Jozette McLean makes history as first female Colonel in Trinidad and Tobago Regiment

Trinidad and Tobago: Colonel Jozette McLean has been officially promoted and become the first female officer in the history of the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment to achieve the rank of Colonel after more than 29 years of service on Wednesday, April 15. Her achievement marks her successful career which will pave ways for more females. 

The statement regarding her promotion was officially shared by the Regiment, in which they praised McLean for her new achievement of becoming a first female Colonel after serving 2-years in police. 

While praising Jozette McLean, the regiment penned down her journey as a Commanding Officer of the Support and Service Battalion, where her leadership inspired others and left a long lasting impact on her juniors, officers and enlisted personnel.

In the message they wrote, “Her achievement has made all of us proud and her promotion felt across the organisation. We know she will become an inspiration for the upcoming generation including both male and female soldiers.” 

The Regiment highlighted her success and achievement as they mentioned that “She is the first female from Trinidad and Tobago to attend the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and the first female from T&T to attend Fort Leavenworth, where she won the international "Iron Major Award" for fitness.”

Colonel Jozette McLean is also the current Chairman of the CDS Military Women's Initiative, which mainly focuses on developing policies for gender equity within national security where she is teaching women how they can claim their right and fight evil with law and power.

Colonel Jozette also committed to her historic achievement as she stated that “finally her dedication paid off. Her discipline, resilience, and steadfast commitment to nation duty finally opens a new door in her journey.”

She also emphasised that “This accomplishment added a new chapter in my life and in my upcoming journey as colonel.” While talking about her journey she said “she has faced many setbacks, hurdles, and barriers from the people for being a female officer but her confidence and her consistency led her here.”

Many people have congratulated her for her historic achievement as one of the locals said “God she has a stare, even Batman would take two steps back... That's power!” while another commented “So proud to have a woman rise to this prestigious position. Proud that we both belong to the same Alma Mata. I am so happy that she has not met with the negativity that I have. The Board of the Scout Association agreed to recommend me to her Excellency to act as National Scout Commissioner but the recommendation never went as some of the men have been using flimsy excuses to withhold the recommendation. Ah well hopefully good sense will prevail.”