Officer Cadet Carmencita Duberry was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant (2Lt) in the Royal Montserrat Defence Force (RMDF).
This is the first time in the Force’s 125-year history that this has happened.
Second Lieutenant Duberry joined the RMDF on May 22, 2007, and through her diligent service, she was promoted to Lance Corporal in 2014 and subsequently to Corporal in 2016. She was promoted to the rank of Officer Cadet (an officer in training) in 2022.
During her time with the Force, Duberry has held a variety of positions. She was a member of the Force’s medical team and was trained as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Similarly, Duberry has worked in the organization’s training sector, specifically with incoming recruits, to assist with both the training and administrative processes.
During the passage of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, Duberry performed outstanding service by organizing an entire shelter on her own. Between 2020 and 2021, she was a key part of the Force’s COVID-19 response. This included security tasks at supermarkets and other important sites, as well as logistics at the Food Bank, which was established to assist needy families. Similarly, Second Lieutenant Duberry was a member of the team that worked directly with the Cuban Medical Brigade to verify that the team’s logistics were in place.
Duberry has also served as the Governor’s and Deputy Governor’s Aide-de-Camp (ADC) for all important ceremonial occasions on the island since her appointment as Officer Cadet. She has played her role with etiquette and professionalism.
Second Lieutenant Duberry has a Certificate, Diploma, and Bachelor of Science (BSc.) in Food Science and Technology. She received the Efficiency Medal in 2019 after serving in the RMDF for 12 years.
Duberry’s success builds on the tradition of earlier female members of the Force.
She is the first woman to be appointed as an officer in the ranks of the RMDF. Both Veronica Dorsette-Hector and Miss Eunice Pond were appointed as Officer Cadets but were never commissioned.
Duberry’s promotion to Corporal equaled the highest rank ever attained by an enlisted female soldier in the Force. Miss Albertine Browne formerly held this position.
