company in Las Matas de Farfán,. Infantry Company 25 at Pedro Santana).
- Reconnaissance Platoon - equipped with soft skin vehicles, including SUVs.
- Heavy Mortars battery - ECIA equipped with four 120 mm Mortars.
4th Infantry Brigade - CG Mao
- 9 Macheteros Infantry Battalion (Com. And all elements at Fte. November 19, Mao).
- 10 Infantry Battalion 10 (Com, and Support Company Infantry Company 16 at Dajabon, 15 Infantry Companies in Monte Cristi & Restoration 17).
- 11 Infantry Battalion (Com and Support Company in La Vega, 26 Infantry Company at Sabana Iglesia).
Reconnisance Platoon (Source November 19, Mao.) - Equipped with soft skin vehicles, including SUVs.
Heavy Mortars battery (Fte November 19, Mao.) - - ECIA equipped with four 120 mm mortars.
5th Infantry Brigade - CG Barahona
- 15 Infantry Battalion (Com and Support Company at Barahona,. 18 & 19 Infantry Companies at Jimani Neiba).
- 16 Infantry Battalion (Com, and Support Company Infantry Company 20 at Duvergé;. Infantry Company 21 at Pedernales).
Exploration Platoon - equipped with soft skin vehicles, including SUVs.
Heavy Mortars battery - ECIA equipped with four 120 mm mortars.
6th Infantry Brigade - CG San Pedro de Macoris
- 4 Infantry Battalion (Com & Support Company Infantry Company 1 at San Pedro de Macoris,. Infantry Company 2 at La Romana)
- 17 Infantry Battalion (Com & Support Company Infantry Company 4 at El Seybo;. Infantry Company 3 at Higuey)
Exploration Platoon - equipped with soft skin vehicles, including SUVs.
Heavy Mortars battery ECIA equipped with four 120 mm mortars.
Combat Support Brigade - CG Villa Mella, Santo Domingo
- Armored Battalion (Com and all elements at Villa Mella.):
1st Squadron 12 M-41 light tank.
2nd Squadron 8 V-150 Commando AFVs. 4 currently with 1st Presidential Guard Regiment, 2 were transferred to Counter-Terrorist Group.
3rd Squadron 16 M3 A1 half-tracks.
- Artillery Battalion (Com and all elements at Villa Mella.): 12 Reinosa 105 mm / 26 120 mm howitzers and 8 ECIA mortars
- Engineer Battalion (Com and all elements at Santo Domingo).
- Communications Battalion (Com and all elements at Santo Domingo).
Service Support Brigade - CG Santo Domingo
- Service Support Battalion (Com and all elements at Santo Domingo.):
- Quartermaster Company (Santo Domingo)
- Medical Company (Santo Domingo)
- Military Police Company (Santo Domingo)
- Materiel and Equipment Maintenance Battalion (CG in Santo Domingo); which includes the Armeros Company at San Cristobal).
- Transport Battalion (HQ and all elements at Santo Domingo).
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF MILITARY STUDIES, ERD.
- Army Command and Staff College (based at San Isidro)
GENERAL MANAGEMENT TRAINING
- Military School (based at San Isidro)
- Army Training Battalion (based at Camp February 27 at Santo Domingo)
Equipment
See main article: articles and List of equipment of the Dominican Army.
References
Sources
External links
Notes and References
- Book: The Military Balance 2021 . International Institute for Strategic Studies . International Institute for Strategic Studies . 25 February 2021 . . . 409 . 9781032012278.
- Book: G. Pope Atkins . The Dominican Republic and the United States: from imperialism to transnationalism . 1998 . University of Georgia Press . 105.
