Photos/Video: Recruit Camp Passing Out Parade
This afternoon’s [Jan 26] Passing Out Parade at Warwick Camp marked the end of the Bermuda Regiment’s 2013 Recruit Camp, which saw some 112 recruits complete the two week training. They will now all go into ‘C’ Company under the command of Captain D E R Simons.
In a short address, Governor George Fergusson said that he had seen the recruits lust after they began and had been impressed then by what he had seen. He said today, ten days later, he was even more impressed by the standard they had reached and by their overall performance.
Recruits march on:
The Governor also said that anyone who had been present at Friday’s ‘Falling Plate’ competition shoot would have seen and heard just how much camaraderie had already developed in the short time that the soldiers had been together. He said that this was evident in the loud roar that came up every time a team outshot and beat an outsider team.
Regiment Commanding Officer Lt/Col Brian Gonsalves said a large portion of this group had already volunteered to put in extra time as volunteers for the potential NCO cadre which, over an eight month period, seeks to prepare new soldiers for promotion and command appointments in the Bermuda Regiment.
The arrival of dignitaries:
The Champion Platoon was #7 Platoon under command of 2/Lt T G Stevens with Sgt M K Douglas as his Platoon Sergeant. #7 Platoon also won the Drill Competition.
As well as Governor and Commander-in-Chief George Fergusson, Premier Craig Cannonier, Minister for National Security Michael Dunkley, Junior Minister Senator Jeff Baron, Minister Grant Gibbons, and members of the Defence Board, former Commanding Officers and other dignitaries were present as official guests.
You can view the second set of photos from today’s Passing Out Parade here.
Click to enlarge photos:
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Well Done 2013 Recruits
A waste of $500,000.00 taxpayer dollars. There are more important things to spend money on than playing soldier and learning to march.
Unfortunately, you miss the point.
And what point is that? The point that we are in massive debt and have no immediate threat (in the slightest) of being invaded by a terrorist group? You miss the point. Learning to march and disassemble rifles (which is what they do for two weeks) is bettering Bermuda how? Last I saw those who should have either just completed or be in the regiment are the ones driving Bermuda to third-world status (gangs). Conscription is wrong. A military force for Bermuda is wrong. Stealing time from these young men is wrong. If the benefits were so good all young people (men and women) would be conscripted. They aren’t. What does that tell you?
You’re sightedness would be amusing if it wasn’t so sad. The majority of young men that successfully pass through the ranks in the Regiment go on to serve in many other areas in Bermuda. AG, Chief of Staff, Commissioner of Prisons etc. you have directly benefitted from those who serve.
Do those men women in the video look like slaves to you? I don’t see anyone cracking a whip over their backs. Neither fo i believe that those individuals in the video are driving Bermuda to 3rd eorld status. The ones you are speaking of are those oppose to doing any kind of service (like you).
What i see is the result of hard work, comraderie, achievement, pride and team work. None of those things could be quantified in dollars and cents but we sorely need more of it in Bermuda.
You are entitled to you opinion but you are wrong.
As a side, you illogical leap (if it were so good everyone would do it but everyone doesn’t do therefore it can’t be that good) is ridiculous. Like any organization, the budget plays a fundamental role in in deciding the scope.
This isn’t my fight but what you said is 100% wrong…!
1) “The majority of young men that successfully pass through the ranks in the Regiment go on to serve in many other areas in Bermuda. AG, Chief of Staff, Commissioner of Prisons etc. you have directly benefitted from those who serve.”
Those who choose to serve (stay on past their mandatory time) are very different than those who are forced to serve (i.e. the other 90%). All people with a logical opposition to conscription have no problem with a much smaller, full-time regiment. Bermuda would benefit from these men no matter what. But the real question should be what does Bermuda benefit from the other 90%? Does the regiment make their contribution to Bermuda any better? I don’t think it does, but I’m sure you’ll agree to disagree.
2) “Do those men women in the video look like slaves to you? I don’t see anyone cracking a whip over their backs.”
Yes, they do… and how you can’t see it shows your true bias in this debate. They are being forced to march by their commanding ‘masters’. They must do things 100% perfectly or face punishment. Whilst no whip is produced they are threatened by various ‘masters’ with hittings and financial punishment. Fear is how the regiment is run and anyone that speaks out against it is targeted and faces the punishments you assume aren’t there.
3) “What i see is the result of hard work, comraderie, achievement, pride and team work. None of those things could be quantified in dollars and cents but we sorely need more of it in Bermuda.”
As was said earlier all of these things can be achieved through non-military means. How about we conscript all men into playing cricket? Or football? Surely teams of conscripts would result in hard work, comraderie, achievement, pride and team work, right?
4) “You are entitled to you opinion but you are wrong.”
Keep an open mind to others who have differeing opinions than you. What was said holds merit but you seemed to have dismissed everything, carte blanche.
5) “Like any organization, the budget plays a fundamental role in in deciding the scope.”
