Dominican Army Explained

Unit Name:Dominican Army
Native Name:Spanish; Castilian: Ejército de República Dominicana
Country:Dominican Republic
Type:Army
Role:Defend the Dominican Republic and serve its citizens. Support other branches and civil authorities in time of emergencies.
Size:28,750[1]
Command Structure:Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic
Current Commander:Major general Jorge Iván Camino Pérez
Battles:Dominican War of Independence
Dominican Restoration War
Six Years' War
Dominican Civil War (1911–1912)
Dominican Civil War (1914)
U.S. Marine occupation of the Dominican Republic
Cuban invasion of the Dominican Republic
Dominican Civil War
Iraq War
Notable Commanders:
Anniversaries:February 27
Identification Symbol Label:Flag

The Dominican Army (Spanish; Castilian: 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.

History

The island of Hispaniola was an important enclave throughout the colonial period and hosted the Court of Santo Domingo, the first in America (1511), whose jurisdiction extended over the entire Caribbean. In 1697, by the Peace of Ryswick, it was divided into two communities: the Spanish in the eastern area and the French in the western; remaining this way until 1795, with the transfer of sovereignty over the west of the island to France by the Treaty of Basel, Spanish sovereignty being recovered in 1809. Years layer, it was proclaimed independent in 1821, occupied by Haiti in 1822, liberated again in 1844, and incorporated back into Spain in 1861 by decision of its own rulers until it was definitively established as an independent republic in 1865.

Due to these political ups and downs and its position and strategic situation, the war history of the Dominican Republic is long and complex. In the 18th century, the island was marked on the outside by a rational defense and by a certain calm regarding international conflicts fought on its soil. However, in the interior of the island along the border between the Spanish and French possessions, a North-South line, not at all clear and poorly defined; It constituted an area of continuous friction and problems.

Colonial army

Distribution of the militia corps of the General Captaincy of Santo Domingo for 1721:

InfanteríaCapitanesAlférecesSargentosOf. Reforms.CabosSoldadosTotal
Santo Domingo55553618439508
San Carlos222239119137
San Lorenzo de los Negros Mina 22228896118
Santiago66662819561626
La Vega222288312334
Cotuí222217135149
Hincha222218190205
Bánica222223127138
Azua333347206226
Higüey1111035460
El Seibo222249162181
Bayaguana1111057886
Monte Plata1111226067
Total313131319710625392835
CaballeríaCapitanesAlférecesSargentosOf. Reforms.CabosSoldadosTotal
Santo Domingo2222277489
Santiago1111124955
Azua1111135360
Total4444412176204
Total General3039

In 1738, the Regulations for the garrison of the Plaza de Santo Domingo, on the island of Hispaniola, Castles and Forts under its jurisdiction, were promulgated. This was intended to correct many of the defects noted in the army located on the island, such as: inequality in the strength of the companies, in some there were too many soldiers and in others they were lacking; different salaries for officers of identical rank, even giving rise to the paradox that some soldiers earned more than sergeants; diversity in the way each soldier dresses; few orders to ensure discipline, etc. In order to remedy these deficiencies, the Regulation established, among others, the following provisions:

Equal and corresponding salaries according to rank and command, plus additional bonuses for Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers, if their companies remained with a certain number of soldiers. No person belonging to a Class or Troop could hold two positions or receive two salaries.

Some of the units were part of the garrison of the Captaincy General of Santo Domingo, during the colonial period were:

Companies of Morenos Volunteer Infantry of Santo Domingo, entry to the manning companies was prohibited to those Americans who were not of Spanish descent and of white race, except for the Drummers who had to be people of color. Although this rule prevailed for these regular troops, the recruitment in the militias was very different, where the entry of men of races other than the white was allowed, rather obligatory, of course, maintaining the differentiation of the units separately according to the skin color of the men who were to enroll in it, without mixing them among themselves, or at least between white women and those of other racial origins. Therefore, the same division that so markedly characterized colonial society remained intact when it came to raising and regulating the militias and classifying them into units of whites, blacks and mixed-race. Another different issue was the participation of the Taínos in the militias, an issue quite regulated and taken care of by the military authorities of areas of or with a large population of said origin, an issue that was not the case in Santo Domingo.

In 1757, there was an uprising by the troops of the fixed battalion of Santo Domingo who locked themselves in the Primate Cathedral and threatened to murder their officers for non-payment of their salaries (3 years), with the mediation of the Archbishop they were paid the only amount that the royal funds can contribute (3 months each) and the rest is requested from Mexico as extraordinary, forgiveness is also granted. Because of this, the militias were reorganized in 1769 and were made up of 15 Companies of Infantry Volunteers (12 of Whites and 3 of Mulattoes) and 6 of Cavalry (Voluntarios de Dragones de Santo Domingo) in 1784.

In 1772, the two Border Companies were ordered to be replaced in service by three Infantry Companies belonging to the Fixed Battalion of Santo Domingo. These three Companies would alternate with the remaining nine every 6 months to defend the northern and southern borders. In addition, the Company of Faithful Practicals of the Border was created, a type of Baquian experts with good knowledge of the area, the passes and the relief, who had to act as support for the normal infantry troops. They were made up of natural neighbors of the region and were extremely useful for border control.

However, the Spanish troops on the island were gradually reduced and it lost importance in colonization, which more easily led to the French occupations of 1801 and 1805. In 1795 Santo Domingo was ceded to France by the Treaty of Basel, but the French Army of Toussaint Louverture did not take possession of the territory until 1801. At the beginning of 1810, the Auxiliary Battalion of Spanish Troops of the Island of Santo Domingo was created by the viceroy (archbishop) Francisco Javier de Lizana, to reinforce the aforementioned island with the intention of stopping any attempt at Napoleonic expansion towards the American continent. The strength of this body consisted of 2 companies of riflemen and 1 of grenadiers, of 100 men each.

