Regiment Starts Training In North Carolina
Nearly 180 Bermuda Regiment soldiers started training in Camp Lejeune in North Carolina today [Apr 29] .Regiment Commanding Officer Lt Col. Brian Gonsalves said: “It all went very smoothly – logistically, it’s a huge amount of work, but that is vital to ensure everybody hits the ground running. The movement to Camp Lejeune alone is a testament to the professionalism of our officers and soldiers.”
Soldiers from almost every specialist unit in the Regiment started training after arriving at North Carolina on Sunday – despite torrential rain, which is forecast to last much of the first week. For many it is reminiscent of the monsoon conditions that tested the military during their exercise in Jamaica last year.
Lt Col Gonsalves said: “They will have to deal with a lot of mud, which makes already testing training that much more difficult, but we will just get on with it.”
But he added that on top of military training, including public order, urban warfare and explosives handling, soldiers on overseas camps also learned valuable lessons for life.
Lt Col Gonsalves said: “Exercises like these develop soldiers socially as well. They’re experiencing a different culture, talking to US Marines and learning about their experiences – much of it on active service in war zones.
“Our soldiers are learning about leadership, responsibility and accountability – people have signed for pieces of kit and they are responsible for it. We’re not just training these young men and women to be better members of the military, but better citizens too.
“Everybody in the US Marines takes their job very seriously and they carry themselves very well. They’re professional soldiers and it’s good for our troops to see that – we constantly look for ways to raise our standards in any way we can.”
Lt Col Gonsalves added that the training package and venue had been chosen carefully to keep costs down, but still providing good value for money.
And he said that the Regiment’s long standing relationship with the US Marines meant that the Regiment could bulk buy operational items for shipping back to Bermuda, while the use of US Marine Corps equipment meant that costs were kept to a minimum.
Lt Col Gonsalves added: “That’s saving taxpayers’ money – things are less expensive here and with no extra transport cost, we can get more bang for our buck.
“We’re surgical when we look at finances. The Regiment has to be that way because budgets are tight and we need to make sure we’re getting value for money. Even the training areas are relatively close together, so we save on fuel costs, while our own Motor Transport soldiers are using seven-ton Military trucks, which they trained on so we don’t have to pay for Marines’ drivers.”
The exercise – named Island Warrior 13 – will include a three-day intensive field training exercise to put the whole Regiment through its paces in a simulated urban environment.
In addition, soldiers from Support Company, including medics, signallers, engineers, and Regimental Police, will train with their Marine Corps counterparts in their specialist areas. The Boat Troop and a member of the Bermuda Police Reserve Marine Section will train with the United States Coast Guard.
Two Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service fire fighters and a St John’s Ambulance medic also travelled with the Regiment to provide additional medical coverage.
Training Officer Major Martin Wyer said: “The weather hasn’t cooperated – but we’re not here on holiday, we’re here to work to the limit and training has got off to a good start.
“We also have a very good relationship with the US Marines – they are supremely professional and it’s great to operate alongside them. They also hold us in high regard because we’re keen to learn, willing to listen and where specialists from Support Company are being trained by Marines, eager to learn.”
what’s with the Black Gestapo type Uniform
Ahh right, taking taxpayers money and spending it overseas. So much for buy Bermuda.
Its a police uniform
To hmmm the Bermuda regiment is doing training on different procedures to protect u!!!!! Get us self right
PROTECT WHO?? THEY ONLY CLEAN UP AFTER STORMS IF THEY DO THAT!
mindurbusiness you also for got that they look purdy walking a straight line while mostly in rhythm during parades….
What happens if we get invaded by terrorists this week? Who will be here to protect us?
And I didn’t know conscription was needed to teach “valuable lessons for life”. It’s a cop out and an emotional appeal to justify this outdated practice. Why aren’t girls conscripted?
grow a pair, sounds like you need lessons in life, made me a better person.
I didn’t need the regiment to ‘make me a better person’; my upbringing did that. You sound like a typical regiment fanboy though…all macho/sexist and all. Good for you.
Somebody tell me this: if the ‘life lessons’ benefit is true…why don’t we conscipt girls so they benefit as well?
I agree with you that since it’s labeled the civic duty of EVERY citizen to serve their country that women should also be forced to serve (if the practice of forcing individuals to serve continues) in some form or shape (not necessarily through the regiment but through some other form such as hospital service, community service, etc. as well). Over all though when you really look at the regiment, it’s function & it’s value for money, Bermuda would be better served with a smaller better trained full time service made up of individuals who are paid accordingly just like the rest of the civilized western world.
Having served in the regiment for an extended period myself, I always thought too much effort & money is wasted in the regiment in it’s current form. Think about it, after the 3 years is completed by one group of mostly forced to participate individuals is up then money needs to be dropped to train the next batch of forced individual to learn the same exact thing (& the cycle continues). While if you have a specialized full time regiment then the training can be expanded on & thus a better trained core of soldiers. As it stands now, we’re paying a lot of money for a group of people to clean up after the occasional storm (to which we already have a government department to take on that task) & march up & down in a straight line for parades (of which you don’t require an entire regiment for).
dont cry joey. my upbringing was fine. I happen to agree in discipline and hard work. Never hurt anyone. Women that is a separate issue.
I’ve got a good idea, lets force every female Bermudian, once they turn 18, to have to register to be randomly selected to undertake home economics courses. There will be a once a year two week training period with weekly mandatory training nights throughout the year, they will be paid minimum wages under a limited budget, and this will last for 3 years. It will help turn them into capable members of society and bring them into womanhood. It will teach the how to raise a child, cooking lessons, and embroidery. Also, any male who wishes to join can do so if they want as a volunteer.
THE BEST DAM COMMENT IVE HEARD ON BERNEWS EVER!!!!!!!
Being as most women do all that and more on their own already they don’t need the training and I’ll just leave it at that.
Fed Up – I was using the scenario of home economics as an analogy to show that if the tables were turned and women were ‘forced’ into a training service, any type of training service, so long as it is generic and could provide simple public benefit, as long as the women didn’t necessarily need or want this training, even if it could help them and benefit society, the training had to be provided with a limited budget, with limited resources, and the women would be provided with limited wages, I can ensure you there would be public outrage. Especially if men did not have to do it, but could choose to do it instead, much like women can choose to do regiment. Women are very much capable enough to volunteer for regiment, but they are not, I repeat they are not capable enough to be conscripted for regiment or any other training service that could benefit them and society. But then again I guess all animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others!
See you BERMUDIANS are so small minded it makes grateful BERMUDIANS hard to accept the greater things. One minute your complaining cuz the regiment is gone and the next your wondering who’s gonna protect u make up your minds.. they have jobs and pay taxes like u so if and when we have a terrorist attack the regiment will have the necessary knowledge to save u! Stop complaining about something that is uncontrollable but beneficial to it safety accept there training and know your safe. The BERMUDA Regiment has orders to follow to ensure a safe Bermuda from terrorism. U all need to connect your bad police force and get the criminals on our streets off that’s we’re your concern should be.
If you REALLY think the regiment in it’s current form is capable of defending against a REAL terrorist attack then you’re setting yourself up for disappointment my friend. Regiment has trouble getting it’s members to show up every week for a regular training night, what makes you think their going to show up for a terrorist attack. The same thing will happen as it did during the riots, the British troops will be called in just as they presently are down T&C.