Videos: Soldiers Return From Camp Lejeune
Yesterday [May 13] over 150 soldiers returned from their two week training camp at the United States Marine Corps base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
Troops underwent various tasks, with the Regimental Police undertaking training delivered by the Marine Police, the Boat Troop working with the Coast Guard, and the Medics working in a US Naval medical facility. In addition, Bermuda’s soldiers broke the recruit course records set by a specialist detachment of UK Royal Marines that had stood for a decade.
Commanding Officer Lt Col Brian Gonsalves speaks about the training the soldiers underwent:
Camp Lejeune is the home of II Marine Expeditionary Force, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Logistics Group and other combat units and support commands. Camp Lejeune spans 156,000 acres – in contrast, Bermuda covers under 15,000 acres, and the city of Hamilton only 180.
Over the area of the base, offers 11 miles of beach for amphibious operations training, 34 gun positions, 50 tactical landing zones, three Urban Terrain training areas and 80 live fire ranges. In all, including active duty, dependant, retiree and civilian employees of the base, there is a population of nearly 150,000 people.
Video below of the soldiers walking off the plane:
a very positive image of some of Bermuda’s finest young men and women
A welcome sight to incoming tourists… The few that do fly here probably do so because we are (or were) a ‘safe’ destination when compared to other island destinations. Seeing 150 soldiers running around will surely do wonders to put them at ease.. Their first thought of Bermuda once here will be along the lines of ‘why are there all these soldiers here/what happened?’ We’re rapidly turning into a third world country run on fear and guns. Why do we need to have so many soldiers running around pretending to know what they’re doing? Those in charge, who live in their own little world, I doubt have ever thought of the negative external perceptions having an army so visible causes… Congrats a-company on learning how to kill other people last week: we’re proud of you.
Paulo,
Obviously you don’t travel much to states or walk aroun US airports with blinders on. Since 2011, US soldiers returning on leave always wear their uniforms whilst travelling on civilian flights. On many occassions these brave souls get an appreciative applause as they are walking through an airport.
Somehow I don’t think tourists are going to be alarmed at the site of soldiers returning home from training.
A more positive message would have been ‘Congrats A Company on performing your required duty’.
Negative messages like yours only encourage the ‘hotheads’ who are perpetrating a life of crime.
Thank you JS, I don’t know why we (Bermudians) always have to think the negative, and like you said, the US have more military personnel walking around in uniform than any other county,,,, well done A Company on a very successful training exercise.
I’m a corporal in A coy, we arrived on a plane we had to ourselves, we got off and all through customs we were the only ones there cause ‘the ones in charge, who live in their own little world’ did have enough thought to make sure we came in between flights so that we didn’t hold any toursit or locals up.
so none of the overly sensitive tourist you seem to be thinking we have would have ever saw us. but as JS pointed out loads of military have travelled on commercial flights in uniform (me included) and the only thing they get is respect and thanks for their service in the military (happened to me in Canada, even though i was clearly not part of the Canadian military).
So Paulo while you are free to post what you like could you please shut up with the negative comments, the guys spent two hard weeks pushing themselves through training, something some of them didn’t really want to do but they did and they should be proud of that fact as should the Bermudian people.
oh and on a small note, people don’t need training on how to kill people
Americans are VERY proud of all their uniformed service men and women. And like JR says , they’re very used to seeing them all over.
Any visitors who might have been on hand were probably more ‘curious’ as to who they were as opposed to ‘alarmed’.
Sorry Paulo , but your remarks sound like they’re coming from someone who’s trying their best to duck doing their time in the Regiment.
Any visitors who still choose to come here have far greater things to concern them , and they aint wearing the army uniform !
Please stop reporting ” Bermuda’s soldiers broke the recruit course records set by a specialist detachment of UK Royal Marines that had stood for a decade.” This not the complete story…a royal marine has already said that when they did the course it was with packs and weapons and the Bermuda soldiers did not have packs and weapons. Even a cow can out run a race horse if that horse has his feet tied together…i would dare the BDA group to challenge the same group of Royal Marines to any military action and publish the results…..even the original group of RM of ten years ago would be a challenge for these guys one on one…There are soldiers and then there are those that are made to serve…
@ Paulo…..such a small world we live in but I can tell you that absolute strangers will walk up to you almost in tears and thank ypu for wearing a uniform for what it symbolises. “learn how to kill”- such rubbish – we are animals like any other animal we know how to kill/survive as an inherent quality of survival…..such narrow minded comments are appalling.
We in Bermuda will feel the pain one day when a terrorist attack impacts directly. We live in a la la land and perpetuate negativity and small mindedness (all whilst holding a higher per capita university degree standard than many first world countries and third world countries like India and China boast the largest so we should watch our self pronounced insightful dialogue.
we are so backward it isn’t funny.so proud it is dumbfounding. so predictable it is laughable. so brainwashed from 400 yrs of thievish, selfish, self centred behaviours that we have lost focus. we thrive on race bashing….other countries have classism bashing….some even have national PRIDE.
where do we stand? all alone in the Atlantic Ocean relying on external sources of income with no industry whatsoever and always have time to bash each other.
when will we stand up to our own ghosts and have a positive outlook in EVERYTHING?
did the Sea Venture have persons who come from a gene pool of negative thinkers? did all the slaves imported come from a similar gene pool?
RISEUPSTANDUPBERMUDA and push positivity onto our men and women.
@ half truths wat a typical stupid post instead of congratulating these young men you get on your high horse and beat them down, no wonder these poor kids dont have anything to look up for…btw can you run that same obstacle course…?
i can clearly remember travelling in uniform to many countries and only feeling great pride of being a member of the bermuda regiment..anywhere we went we were viewed at as heroes or stand up guys…
so to persons who wish to discredit the uniform and the bodies serving in them..i say to you this
it was the bermuda regiment 1000 strong who put bermuda back on its feet 1987 after we were wiped out by hurricane emily..those of us who served during that time..and who were blessed to be sent overseas to help other countries in thier time of natural disaster will never forsake the call
Would we still have such negativity towards the Bermuda Regiment. Well done to these guys, but they had no choice in the matter. I did my time, it was more like a punishment for being Bermudian than anything else. Why can we not look to make the Regiment a professional force for people that wan’t to be there? Then no one could have anything negative to say. I am just saying and before you people start getting on your high horse about serving the country, there are plenty of ways to do so. But training an army who will never see combat is not one.
Combat, Invasion, Terrorist Attacks, Riots, Public disorder, National Disasters, Hey! Maybe it could Happen “if conscription did not exist”
To the Bermuda Regiment, well done!! To all the haters, don’t bother to call these men and women when you roof blows off or a tree lands in your home!! You are all so high and mighty – do it yourself!! God forbid if there’d be a riot…..fend for yourselves….you have all the answers!!