The reconquest army led by Brigadier General Juan Sánchez Ramírez, Diego Polanco in Cibao and Ciriaco Ramírez in the south are supported by the national militias (Spanish and French troops) commanded by Captain Tomas Ramírez Carvajal. But his troops, mostly hatera, were only about 1,700 men, so Ramírez negotiated with the British forces in Jamaica and with the captain general of Puerto Rico to send more men to take Santo Domingo. In August 1809, Juan Sánchez Ramírez triumphantly entered the city as governor of the island. With the new government, two infantry battalions were created to cover the military positions that are called: one "fixed battalion of Santo Domingo" under the command of Lieutenant Colonel José María de Foxa and the other "battalion of free morenos" under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Pablo Ali. In addition to these corps, the artillery corps was organized under the command of Colonel José Massot; battalions of disciplined militias, of which Lieutenant Colonel Rafael Conti was superior leader; cavalry squadrons and urban and rural militia companies and Italian pickets formed by 4 captains, 3 lieutenants, 2 second lieutenants, 6 sergeants, 3 drummers, 4 corporals and 62 soldiers.

Haitian occupation

At the time of the invasion, which was carried out more or less peacefully, the "Cantabria" regiment withdrew to New Spain along with the artillery company. The fixed battalion was taken to Port-au-Prince and brutally massacred on Boyer's orders.

The Haitian forces that occupied the country were 11 regiments: the 5, 6, 7, 11, 13, 14, 15, 23, 26, 27, 28. Which all made up a total of 2,200 men and also 2 artillery companies and 3 cavalry regiments; hunters, carabinieri and grenadiers on horseback. All of these were very poorly paid and with very little discipline, the district was commanded by Division General Borgella and the commander of the square was Brigadier General Boregrand who was assisted by three general adjutants. In Samaná there was General Jousint with 400 men, in Seibo a Brigadier General in command of 100 men, in Bayaguana a Colonel with 80 men, in Santiago General Alexandre Morissette with 200 and in the interior towns the same commanders as there were before Boyer.[2]

First Dominican Republic

Liberation Army

The National Army is called as such from Law No. 928, of May 17, 1928. However, this land component, defined as the Land Army in the Constitution of 1844, was practically born with the First Dominican Republic, reflected in the military actions carried out by the patriots on February 27, led by the blunderbuss shot of the independence hero Matías Ramón Mella.

The members of that first army came from the Haitian units known as the 31st, 32nd and 33rd Regiments, which operated in Santo Domingo, the first two, and in Santiago, the third and which were composed mostly of Dominicans, as well as of the different units of the Civic Guard, which functioned in the provinces, in whose body the patrician Juan Pablo Duarte joined and made his career. The victories of Azua and Santiago, on March 19 and 30, 1844 respectively, were therefore a reflection of the aptitude and military capacity of the Dominicans, who had the advice of military experts of other nationalities, mainly from France, who They preferred to embrace the mantle of the new nation, rather than be subjected to foreign domination. (Despite the busy military activity after the proclamation of National Independence, November 29 has been celebrated to celebrate the anniversary of the National Army, regarding the issuance of Decree No. 23 of that date in 1844, cited above).

On December 14, 1844, the 1st and 2nd Dominican Regiments were formed, composed of veterans of the recently completed campaign, whose forces would act on a rotating basis to replace the troops of the Southern Expeditionary Army, under the command of General of Brigade Antonio Duvergé and that of the Northern borders, commanded by Division General Francisco A. Salcedo. Several units were also created distributed in different parts of the country: The Ocoa Battalion, in Baní, made up of veterans from the region and composed of two Rifle Companies, one of Hunters and the other of Grenadiers; the Nigua Battalion, in San Cristóbal; the Seibano Regiment, formed with the troops of El Seibo, Hato Mayor and a Battalion based in Higüey.

While the Military Forces were formed by the garrisons of Santo Domingo with two Infantry Regiments No. 1, "Dominicano" and No. 2, "Ozama", each formed by two battalions, a Cavalry Squadron and the Workers' Battalion of the Arsenal; in Bani, the Ocoa Battalion and four separate companies, in Samaná, an Artillery company; in Neyba, 9 separate companies, including one of Artillery; in San Cristobal; in Puerto Plata, a Battalion; In Santiago de los Caballeros the 3rd is created . Regiment and an Artillery Company; in Azua, the "Azuano Battalion"; in San Juan de la Maguana, the "San Juan" and the "Compañía de Los Llanos"; in Higüey, a Battalion, in La Vega, an Infantry Regiment, a minor Artillery Brigade and a Cavalry Squadron; Artillery Brigades in Santiago, the Capital and Puerto Plata. The Southern Expeditionary Army also had 5 Battalions with fixed headquarters and other troop units that were rotated between the different Arms Commands and the Southern Army.

