Commander
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- Category: COMMAND
- Published on Monday, 18 June 2012 20:46
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Brigadier General Dario Tapia currently holds the post of, Commander Belize Defence Force. He joined the Force on 23rd January, 1988. He was commissioned in the rank of Second Lieutenant after graduating from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, United Kingdom.
His initial tour of duty was as an infantry platoon commander. He was later posted to Training Company as the Training Subaltern. In September 1990, he attended the Platoon Commander's Battle Course at the School of Infantry, Warminister, UK. He was later promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in December 1991. In July 1993, he left to attend the International Officers' Intelligence and Security Course at the then Defence Intelligence & Security School, Ashford, Kent, UK. On completion of the intelligence course in August 1993, he was appointed the Force Intelligence Officer; an appointment he held until June 1995. January 1994, he was promoted to the rank of a Captain. From April to May 1995, he was attached to the Headquarters of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Battalion that was on peacekeeping duties in Haiti as part of the United Nations Mission in Haiti.
In June 1995, he was posted to the Second Infantry Battalion where he held the appointments of Adjutant and later Operations Officer. In may 1996, he was posted to Alpha Company as Second in Command. From August to December 1996, he attended the Jamaica Junior Command and Staff Course held at Newcastle, Jamaica. In June 1997, he was posted to Gulf Company as the Unit's Executive Officer, an appointment he held until January 1998.
In January 1998, he was posted to Logistic Company as the Mechanical Transport Officer until September 1998. During this period, he attended the Mechanical Transport Officer's Course at the Defence School of Transport, Leconsfield, Yorkshire, UK. In September 1998, he was appointed Officer Commanding Logistic Company until November 1999 when he was posted to Gulf Company as the Officer Commanding; an appointment he held until January 2001, when he was posted to Headquarters BDF as Intelligence Officer. On 1st April 2001 he was promoted to the rank of Major and in August 2002 he traveled to Canada to attended the Land Forces transition Command and Staff Course until December 2002. On his return to Belize, he briefly held the appointment of Logistic/Finance Officer until June 2003. From June 2003 until his departure to attend the Command and General Staff Course in June 2004, he held the appointment of Operations/Training Officer. During the period April-May 2004, he attended the United Nations Military Observer's Course with the Austrian Army held at Thiwer Center for Operations Preparation. From June 2004 to June 2005 he attended and successfully completed the US Army Command and General Staff Course (CGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, USA and on his return from CGSC, he was promoted to the rank of Lt Col with effect 7th July 2005 and appointed as the Caribbean Security Sector Senior Command Training held at Spanish Town, Jamaica. In March 2005, he attended the Strategy and Defence Policy Course held at the National Defence University in Washington D.C in the USA. In January 2007, he was promoted to Colonel (local) and departed to attend the Royal Collage of Defence Studies, Course in the UK until December 2007. On his return, he was appointed Deputy Commander Belize Defence Force. As at 25th February 2008, he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General and appointed Commander Belize Defence Force a post which he presently holds.
He has attended numerous local Courses as well as local and foreign conferences on behalf of the BDF. The most notable are the Fuerza Aliadas Peacekeeping Exercise in Honduras in May 1996 and the Fuerza Aliadas Humanitarian Exercise in the Dominican Republic in February 2000.
He is the recipient of the BDf's 15th Anniversary Medal as well as the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.
Brigadier General Dario Tapia is Married to Maria and enjoy two children, boys aged sixteen and thirteen. As a hobby, he enjoys sports especially Soccer.
