Military of the Gambia
| Military of the Gambia | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Founded | 1965 |
| Current form | 1996 |
| Service branches | Gambia National Army Gambia Navy |
| Headquarters | Banjul, the Gambia |
| Leadership | |
| President of the Gambia | Adama Barrow |
| Chief of the Defence Staff | Masaneh Kinteh |
| Manpower | |
| Military age | 18 for voluntary service |
| Available for military service |
311,025 males, age 18–49, 316,214 females, age 18–49 |
| Fit for military service |
183,057 males, age 18–49, 194,551 females, age 18–49 |
| Expenditures | |
| Percent of GDP | 0.5% |
The military of the Gambia is the armed forces of the Gambia. It consists of two branches, the Gambia National Army and the Gambian Navy. It formerly included the National Republican Guards, from 2008 to their abolition in 2017, and the Gendarmerie, from 1965 to 1996, when they were moved under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior. The commander-in-chief is the President of the Gambia who is currently Adama Barrow, whereas practical control is exercised by the Chief of the Defence Staff who is currently Lieutenant General Masaneh Kinteh.
Prior to 1965, the Gambia was a colony of the British Empire. In 1901, the Gambia Company was raised as part of the newly-created West African Frontier Force (WAFF). Initially, part of the Sierra Leone Battalion, the Company fought in World War I in the Kamerun Campaign. During World War II, it became a regiment and consisted of two battalions, notably fighting in the Burma Campaign. The Gambia Regiment existed until 1958 when it was disbanded in favour of the Gambia Frontier Force, a paramilitary unit. Other military formations relating to the Gambia included the Gambia Volunteer Artillery in the early 20th century and the Gambia Naval Volunteer Force that existed from 1936 through World War II. The Gambia was also home to RAF Yundum and RAF Bathurst and was the namesake of HMS Gambia, a light cruiser in service from 1942 to 1960.
The Gambia achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1965 and the Gambia Field Force remained as its main military unit until it was disbanded in 1981, following the failed coup of that year. The Armed Act was passed in 1984, establishing the Gambian military again in the guise of the Gambia National Army (GNA) and the Gendarmerie. The British Army Training Team (BATT) and the Senegalese Gendarmerie were to train the respective branches. In 1986, the Gambian Navy was founded, and in 1994 the Gendarmerie merged with the GNA.
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