Distribution of National Army units throughout the country:

Provincias - ComunasBrigadade Art.Comp. deArtilleríaComp. deObrerosRegimiento de infanteríaBatallón Sueltode infanteríaComp. Suelta de InfanteríaEscuadrón de Caballería
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo1421
Monte Plata1
San Cristóbal2
Baní1
Azua
Azua 11
Las Matas de Farfán1
San Juan1
Neyba1
Santiago
Santiago1311
S. J. de las Matas1
Puerto Plata11
La Vega
La Vega1
Macorís13
Cotuí1
Seibo
Seibo11
Higey21
Samaná11
Total5388673

By Decree No. 61 dated July 15, 1845, a type of first Organic Law was established, which had 43 articles and repealed Decree No. 23. It established the composition, the use of uniforms, flags and banners; provision on the use and handling of weapons (cannon instruction for artillerymen, rifle and saber for infantry and lance for cavalry), both of the Permanent Army and the National Civic Guard. The infantry was organized into regiments, composed of two battalions and these, in turn, of six companies, with a strength of 63 men; The regiment's staff was made up of 8 men and the battalion's staff was made up of 4 men. The artillery was organized into brigades and half-brigades, composed of four and two companies respectively, with a force of 53 men; The brigade staff was made up of 8 men and the half brigade staff was made up of 4 men. The cavalry was organized into squadrons, made up of companies, with a strength of 53 men; The squadron's staff was made up of 3 men. For that same year of 1845, the main officers of the Dominican army were:

In 1845 the land forces that the Expeditionary Armies had on the Southern and Northern Borders were the following:

During the First Republic, a period that spans from 1844 to 1861, the Dominican Army reached levels of organization and efficiency of considerable notoriety. As an example of this, it would be enough to highlight the achievement and preservation of national independence, with the Dominican victory over repeated Haitian military invasions in the 12-year Dominican War of Independence, which followed the proclamation of independence. Four military campaigns and more than 15 victorious battles gave the war of liberation the setting of a great national epic, where Dominican weapons only saw the sun of triumph momentarily clouded in the first actions of the 1849 campaign, which they served to make the Loria shine with renewed brilliance in the monumental Battle of Las Carreras.

The Dominican Army also had a logistical structure based on the nation's war priority and extremely elaborate effective military regulations. In addition, it had an effective bureaucracy, basic operational training structures and rigorous military justice. In this organization, there are notable Spanish influences, although in the weapons there is a diversity of origins, where due to historical circumstances French, Spanish and even North American predominated towards the end of the war. The social extraction of this Army was predominantly peasant and this constituted in principle a serious problem, since during the campaigns, Dominican agriculture and livestock were stripped of labor, leading national production to moments of almost total inactivity, therefore that on the basis of a wise organization, a rotation method was established in the registration, which left human forces in the rear for such purposes.

By virtue of Decree No. 664, of August 24, 1860, the first military academy was created, with capacity for fifty students and their studies would last two years, distributed over six quarters. However, this initiative was cut short by the political decision to annex the country to Spain. The annexation to Spain in principle and the Restoration War later produced a serious rupture in the organization of the Dominican Army, but not in the doctrinal aspect. The disappearance of the Republic and the Spanish occupation would also produce the dismemberment of the army to become a local reserve of the Spanish Army, after a rigorous and careful purification, in which many of the officers and soldiers did not fit nor were recognized as such of the "old Dominican Army," as it would be called then.

Restoration Army

However, in the Dominican Restoration War, given the impossibility of the Spanish forces to control "the insurrectionists," the validity of the doctrine of the disappeared Dominican Army would have to operate in a double sense, since on the one hand it was necessary to activate the reserves to defend the Spanish State and on the other hand, officers of that old armed body were going to lead the people in arms against the order of things of the Spanish annexation, thus producing a war of national liberation unprecedented in our history, both for It makes it bloody, as if because of its high intensity.

In this sense, this war was not going to predominantly confront the Spanish military doctrine with the already defined Dominican military doctrine, but rather it was going to confront two significant parts of Dominican society with the same war doctrine, and incidentally, it is worth highlighting here that When the extremes were met, the Spanish forces could not quell a popular insurrection that devastated the entire island territory with astonishing speed.

The Spanish forces that went to the island were organized in the following way:

Engineers: 2 Companies

Military Administration (Intendance): 1 Company.

In total, the army consisted of the following: 3 Generals, 42 Chiefs, 320 Officers, 280 Sergeants and 6,942 Corporals and Soldiers. 112 mules for Artillery, 126 for Administration, 100 oxen, 30 carts, 500 tents, 2,000 sapling tools, 18 cannons, 9,000 grenades, 2,200,000 cartridges.

Second Dominican Republic

After the victory of the restorative forces and the return to national sovereignty, the reorganization and continuity of the Dominican Army was extremely eventful due to a period of more than 50 years of political instability, a product of caudillismo and frequent and endless civil wars. However, the governments of this period that returned the military organization of the First Republic and strengthened their military machinery, managed to the same extent not only to remain in power, but to stabilize the country. Such is the case of the governments of Buenaventura Báez and Ulises Heureaux, in what corresponds to the 19th century. On November 1, 1865, just after the restoration of the Republic, the Organization of the Dominican army was as follows:

