Fiji Infantry Regiment The Fiji Infantry Regiment is the main combat element of the Fijian military . It is a light infantry regiment consisting of six battalions , of which three are regular army and three are Territorial Force . The regiment was formed with the foundation of the Fijian armed forces in 1920 , which came under the jurisdiction of New Zealand . The regiment , as it is today , goes back to 1978 following Fiji ' s independence . Territorial Force . Each of the three battalions in the territorial force exists as a single regular infantry company , all of which come under the operational command of the 3rd Battalion . However , all of these can be augmented to full strength with the addition of TF volunteer companies as needed . All of these units were formed following the 1987 coup and the conversion of the 3rd Battalion to regulars : History . The Fiji Infantry Regiment in its current form traces its history back to the Second World War . Prior to this , Fijian infantry was formed as a Territorial battalion , with additional rifle companies , as part of the Fiji Defence Force . In May 1940 , a regular rifle company was formed . The first three intakes of recruits were then formed into the 1st Battalion , Fiji Defence Force in October 1940 . The 2nd Battalion , formed after the outbreak of war , became the territorial unit . The unit served in World War II initially under the command of Col . J . E Workman of the New Zealand Defence Force ( NZDF ) . The main purpose of this unit at the time was to protect vulnerable points such as fuel dumps and important government buildings in the Suva area . With the US entrance to the war , the US sought a forward training area and resupply base to serve as a potential line of defense against the Japanese sweep through the Pacific . Fiji geographically and logistically was the best location . In June 1942 , the 37th Division in its entirety had established a base of operations throughout Fiji . With the arrival of US forces , it was decided to relieve the NZDF and place the Fiji Defense Force under US control . The shift of power was completed on June 30 . The Fiji Defense Force saw extensive use throughout the war , and after the Solomon Islands Campaign the demobilization of Fiji Forces was announced on September 1 , 1945 . During the war , one member of the regiment , Sefanaia Sukanaivalu , received the Victoria Cross , the highest military decoration of the Commonwealth for his actions during the fighting on Bougainville . With the Fijian independence in later years , the 1st Battalion was reactivated , this time under the control of the independent government of Fiji . In 1978 , with the UN resolution to establish the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon ( UNIFIL ) , the 1st Battalion was deployed at the inception of UNIFIL . In 1981 , following the decision by the UN not to send a peacekeeping force to the Sinai Peninsula , the Multinational Force and Observers organisation was established to serve as an independent multinational peacekeeping force in the region . Fiji volunteered an infantry battalion to serve as part of this force , and so the 2nd Battalion was converted from a territorial unit to regulars . The 2nd Battalion has served in Sinai with the MFO ever since . The 3rd Battalion was established as a regular unit following the 1987 coup , to serve as Fiji ' s main territorial defence formation . The 3rd Battalion also serves as the operational command unit for the territorial battalions , and provides fresh troops for both the 1st and 2nd Battalions .