Why haven’t we ever said let’s conscript just women this year? If the benefits to the men are as big as you think they are, surely the women of Bermuda would benefit as well? And as women are the driving force behind any great nation/household, I argue that Bermuda would be better off having women taught the ‘valuable lessons’ outlined above…
This will be my last post on this topic but I wanted to respond to you. Thanks for your feeback and my comments are as follows;
1) “Those who choose to serve (stay on past their mandatory time) are very different than those who are forced to serve (i.e. the other 90%). All people with a logical opposition to conscription have no problem with a much smaller, full-time regiment. Bermuda would benefit from these men no matter what. But the real question should be what does Bermuda benefit from the other 90%? Does the regiment make their contribution to Bermuda any better? I don’t think it does, but I’m sure you’ll agree to disagree.”
a) Your statistic (10% vs 90%) is made up.
b) Other than volunteers ALL recruits are conscripts (Your 10% AND your 90%)
c) I would argue that their service in the Regiment will make their contribution to Bermuda better. As a matter of, many who have passed through the ranks have testified to that fact.
2) “They must do things 100% perfectly or face punishment.”
d) Not true
2) “Fear is how the regiment is run and anyone that speaks out against it is targeted and faces the punishments you assume aren’t there.”
e) Not true. I have served in the Regiment and that wasn’t my experience at all. I never felt threatened and financially penalized or abused. I was conscripted as well and I wasn’t a wayward youth. A person has a hand in creating their experiences. Not just the Regiment but in life as well.
3) “As was said earlier all of these things can be achieved through non-military means”
f) No arguement from me here. I never suggested that the Regiment was the only means to achieve these things, it is not ..but it is one.
4) “Why haven’t we ever said let’s conscript just women this year? If the benefits to the men are as big as you think they are, surely the women of Bermuda would benefit as well? And as women are the driving force behind any great nation/household, I argue that Bermuda would be better off having women taught the ‘valuable lessons’ outlined above”
g) And herein lies one of the problems with the anti-conscription movement- The argument. If your argument is that women aren’t conscripted so therefore I shouldn’t be either, that seems cowardice and reaks of of one who is happy to pawn off a man’s responsibility to a woman. It seems you are in fact suggesting that with this statement’
“And as women are the driving force behind any great nation/household,”
Women may be now THE driving force in many households, but I submit that it was not designed to be that way. Men have very much abdicated their role in the homes and our Women have been forced to do both her job and in many cases the man’s as well. I for one am thankful for women who take on that burden but that doesn’t make it right or acceptable.
I maintain that the Regiment is not a perfect organization but its benefits are significant. The challenge is that, unless you are there and have witnessed the transformation in men and women, you cannot quantify it and therefore see it as useless.
Get a life – Jmoneymoneymoney
Have you ever served in the regiment DB??
@Jmoneymoneymoney – why be so negative Had u taken the time to come out and seen Bermuda’s young men and women u would have seen the pride on their faces and those of their families. Not only did they learn how to march, they also learnt team work, and they also learnt how to protect Bermuda – hopefully they will never get called upon to protect our beautiful island but if they do I for one am very happy knowing that we will be prepared and well protected by these fine young people.
Jmoney wasn’t being negative…they were truthful. I bet you support independence on the belief that it will bring national pride too. Anybody with half a brain knows conscription in its current form is wrong and discriminatory. The regiment is old and outdated. If conscription is as good as some make it out to be we wouldn’t see the push to get rid of it we are currently seeing. If you so proud why don’t you sign up for next year??
Congrats to all, Travis were so proud of you, and i know your mom is smieling from Heaven.
You are a speacial young man, and you continue to make your family proud.
Your such a good role model for your brothers, and i see their following in your footsteps. Keep up the good work.
Love your Aunty’s Uncle’s, and cousins Go Travis Go.Hugs
Very well done troops
It was a very long day….. I didn’t even see the guy take the picture of me!!!!
What’s it to you Jmoney. Whether I have or not it does not matter.I KNOW SOMEONE WHO DID AND THEY MADE ME VERY PROUD YESTERDAY, AND HE IS PROUD OF HIMSELF ALSO .They done a great job. And I am proud of them. The negative will always be there however, it we continue to focus on that, NEGATIVITY that is what it will be.
Speak positive and see what comes. Proverbs 18:21 DEATH AND LIFE ARE IN THE POWER OF THE TONGUE. GET MY POINT JMONEY…DB
Exactly. You never did and you never will. If you feel as strongly about the regiment as you say you do then sign up for next year. But you probably have a life to take care of, right? Too bad, if you are 25 and have a life but are unlucky enough to be a guy that doesn’t matter at all… Forced to serve. Forced to put your life on hold. It’s a shame that you have failed to see first hand the virtuous ways of Bermuda’s regiment. Thou shall not kill is found somewhere in that book you referenced…yet that person you know is now a trained soldier. Ironic, inna?