General Ignacio María González made some appreciable efforts regarding military organization, and by virtue of Decree 1358 of 1874, he created in Santo Domingo, an artillery brigade and the Restoration battalion; in Santiago of the Yaque battalion; in La Vega and Puerto Plata, one battalion of hunters each; and artillery companies in Puerto Plata, Santiago and Samaná. The battalions of Santo Domingo and Santiago had an effective force of 300 men, divided into 6 companies of 50 men each made up of: 1 Captain; 1 Lieutenant; 1 Second Lieutenant; 1 1st Sergeant ; 4 2nd Sergeants; 4 Capes; Bugle of Orders; Drum and 36 Soldiers. The Puerto Plata battalion was formed of 250 men, divided into 5 companies of 50 men each, and the La Vega battalion was to be formed by 3 companies of 50 men each; one of them formed by soldiers from Moca and established in that city, in addition to a music band for each battalion. The artillery brigade will be made up of 200 men (divided into 4 companies of 50 men) and the artillery companies of 63 men, were made up of 50 private soldiers and the same staff of officers and non-commissioned officers as those of the battalions. Each battalion will have its staff composed of a colonel, lieutenant colonel, senior adjutant, qualified second lieutenant, sub-adjutant and an order bugler. The Santo Domingo artillery brigade will have the following staff: a lieutenant colonel, head of the corps; a senior assistant; an enabled; a second lieutenant flag bearer; a sub-adjutant and an order bugler; In addition to an instructor in each battalion and in the artillery brigade. One of the most visionary men in military matters was General Gregorio Luperón, who in the provisional government presided over by him, between 1879 and 1880, ordered the repair of all the military barracks with their fortifications and premises were built to house the governorships and weapons commands of different cities and towns. He bought weapons and supplies to supply the arsenals of the Dominican Republic that were empty after so many years of wars and revolutions. He even ordered the creation of military schools, provided them with books and ordered the purchase of new uniforms, in the European style.[3]

On May 15, 1876, during the government of Francisco Ulises Espaillat, Law 523 was promulgated on the organization and service of the National Civic Guard, a force of militiamen and volunteers raised in the event of a state of war, all men between the ages of 18 and 50 years old had to serve in the Civic Guard, with the exception of high government officials, judges, priests and invalids. General Luperón, through Decree No. 1834 dated February 18, 1880, instituted compulsory military service, defining the functions of the national reserve as support for regular troops, in war actions against foreigners or internal conflicts. In Santo Domingo and provincial capitals, he formed garrisons and in the commons, bodies and sides to guarantee order, managing with this organization to change the social scenario, producing a comfortable tranquility during the year of his government and the two years of President Fernando Arturo de Meriño.

By virtue of Decree No. 1840, dated March 12, 1880, schools and academies were established in each battalion so that the military could learn to read, write and count, since that was an aspiration of General Luperón: "that the "The military class from today onwards will not be among us a threatening machine of minions of power, but rather a group of citizens who know their duties and know how to defend and protect the legitimate rights of governments and the people." If there is anything to understand from the documents and laws cited here that organized the army, it is that they attend more to idealized images and budgetary planning than to the reality of an army that is poorly disciplined, poorly armed and with more than 64 Division Generals, 238 Generals of Brigade, 412 Colonels, 514 Commanders, 598 Captains, 490 Lieutenants and 893 Second Lieutenants, which meant nothing more than a burden for the treasury.

By 1892, in the government of Ulises Heureaux, the army was organized into military corps, scattered throughout the provinces; auxiliary units, in the common ones; and reserve forces, in the cantons. This created the Peacekeeping Battalion units in Santo Domingo; Yaque Hunters in Santiago; San Felipe in Puerto Plata; Snipers in Azua; and Santa Bárbara in Samaná. By 1899, the forces of the National Army and the Ministry of War and Navy were organized as follows:

Monte Cristi: Captain Commander, Lieutenant; Second Lieutenant; 1st Sergeant; 2 2nd Sergeants; Armorer and 30 Corporals and Soldiers.

San Francisco de Macorís: same endowment as San Pedro de Macorís.

In 1914, its organization was based on the existence of two battalions of 382 soldiers: the Ozama, based in the La Fuerza fortress of Santo Domingo, and the Yaque, which was stationed in the fortress of Santiago, and also had several Commands. In addition, since 1879 there was a Cavalry Squadron of 162 men, an Artillery Company of 110 men and two military bands of 16 drums and bugles, one for each battalion. They wore the blue and red uniform (of the French militia of the Napoleonic era, with its gold plating and they did not use weapons out of service). When the army increased its personnel, it resorted to the recruitment file. It was practiced by surprise on any given night, especially on Saturdays and Sundays when the neighborhood parties were full of young men. The day after a recruitment, the leadership made a selection of those who were suitable for the life of a soldier, and they were sent to the Capital for long military training. The Army grew with admirable discipline. He was brilliant, all about bravery and impressive martial skills. It was almost completely consumed in the fratricidal wars that followed the death of Ramón Cáceres, until the arrival of the Americans when the civic and guerrilla fighters who produced the internal wars already formed a majority in their ranks.

A Rural Guard was created in 1905 by Carlos Morales Languasco. This Corps was organized militarily, but its operation was essentially civil, with the main objective being the preservation of public order; protect property and people and assist judicial authorities when required to repress crimes and offenses. The Rural Guard was made up of a regiment made up of 4 Cavalry squadrons and 4 Infantry Companies. It will also have a Staff, making up a total of about 940 troops, whose organization was as follows:

On July 10, 1907, Ramón Cáceres reorganized it, changing its name to the Republican Guard. The new organization of the guard was as follows:

Ramón Cáceres used the Republican Guard to put an end to the Cibao rebel leaders. Due to its loyalty to the president, it was popularly nicknamed "Guardia de Mon", during this period it was characterized by its effectiveness in the fights and its loyalty to the central government. They dressed in khaki yellow, with leather leggings, a felt hat, carrying long sabers and carbines. With the takeover of customs by American officials with the modus vivendi, a border guard was organized to prevent illegal trade on the border. This guard was made up of 5 American officers and 125 men. By 1909, the National Army's strength had been reduced to the Ozama Battalion, renamed the Ozama Regiment in 1913, and to a Mountain Artillery Battery. In addition, in 1914, the Republican Guard, which until then functioned as dependent on the Department of the Interior and Police, passed under control of the Ministry of War and Navy, with the name of the Republican Guard Auxiliary Corps.

