EVEN though Lieutenant Colonel Eddie Lamb appears to agree that Bermudians suffer from a lack of national identity (, December 12), I am somewhat surprised that he would play down this factor when it comes to problems the Bermuda Regiment experiences in getting young Bermudians to answer the call of duty.

I have made it clear in previousthat I believe this national identity crisis may in fact be a major issue as regards our current problems with recruitment in the Regiment.

But let me make one point abundantly clear: even though I am a passionate supporter of Independence for Bermuda, I don't suffer from any illusions that sovereignty in and of itself will help Bermuda to solve its many pressing problems.

I have never made a case for Bermuda Independence based on it being a social, economic and cultural panacea for the country. That is why, time after time in making case for Independence for Bermuda, I have stated I will take the flag the responsibility ? meaning that, yes, we will salute a new flag in an Independent Bermuda but the responsibility for this island's future from then onwards will be ours and ours alone and that would require us to solve our own problems.

But as I have stated, I was surprised at the Colonel's stance not because he is a Bermudian who may not support Independence (I am not sure of his position; it could be that just like many Bermudians he may prefer to keep his opinions on that question to himself). Rather, as he is Commanding Officer of the Bermuda Regiment I am taking it for granted that he must have studied military theory and battlefield psychology ? the factors that motivates a soldier to fight for his country.

Patriotism; loyalty to one's country; a unwavering belief in why his country sent him to fight in a particular conflict or war ? all of these factors based on a sense national identity have long since been identified as motivating forces in a soldier's psyche.

life-threatening combat situations a soldier ultimately fights for himself and the comrades in his platoon and unit, men and women who have forged close relationships and who depend on one another for mutual survival. But by extension what holds a fighting force together is a shared sense of national identity among the servicemen and women.

So this is why I am perplexed as to why Colonel Lamb would play down the power of a sense of national identity as a factor in getting young men to do their duty for Bermuda.

Interestingly, as an example of the power of sense of national identity, one need look no further than the experience of African-Americans, who have fought in every American war since the War of Independence.

As slaves they fought for America. During the bitter years of racial segregation they fought for America. Even today African-Americans continue to fight and die in the service of a country that has yet to solve all of its own racial problems. Clearly African-Americans strongly identify with the underlying ideals upon which American democracy is based even though not all of these principles have been put into practice.

Colonel Lamb went on to analyse some of the many social ills that plague Bermuda ? and young Bermudian men in particular. He cited the criminality and general lack of social responsibility that some of our young men indulge in as reasons why they do not want to do their duty at Warwick Camp. But these are not problems which are unique to Bermuda ? you can find examples of such anti-social behaviour in other countries, even those that have been Independent countries for some time now.

In any event, I view such social problems in another context. I have been an advocate for Bermudian Independence for quite some time now. I have had many discussions, arguments and debates on the question. And what I have discovered is that when a Bermudian who does not support Independence is forced to retreat behind a final line of defence in his or her anti-Independence views, he or she will invariably bring up some seemly intractable social problem as a reason for not going it alone. Still, Colonel Lamb admits that many Bermudians do carry out their duty to their country and is justifiably proud of what the Bermuda Regiment has accomplished in times of national emergency ? such as the aftermath of the recent hurricane.

Certainly the young Bermudian soldiers I saw being interviewed on television during the post-Fabian clean-up voiced pride at doing something for their country. They clearly have a sense of national identity even without being citizens of an Independent country.

that I feel the same way towards the country I was born in ? only I want such feelings to go further. This is not to say that my brand of national identity is superior to Colonel Lamb's or that of the young Bermudian soldiers I spoke of. Rather, I am willing to argue the point and attempt to convince people of my point of view as regards Independence.

To enhance a sense of national identity, pride in Bermuda and Bermudians must be taught from the time a child enters school. Colonel Lamb spoke of sitting in a movie theatre in Kingston and watching how Jamaicans reacted to newsreel footage of one of their citizens receiving a medal at a recent Olympic Games and how the experience almost moved him to tears.

This another interesting admission on his part. And it would seem to contradict his stated opinion that a sense of national identity is not a factor in the lack of enthusiasm on the part of some young Bermudians in their failure to come forward to serve their country when they are asked to do so.

And in this regard it is not just a certain segment that can expected to fail to turn up for military service as current cases before the courts make quite clear. This reluctance to serve cuts right across Bermudian society and is to be found in all walks of life. What I say is, let us examine the role of a lack of national identity in all of this.

If not we will continue to see a Bermuda Regiment that appeals to the patriotic feelings of Bermudians to do their duty to their country in the face of the reality that many Bermudians suffer from a national identity crisis.