Regiment Hosts Open House At Warwick Camp
The Royal Bermuda Regiment hosted an Open House at Warwick Camp to showcase its varied work and provide information about opportunities within the Regiment.
A spokesperson said, “From a teenager fresh out of high school to a father of young children who runs an investment management company, excitement was generated among visitors to Warwick Camp on Saturday when they learned about what the Royal Bermuda Regiment has to offer. An Open House allowed troops to provide information and showcase the RBR’s varied work.”
Major Duncan Simons, Officer Commanding, B Company, who organised the event, said: “We wanted to give people a flavour of what we do as well as lots of opportunities to ask any questions about what it means to be in the Regiment.
“It was great to host members of the wider community who engaged with our soldiers and officers as they toured the camp, observed weapons demonstrations, watched drill displays and enjoyed a performance from our band.
“My hope was that the open house would support our ongoing recruitment efforts and I’m delighted that it did so.
“We’re very grateful to everyone that joined us and all the RBR members who took part.”
The spokesperson said, “A number of stands around the camp helped attendees to better understand Regiment activities, such as public order training, hurricane response work, communications operations and Coast Guard deployment.
“Among the guests was Marissa Brown, of St George’s, who described a weapons demonstration as “kind of fascinating”.
“The 18-year-old, a former CedarBridge Academy pupil, was encouraged to find out more about the Regiment thanks to her mentor at BELCO, where she is a mechanic in training.
“Ms Brown believed she would benefit from improved discipline as a result of enlisting.”
She added: “Maybe the Regiment can teach me some things that I wouldn’t have learned already.”
Highlighting the range of roles in the RBR, Ms Brown noted: “There is nothing you can’t do here.”
The spokesperson said, “For Shane Helberg, the Regiment presents an opportunity to enjoy experiences that differ from his day job.
“The 38-year-old, originally of South Africa, is the country lead at an investment management company on the island and earlier served in the British Army.
“Mr Helberg, who moved to Bermuda with his wife and children three months ago, said: “I’ve always been into this sort of thing.”
“I was in the Army and I kind of miss it; I love the lifestyle.
“This sort of thing excites me. Not to discount what I do for a living but if I had a choice, I would rather be doing things that get my blood flowing more.”
The spokesperson said, “Over the past week, the Regiment has received 17 expressions of interest from people through its website. Of those, two or three can be expected to make it to foundational training.
“Major Dwight Robinson, the Regimental Career Management Officer, said the event on Saturday offered a one-stop shop for members of the public to find out what happens at Warwick Camp.”
“For that reason, the convenience of an Open House cannot be beat,” he added.
Maj Robinson said: “Generally, the response was positive. The recruiting team maintained a steady engagement for a majority of the afternoon with some attendees taking advantage of the opportunity to register for service and others making general inquiries of what the Regiment has to offer.
“This demonstrates that there is broad community interest and we must maximize the time and opportunities available to us to convert that interest into recruits.
“Our goal, as always, is to highlight to the potential recruit the mutual benefits that service life provides. The soldiers add mass to the Regiment and allow us to deliver our missions and tasks while the Regiment provides opportunity for them to develop themselves in leadership, resource management and other transferable skills. These add value and increase a person’s employment saleability beyond just having spent time in the Regiment.”
He added: “We encourage anyone interested in registering to begin the process now by visiting bermudaregiment.bm/join-us or by calling 238-1045.
“The next recruit training package will run from February 11 to 23, 2024. All legal residents, male and female, aged 18 to 52 are encouraged. Learning credits as well as signing and performance bonuses are offered.”