The organization of the Department of War and Navy for the year 1913 was as follows:

Military Quarter of the Presidency: Colonel Chief of the General Staff; 2nd Chief Commander; 6 Captains Aide-de-camp and 9 Order Assistants (6 1st Lieutenants and 3 2nd Lieutenants)12 Arms Command: In Santo Domingo (Commander, Secretary, Staff Major and 2 Plaza Assistants), Santiago (Commanders, Secretary and 5 Assistants), Puerto Plata, La Vega, Samaná, El Seibo, San Pedro de Macorís, Monte Cristi, Espaillat, Pacificador, Azua and Barahona, with a commander, Secretary and Assistant each.

Through Decree No. 5234 of June 6, 1913, the Executive Branch reorganizes the Military Academy, uniting it with the Navy Nautical School and giving it the new name of Military and Naval School, establishing the Naval and Military Learning courses and those of Application for Officers, Classes and Troops.

Third Dominican Republic

Post-U.S occupation

After the American occupation in 1916, the military force of the Republic was dissolved. Which only constituted a simple armed body with very little military training used basically for repressive purposes, and to preserve the interests of foreign investors and the ruling Creole elite, it was a force lacking discipline, and very fragmented, so Fortunately, it had a horizontal structure made up of some 461 generals and 479 colonels. At that time, there were twelve military posts, one in the capital of each province. The commanders and their assistants and the fort chiefs and their assistants were treated as distinct at the time of the dissolution of the regular army. At the time of its dissolution, the authorized strength was an infantry regiment of about 470 officers and soldiers, and a music band of 33 men. just a few months earlier, the budget had authorized an infantry force of about 800 officers and men and a mountain artillery battery of 100 officers and men, in addition to the marching band. In reality, however, only the band members were safe at the post, in wartime the rest of the military establishments were much larger, and in peacetime consisted of numerous ghost soldiers, whose salaries were, however regularly paid by the national treasury. The service was supposed to be voluntary, but in reality, the "volunteers" were generally collected by the communal chiefs and taken under surveillance, sometimes tied with ropes to prevent them from deserting.

There was also an inefficient and authoritarian rural police called the "Republican Guard" or "Guardia de Mon", supposedly composed of seven companies of around 800 officers and men, but here too things were not what they seemed. The senior officers of the Republican Guard were a brigadier general, a colonel, a lieutenant colonel and 2 majors, those of the army only one colonel, two lieutenant colonels and 2 commanders, which was very modest for a country full of generals and where the 1909 budget allocated $20,000 for the corps "of generals under the orders of the presidency."

On May 5, 1916, the United States ordered the landing of troops to protect their interests in the country. That same day, the first contingent of 150 marines disembarked from the transport USS Prairie in two companies, the 6th infantry commanded by Captain Frederic M. Wise, and the 9th equipped with field artillery, consisting of 4 3-inch cannons. Commanded by Captain Eugene Fortson, a respected artillery officer, Captain Frederic M. Wise, commander of the contingent, had orders to occupy the American legation and consulate in addition to assisting President Jiménez in the fight against Desiderio Arias.

On May 12, 1916, Rear Admiral William B. Caperton arrived in the country, with another 400 marines, formally beginning the intervention under the excuse of putting the situation in order and, by May 15, the marines had control over Santo Domingo y Arias had fled to the interior of the country. By May 28, the occupation forces totaled about 11 companies, with about 750 men. Once the capital was controlled, all that remained was to occupy the northern coast and the interior of the country. On June 26, Colonel Pendleton with a force of 34 officers and 803 men began the march to occupy the city of Santiago, on July 5 under the threat of bombing. of artillery, the city sends a peace commission and with this the occupation of the country is completed. On September 29, Captain (later Rear Admiral) Harry S. Knapp, Admiral Caperton's successor, officially proclaims the military occupation of the Dominican Republic.

The North American military garrison was formed by the 2nd Marine Brigade formed by the 3rd, 4th and 15th Marine Regiments with headquarters in Santo Domingo, Santiago and San Pedro de Macorís respectively, in total about 3000 men. and officers. In 1919, the 1st Navy Air Squadron arrived in the country. In a formal and apparent manner, the measure to dissolve the army adopted by the provisional president Francisco Henríquez y Carvajal through decree No. 5491, given in Santo Domingo on September 13, 1916; alleging a lack of funds for its support and financing. All retired military personnel received compensation in the form of "vouchers." However, the real cause of this measure is explained because the Americans applied Stein's proposal: to retire the soldiers of the previous regime, especially the officers. However, the Republican Guard, in charge of guarding the ports, and the Municipal Police, which performed gendarmerie functions in the cities, were provisionally maintained.

By means of Executive Order Number 47 of the military governor of Santo Domingo, Admiral HS Knapp, the Dominican National Guard (GND) was established on May 14, 1917, with an initial investment of US$500,000, constituting a corps of sepoys, the which at the time of its founding had 21 American officers, some Puerto Ricans, 17 Dominicans and 691 enlisted personnel, for a grand total of 729 troops. Its organization is very advanced and it absorbed the Republican Guard and this merges the 70-man border guard that was previously under the orders of the customs general receivership. This organization was commanded by Colonel GC Thorpe as acting commander. Likewise, a North American officer was established in each locality as a supervisor for recruiting tasks, approval of pay lists, etc. Order Number 1 of the National Guard read, in this sense:

The Guard will be administered by the Commander through the supervising American officers (where there are any) and through the Zone Chiefs, who will be the highest-ranking officers of each Zone, where there is no supervising American officer. The Zone head will communicate with the interim Commander.The organization of the Dominican National Guard for the year 1918 was as follows:

However, it was only with the creation of the Haina Military Academy that the Americans effectively decided to train a group of native officers who would be in charge of the future responsibility of the National Guard. In 1917 the instructor of the Dominican National Guard was Robert C. Kilmartin Jr. The dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo would graduate from this academy. Along with Trujillo, Messrs. José Alfonseca, César Lora, and Adriano Valdez were second lieutenants.

