A captivating array of performances by the military, including ships sailing in formation and a gun salute, heralded the start of Jamaica Defence Force’s Exercise Event Horizon 2025 on Monday morning.

The event, which was free to the public, was witnessed by scores of people who flocked to Kingston waterfront for the opening ceremony.

Chief of Defence Staff Vice-Admiral Antonette Wemyss Gorman highlighted the significance of the multinational exercise, now in its third year, as a demonstration of regional partnerships and a collective commitment to stability.

“This multinational, multi-agency, and multi-domain exercise has grown since its inception, and the exercise now is a good symbol of our commitment to regional peace and security, and of our resilience,” Wemyss Gorman said in her address from the recreational lawns of the Bank of Jamaica.

“This year’s iteration is not merely an exercise of military and other security institutional capability, it is also a demonstration of the enduring partnerships we have built across borders, agencies, and domains,” Wemyss Gorman continued. “It is an opportunity for us to own our skills, improve our interoperability, and strengthen bonds of trust and collaboration essential in confronting the evolving challenges of our region’s stability.”

She said the exercise serves as a reminder that security is not the responsibility of one nation or one institution but is a shared duty.

“Together we stand stronger. I urge each participant to approach this exercise with the utmost discipline, professionalism, and commitment. Embrace the challenges ahead, learn from one another, and contribute to the spirit of partnership that defines this exercise,” the chief of defence staff said.

The exercise, which runs from January 12 to 26, will simulate real time scenarios in a controlled environment and demonstrate the appropriate response. It extends beyond Jamaica’s borders, with activities planned offshore Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, and Haiti.

Among the key highlights of the opening ceremony was the Maritime Air and Cyber Command giving a general salute to Wemyss Gorman by way of a sail and fly past, accompanied by naval gunfire.

Witnessing the spectacle were students ranging from kindergarten to the secondary level.

Alicia Archibald-Gordon, a teacher at St Joseph’s Infant School, told the Jamaica Observer that the military display was well-received by her students.

“Our children learn best through first-hand experiences, and when they have real-life experiences they tend to retain what they have learnt and then they are able to transfer and apply it to their daily lifestyles. This is also a part of the curriculum for the five-year-olds — travelling by land, air, and water — so with them having this experience before we delve into the lesson, they will be able to relate more readily based on the first-hand experience that they garnered here today,” Archibald-Gordon said.

The educator, who described the exercise as meaningful and relevant, said she would love to see similar activities occur more often to shape the behaviour of children.

“I would like to see more of this happening in our society because I believe it will help to curtail the behaviours that are negative that we experience on a daily basis with our children,” she said.

Students of Clarendon College also expressed their approval of the military display and said they were looking forward to the event being held annually.

In the meantime, Peter Xavier Williams, a retired JDF sergeant and foundation member of the West India Regiment, reflected on the force’s growth over the years and emphasised the strength that comes from unity with other Caribbean nations.

“We have come a very, very far way because at this point in time, the helicopters that you see moving now were not what were in the beginning. The aircraft, the sea craft that you see out there, were not so in the beginning — it was like a canoe — so, we have come a very, very far way. And not only that, but being united with other forces in the Caribbean area makes us stronger,” he said.

He, however, lamented the transient West Indies Federation, which he believed could have strengthened the region’s unity and discipline.

“One of the things I regret is that the federation was short-lived because we would have been better off. We really are falling with the indiscipline that is actually taking place right now,” the retired sergeant said.