The Royal Bermuda Regiment’s newest recruits are off to a solid start after completing their first week of training.

They attended a traditional drumhead church service yesterday afternoon, and took part in a five-mile road race on Saturday.

All 66 volunteers have been granted a few hours leave before they begin their final week today.

Corporal Andre Smith, who is part of the training team for 7 Platoon, said morale had been high.

“They’ve been putting in the effort,” he said. “But this week coming, the effort has to come up even more. We want to make sure they finish off strongly.”

Maleke Martin said he was feeling the “team spirit”.

The 18-year-old joined the former Cadets, later transferring to the Junior Leaders.

“I had a lot of fun, liked the military lifestyle and wanted a career,” he said.

The two platoons in this year’s camp competed against each other on Saturday in the road race with one officer, Lieutenant Tyler Owen, who works for XL Catlin, opting to push a double stroller with his two sons, Sebastian, 2, and six-month-old Christian, the entire way.

Lt Owen, who is commanding 8 Platoon, said: “It gives my wife a bit of a break but I’ll still get in the top 20 per cent. It should be fun — I love taking the boys on runs and they love to get out.

“The recruits are doing very well. I’m pretty impressed and the attitudes are good. They’re getting on target after just one week.”

Dante McKenzie, 21, from St George’s, said he had been called up for this year but decided to sign up after he was later told that conscripts would not be required due to the high number of volunteers.

“My aim is to get into the US Coast Guard and this experience will help me to do that,” he said.

The recruits are also the first to train with the Regiment’s new stock of SA-80 rifles and learn new parade ground drills as the rifles are shorter than the ageing mini rugers they have replaced.