General Order Number 10 of November 15, 1920 reorganized the National Guard into two departments: the South and the North. The first comprised 5 companies of 63 men, the second 7. In April 1921 Colonel James Breckenridge was relieved of his position as Commander of the GN, replaced temporarily by Major FA Ransey, who, in turn, was later replaced by Colonel PM Rixey in July of the same year.

Salaries in the Dominican Guard were as follows: the colonel commander earned US$416; a Major of the general staff US$375; a major inspector US$333.33; a staff captain US$208; a captain US$150; a first lieutenant US$90; a second lieutenant of the general staff US$83.33; a second lieutenant US$75; a first sergeant US$28.50; a sergeant (Quartermaster) US$25; a sergeant US$22.50; a corporal earned US$18 and a private earned US$15. Rations were US$0.20 a day.

By means of Executive Order Number 631 dated June 2, 1921, the "Dominican National Guard" was designated with the new name of "Dominican National Police" (PND), with these new acronyms, the Marines who spoke Spanish called it intention of mockery and racial discrimination: "Poor Black Dominicans." Said General Order read:

By October 1922, the appointments of the North American officers who served in the PND were canceled, except for the officers who worked in the PND educational centers. This measure was due to the Unemployment Agreement of the Hughes-Peynado Plan.

Even before the National Guard was dissolved, 1,500 Krag-Jørgensen rifles were purchased at a cost of US$7.75 per unit. By then the guerrilla had been controlled. In 1921 the Dominican National Guard had 64 officers, 13 doctors and 493 enlisted men.

At the end of the occupation these were the main officers:

Colonel Buenaventura Cabral y Báez. Lieutenant Colonel Jesús García. Major Manuel Aybar Jr. Major César Lora (died tragically in February 1924). Captain Rafael Trujillo, followed by 16 captains.

Thus, on October 21, 1922, provisional president Vicini appointed Colonel Buenaventura Cabral as Commander of the PND. Already in the midst of the Provisional Government, a General Police regulation was issued in June 1923, which constituted "the main nerve of the military organization that was rising":

The Military Organization was distributed into districts, under the command of a captain who was in charge of a company: demarcations, in the manner of a company lieutenant designated in the district; detachments and posts, commanded by captains, officers or sergeants according to their strategic importance and the number of forces that composed them. The national territory was distributed into two departments, South and North, as in the previous scheme, each one under the command of a major designated as Director of the Department.

Vázquez administration (1924-1930)

The Government of President Horacio Vásquez, which emerged in 1924, following the end of the American occupation, once again gave warmth and Army appearances to this body, achieving relative stability always threatened by the ghost of the resurrection of the regional leaders and fratricidal wars. When Horacio Vásquez was sworn in as President, Trujillo was Major Commander; being promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, Chief of Staff, on December 6, 1924, occupying the third position in the ranks of that body at the beginning of 1925:

Colonel Commander Buenaventura Cabral y Báez. Lieutenant Colonel Jesús García. Lieutenant Colonel Rafael Trujillo, promoted by Horacio Vásquez.

On August 17, 1927, after the Dominican National Police had been converted into the National Brigade (BN) by Law 708, the newly appointed Brigadier General Rafael L. Trujillo Molina issued his first brigade general order, which established the composition of the National Brigade in two Regiments and a Commander with the rank of Brigadier General, with the following General Staff: 1 chief of staff; 1 Major, Headquarters Adjutant; 1 Major, Law and Intelligence Officer; 1 Mayor, Quartermaster General; 1 Captain, Assistant to the Gnl. Quartermaster; 1 First Lieutenant, Adjutant to the Ayd. Gnl; 1 First Lieutenant, Director of the Music Band; and 1 Second Lieutenant, Assistant Band Director.

The Regiments were composed of two Battalions each and were commanded by Lieutenant Colonels, with the following officers as General Staff: 1 Captain, Adjutant of the Regiment, 1 Captain, Medical Inspector; and 1 First Lieutenant, Quartermaster of the Regiment. The first Regiment was stationed and distributed in the Southern Department and was made up of the 1st Battalion and the 2nd Battalion, with its headquarters in Santo Domingo. The second Regiment was distributed in the Northern Department and was made up of the 3rd Battalion and the 4th Battalion, its seat was located in Santiago. Each Battalion was commanded by a Major, with 1 First Lieutenant, Battalion Adjutant; and 1 Sergeant Major. The Battalions were made up of Companies whose distribution was as follows:

Through Law No. 928, of May 17, 1928, the National Brigade (BN) is renamed the National Army (EN).

