MAJOR FEAT
Sheelyn Manya pioneering women’s leadership in the Jamaica Combined Cadet Force
When Major Sheelyn Manya accepted an invitation to join the Jamaica Combined Cadet Force (JCCF) in 1979, she had no idea the impact she would have, breaking new ground for women in the organisation.
Armed with a heart for service, a young Manya, while teaching at St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), was part of the first set of women to be included in the cadet force. She accepted the invitation because she was always impressed with the force’s discipline and felt the need to continue to mentor young persons.
“I used to also do karate and there was a young man who really stood out there. He was so disciplined and an exemplary person who was in the cadet force, and I believed this could be something that the girls could do too,” she said.
“They sent out the recruitment list, because at that time the cadet corps had only boys, and so they wanted some ladies to be mentors, female officers to monitor the female group they were forming,” Manya recalled.
It has been more than 40 years, and she continues to work in the JCCF, as she says serving is a part of her DNA. She reflects on what the early years were like, having to enter a traditionally male-dominated organisation.
“There were challenges, I had to stand my ground on many occasions, and this is not just with the cadet corps but in general, even with students who think you are an easy target. I learnt how to develop a tough outer coat. We women are trendsetters; we want to show that we can do it just as good as the men,” Manya said.
She was never deterred by the challenges and said those were punctuated with many fun
experiences with her students. She explained that many of the students needed mentorship that went beyond the role of guidance counsellor.
“We were going through a rough period at STETHS, not in the cadets, but we realised they needed mentors … leadership. We had to just take them as if they were our children because some of them had parents who didn’t really care. We had to guide them along with the regular training that goes on,” she recounted.
So seriously she took her responsibility that, no matter what, she ensured all the students were accounted for after camps, even enlisting the help of her supportive husband.
“Whether they lived in Pisgah, way up in North St Elizabeth, or they lived in Junction in the south, I had to see that they got home. I am so grateful for my husband, because he had a red pickup and we had to use it. He would go up in the hills and I would take them to the south,” Manya said.
She recalled that her home was often transformed into a camp itself, as in cases where it was difficult to
transport the girls home, she would let them stay with her. She said her family played a very critical role in working with her to ensure her cadets were safe.
“My husband would cook for us. We planned out how we would balance life and I had my children as well, and so my babies became camp babies, because I took them with me to camp. My husband always stressed that once in my care, we had a duty to ensure the cadets were safe,” Manya related in an interview with JIS News.
Among her proudest moments was when she became the first female officer to take the inspection, which is an annual showcase/ competition of the cadet corps, displaying what the cadets in schools across the island have learnt over the year.
“I was the first female officer to take an inspection in Jamaica and as far as I know, in the Caribbean. There is nothing prouder than when you see your students performing well and come out on top of the battalion. STETHS and Munro College, under me, have come in first out of so many schools,” Manya said.
“Another proud moment was when I earned the rank of Major. My boys were doing very well. I still monitored the STETHS, Black River, Lacovia female units and I earned the rank of Major. I was the first female in Jamaica and the Caribbean to earn the rank of Major,” she said.
She remains committed to inspiring the next generation. “Whatever we do is not all cash; everything is not always about money. I try to teach the younger generation that. I used to just love talking and playing dominoes with my cadets. I also had such a good relationship with male officers in the cadet. In Christmas, we would have a cookout; it was not just the students but the overall experience,” said Manya, who was last year honoured with the Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service.