Photos/Video: Regiment Soldiers Return Home

Yesterday [May 12] the Bermuda Regiment returned home from their training exercise in Jamaica, and family and friends gathered at L.F. Wade Airport to welcome them.

The troops have endured rain, heat, mud, mosquitoes, blisters, fatigue, and all the other pleasantries that have been part of Exercise Rum Runner 2012.

A Regiment spokesperson said, “To their credit, these young men and women have performed admirably, and are justly proud of all they have achieved. This isn’t just Regiment rhetoric either; for the past two days they have been observed by a high calibre team of VIPs.”

The Governor, who is the Regiment’s Commander-in-Chief, and Minister of National Security Wayne Perinchief headed a team of VIPs as they took to the hills to observe the troops in action. Included in the group was the Honorary Colonel of the Regiment Eugene Raynor, the British Defence Attaché in Jamaica and the British Assistant Military Attaché [AMA] from Washington.

The AMA – who is a Colonel from the British Army – provides military guidance and advice to the Bermuda Regiment. Annually, he and two team members perform an audit and evaluation of the Bermuda Unit, which normally coincides with the annual Joint Service Exercise on the Island.

The audit ensures that the Regiment is following current best practice and helps identify ways that the UK Ministry of Defence may be able to provide further support to the unit.

The spokesperson continued, saying, “During their visit, the VIPs saw all aspects of the Camp: living conditions, training delivery, exercise locations, and spent time talking to the soldiers in between activities. Although the Governor has visited previous Camps in Jamaica, he was especially pleased this year with the resilience the soldiers were displaying despite their challenging operating conditions.

“His Excellency is always particularly interested in speaking to the soldiers personally and hearing their first-hand accounts of the Regiment’s activities. On his first visit to an overseas camp Minister Perinchief was very pleased with the military exercise and praised the organisation for its invaluable social benefits.

“He spoke highly of the positive effect that military training had on young people and how it bonded different sections of society into a cohesive team. The VIPs were not spared the unrelenting heat or mud and were fully immersed in the event in just a few hours; by noon their boots were as mud caked as any soldier. Making no special dining concessions for the VIPs they were issued ration packs for lunch.”

The final phase of the overseas camp is 36 hours of rest and recuperation. Although some question why it is needed, a Regiment spokesperson said, “It is an essential part of post military recovery. After almost 2 weeks participating in a gruelling exercise it is important for the soldiers to decompress before returning home.”

“In order to ensure the recovery of the equipment and baggage to Bermuda goes as safely as possible all personal items are thoroughly searched and examined. Setting the example, the senior officers are the first to have their bags checked – in full view of the Privates.

“The Regimental Sergeant Major Gavin Rayner then nominates certain personnel to become baggage checkers, including a member of the Bermuda Police Service detached to the Regiment for the duration of the Camp. The process is simple: every soldier empties everything out of their bergan onto the floor, the bag is checked, and then every item is cleared – one piece at a time.

“Once that is done, the bags are placed in a sealed and locked container which won’t be opened again until in the presence of Bermuda Customs and Police personnel including “sniffer” dogs. Although a long and labour intensive operation, the Regiment wants to ensure it does everything it can to prevent banned substances entering Bermuda.”

Click to enlarge photos:

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