By 1930, the force authorized by law of the National Army was the following: 1 Brigade General (Trujillo); 1 colonel, Commander of the 2nd Regiment; 2 Lieutenant Colonels; 1 Mayor, Quartermaster General; 1 Major, Adjutant; 1 Major, Law Officer; 4 Majors, Battalion Commanders; Captain, Assistant Quartermaster; 2 Captains, Regiment Inspectors; 2 Captains, Medical Inspectors; 2 Assistant Captains; 18 Captains, Company Commanders; 4 First Lieutenants, Ayd. of Battalion; 2 First Lieutenants, Regiment Quartermasters; 36 First Lieutenants; 36 Second Lieutenants; 24 Cadets; 2 Sergeants of the Medical Corps; 7 Sergeants Major; 18 First Sergeants; 70 Sergeants; 140 Capes; 18 Corporals Medical Corps; 18 Cooks; 18 Bugles; 18 Artisans; 1,372 Privates; and 26 Ranks of the Medical Corps.

Dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961)

During the Government of General Rafael Trujillo, the Dominican Army would take on the modern connotation of the Army that we know today, with its three differentiated components and would have enormous material progress, in addition to a great share of responsibility in the control of the country and the maintenance of the regime. Decree No. 2, of the Trujillo government, establishes the Corps of Aides to the President of the Republic formed by: 1 Colonel, 1 Major, 1 Captain, 2 First Lieutenants and 3 Second Lieutenants for the service of the Vice-President, and 1 Major, 2 Captains, 3 First Lieutenants and 4 Second Lieutenants for the service of the President.

By Brigade General Order No. 130 of September 17, 1930, the Border Guard was organized, commanded by a Major, who had his Headquarters in Las Matas de Farfán, with a staff of: 1 Captain, 3 Firsts Lieutenants, 1 First Lieutenant of the Medical Corps, 4 Second Lieutenants, 1 Sergeant Major, 9 Sergeants, 17 Corporals, 2 Privates of the Medical Corps and 131 Privates. Two years later, on February 1, 1932, the Border Guard would be placed under the control of the newly created Border Department, although this department would be short-lived as it would be dissolved on January 31, 1933.

On September 10, 1931, by Brigade General Order No. 34, the Radio, Telegraphy and Signals Detachment of the National Army was created, thus beginning the army's telecommunications arm. Through Decree No. 629, the division of the North and South Military Departments into Military Districts is ordered, each one commanded by a Major, District Inspector Commander, and a Teaching Center is also created that functioned as a Military Academy, formed by a Senior Staff and 3 Companies called A, B and C.

The National Army in 1933 was made up of the following forces and officers: Brigade Headquarters; Teaching Center; General Quartermaster; 18 Infantry Companies; Sapper Company; 4 Detachments, and a Music Band. The Brigade Headquarters, Teaching Center, General Quartermaster, Headquarters Detachment, Quartermaster Detachment, Radio-telegraphy and Signals Detachment and Mounted Detachment, as well as the 2nd and 7th Companies, were based in the Capital of the Republic. ª, 16.ª and 17.ª The General Staff of the San Luis Fortress, the 10th, had their seat in the province of Santiago and 14th Companies and in the other provinces there were one Company stationed in each one. The authorized strength of the Army on that date was 2,331 positions that were composed as follows: 1 Brigadier General, Brigade Commander; 1 Colonel, Chief of Staff; 5 Lieutenant Colonels, 6 Majors, 25 Captains; 45 First Lieutenants; 42 Second Lieutenants; 37 Cadets; 15 Sergeants Major; 21 First Sergeants; 80 Sergeants; 160 Capes; 21 Cooks; 21 Artisans; 1,608 Privates; 42 Musicians; 30 Radiotelegraphers; 69 Ranks of the Medical Corps, and 60 Specialists.

By means of Decree No. 871, the personnel that must make up the General Staff of the Army are organized, which are: 1 Brigadier General, Chief of Staff; 1 colonel, assistant to the General Staff; 1 colonel, military attaché; 1 lieutenant colonel, in charge of war and public order matters; 1 lieutenant colonel, commander of the Teaching Center; 1 lieutenant colonel, in charge of Audit and Information; 1 lieutenant colonel, in charge of Personnel and Orders; 1 Lieutenant Colonel, Director of the Medical Corps; 1 Major, Gnl. Quartermaster; 1 Major, Headquarters Adjutant; 1 Major, Law Officer; 4 Majors, Army Inspectors; 3 Majors, Medical Inspectors; 2 Captains, Adjutants; 2 First Lieutenants, Assistants of the Intd. Gnl; and 4 First Lieutenants, Assistant Inspectors. 4

By virtue of Brigade General Order No. 53, of June 28, 1934, a Regiment was created with the name of the Generalísimo Trujillo Regiment, which was composed of Companies A, B, C and 16th Infantry., a Machine Gun Company and a Cavalry Squadron. In 1935, a second Regiment was created with the name of the Ramfis Regiment, formed by the 2nd, 7th, 17th, 20th and 21st Companies, whose commander would also act as Commander of the Santo Domingo Post. In 1936, through Brigade Order No. 91, the Generalissimo Trujillo Regiment was reorganized, forming it into 3 Battalions, divided into eleven organizations as follows:

In addition, the Santo Domingo Post Command (under the command of a Major) and the Military Hospital (under the command of a Captain, Medical Corps) were attached to this Regiment.

At the end of 1935, the National Army, in addition to the Brigade and the General Staff, was made up of the following organizations: 1 Artillery and Machine Gun Company, 1 Sapper Company, 1 Cavalry Squadron, and 24 Infantry Companies. For a total of 3,155 Officer and Enlisted positions. During that same year, on November 10, Companies "A", "B" and "C", which made up the Teaching Center in the Trujillo Province, were dissolved and transferred to other Companies with all their equipment and properties as ordered in General Orders No. 234, 254, 255 and 258 of November 8 of the same year. The weapons available to the Dominican Army in 1935 consisted of the following weapons:

The total number of the Army in 1937 was 3,839, including the police. In 1942 the Army had 3,500 men and the police 900, armed with 2409 Mauser Model 1893, 1800 Krag-Jørgensen M1898 - left by the US in 1924, 38 Springfield guns, 13 mortars, 4 Italian Breda aircraft purchased anti-machine guns, 27 Browning machine guns, 49 Thompson machine guns, 1765 pistols and revolvers. The Navy, 7 Coast Guard vessels, and the Air Force had a 1937 Curtis Wright, 634 bombs, a 1934 Bellanca, a 1937 fleet trainer, and four Piper Cubs. In a study conducted by two US experts presented by the Trujillo government to inspect the Dominican arsenal, they concluded that 481 Krag rifles, Mauserslugs 547 and 38 Springfield rifles did not meet the requirements for US military use.

By 1937, the National Army was made up of: a General Staff, Auxiliary Corps, Intelligence Service, President Trujillo Teaching Center, Radio-telegraphy and Signals Detachment, Aviation Detachment, Quartermaster Detachment, Navy, Corps of Engineers, Music Band, Artillery and Machine Gun Company, Cavalry Squadron and 27 infantry companies. The Forces stationed in Santo Domingo were grouped in the Generalissimo Trujillo Regiment, formed by the staff described above, the Ramfis Regiment commanded by the Quartermaster General E. N and formed by the Radiotelegraphy and Signals Detachment, the Navy Detachment and the 17th company, EN. While the Headquarters Detachment, Music Band and the Departmental Weapons Quartermaster were under the control of the Headquarters Adjutant, EN.

The territory of the Republic was divided militarily into two Departments: Northern Department (which included the provinces of Santiago, Puerto Plata, Montecristi, La Vega, Espaillat, Duarte and Samana) with the 10th, 14th, 8th, 23rd, 19th, 3rd, 6th, 13th companies, EN, and the Southern Department (which included the Trujillo, 5 San Pedro de Macoris, Seybo, Azua and Barahona Provinces) with the 12th, 20th, 1st, 11th, 9th, 5th companies, EN The commander of the North Department had his seat in Santiago, while the Commander of the South Department had it in the City from San Cristóbal, Trujillo Province. The authorized forces of the National Army of 1937 were the following:

Territorially, these forces were organized into two Departments and the General Headquarters, distributed as follows:

On August 1, 1947, by General Order the army created the Presidential Guard a few weeks before the inauguration of the new government building, the National Palace, with the mission of guarding it and forming troops to render military honors at official events. to heads of state and diplomats visiting the government house.

Balaguer regime to present

The army from the Balaguer Government to the present had overcome a new change. By 1970, the Dominican army was an imposing force inherited from the regime, organized into 3 infantry brigades and a 4th CEFA brigade considered a separate entity from the army. The 1st brigade (based in Santo Domingo), commanded by Gen. Neit Nivar Seijas, formed by 3 battalions and a force of 2,198 men. The 2nd brigade (based in Santiago), commanded by General Guarionex Estrella Sadhalá, formed by 5 battalions and a force of 2,482 men. The 3rd brigade (based in San Juan de la Maguana), commanded by Colonel Francisco Medina Sánchez, formed 2 battalions and a force of 1,285 men.

As of 1989, the Dominican army had a force of approximately 13,000 troops. At that time there were four brigades. Each brigade had three to five infantry battalions, as well as various support units. There were seventeen infantry battalions in total. Several of the battalions were assigned outside the capital area and performed police functions that included participation in local, political and administrative affairs. Other major combat elements include an artillery battalion, an armored battalion, a presidential guard battalion, and an engineer battalion.

Stationed near Santo Domingo, the 1st Brigade has traditionally been the most powerful of the brigades, by virtue of its location and military resources. The First Brigade had five infantry battalions, as well as the engineer battalion. The Second Brigade and the Third Brigade are located in Santiago and Barahona, respectively. Its assets are spread across the country, and its units focus primarily on local issues. The Fourth Brigade, also called the Armed Forces Training Center (CEFA) due to its extensive training mission, is located in San Isidro, ten kilometers east of the capital. The 4th Brigade controls the armored battalion, as well as three infantry battalions. The Fourth Brigade also provided basic, advanced and specialized training. Also in San Isidro is the army artillery battalion, which was organized as a separate order in the General Staff. Another independent and very powerful organization was the Combat Support Command, which included the presidential guard battalion and the military police, health and quartermaster units. As of 1989, armored assets include fourteen light tanks, twenty armored vehicles, and ten armored vehicles. The artillery was equipped with twenty-two 105 mm howitzers.

Organization

Under Army Headquarters

Headquarters, Dominican Army in Comendador, Elías Piña Province

Under the Operations Command

1st Infantry Brigade - CG Santo Domingo

2nd Infantry Brigade - CG Santiago

3rd Infantry Brigade - CG San Juan de la Maguana

Fortaleza March 19, headquarters of Infantry Battalion 12 Azua

4th Infantry Brigade - CG Mao

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

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

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

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.

Service Support Brigade - CG Santo Domingo

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF MILITARY STUDIES, ERD.

GENERAL MANAGEMENT TRAINING

Equipment

See main article: List of equipment of the Dominican Army.

References

Sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: The Military Balance 2021 . International Institute for Strategic Studies . International Institute for Strategic Studies . 25 February 2021 . . . 409 . 9781032012278.
  2. [Haitian occupation of Santo Domingo]
  3. Book: García, José Gabriel . 1901 . José Gabriel García . New York Public Library . Imprenta Hermanos García . Colección de leyes y decretos, República Dominicana.

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