Troops from the Royal Bermuda Regiment returned to the island last week after the conclusion of Tradewinds 23, a multinational overseas exercise.

About 100 members of the regiment travelled to Guyana for the Caribbean-focused, US Southern Command-sponsored training, with most involved directly while others fulfilled support roles.

The soldiers were deployed in several different programmes covering topics such as ground training, bomb disposal, cyber training and the scenario-based operations of a joint Caribbean task force.

Meanwhile, RBR instructors led sessions in how to deal with incidents of public disorder.

Major Thomas Wood, the country lead for Bermuda, said: “Now that Exercise Tradewinds 23 in Guyana has come to an end, the Royal Bermuda Regiment has again proven its ability and adaptability to work with over 20 partner nations on a complex joint exercise.

“While it was an arduous exercise in very hot and testing conditions, the regiment did Bermuda proud, gaining considerable praise from organisers and observers throughout.”

For Private Shanyea Trott, from St George’s, Tradewinds 23 was her first overseas trip with the regiment since she joined it two years ago.

She said: “Physically, I’m smaller than everybody else so it’s always a challenge to keep up.

“I was learning as I went but I’m always determined not to quit and to do my best. That’s how I made it through.”

The 45-year-old, who works in housekeeping, added: “You don’t really know how you’re going to make it, you just know you have to.

“Often, once the day was over, I was like ‘wow, I did it, let’s get on to the next one’.”

Private Trott highlighted that one of the benefits of being in the RBR is the support provided by other troops.

She explained: “I’m always great at motivating everybody else but when it comes to me, I need that encouragement.

“That’s what I get from the regiment — everybody pushes you, they help you, they pick you up when you’re down and help you get through.”

At the closing ceremony on Thursday, Guyana’s lead planner for the exercise, Major Jaime Castello, said: “Tradewinds 23 is not just an event but a milestone in our shared journey towards a safer, more secure world.

“Let us forge ahead, knowing that the partnerships and friendships formed and lessons learnt here will serve as a strong foundation for an even greater achievement in our future.”

Brigadier Omar Khan, the Guyana Defence Force Chief of Staff, added: “Over these past two weeks we have witnessed an extraordinary demonstration of teamwork, professionalism and camaraderie among the troops of all our partner nations.”

He said: “We jumped out of an aircraft together. We lived and operated in the jungle – tough terrain – together. We shared our expertise to conduct house clearing, public order and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief drills together.

“We executed maritime interception manoeuvres together, and all these were as a result of our detailed planning, which we did together.

“In all of this, I dare say exercise Tradewinds 2023 has made us stronger by operating together.

“Beyond this, the symbolic exchange of badges, exercise discussions and social interactions have further consolidated and enhanced our will to work together.”

US Southcom commander General Laura Richardson told troops that the scenarios they faced during training provided an opportunity to build muscle memory in how to quickly respond to mitigate disaster.

She added: “It’s not a matter of if a major disaster will hit, it’s a matter of when, and we must be prepared.

“Tradewinds is more than just an exercise. It’s an opportunity to build co-operation, trust and co-ordination, confidence among our teams, so you won’t meet for the first time during a real operation.”

Brigadier (retired) Mark Phillips, Guyana’s Prime Minister, highlighted: “In today’s world, particularly with the advent of technology, many threats no longer recognise borders, which therefore begs the need for collaborative efforts between nations to address security challenges that transcend boundaries, challenges such as terrorism, organised criminal activity, cyber threats and the trafficking of illicit goods.

“Our interconnectedness, particularly within the Caricom region, therefore means that the safety of our people is intricately linked, so addressing these matters as a collective becomes paramount.”

He added: “I hope that each and every participant of this exercise from all the participating countries could appreciate and understand the nuances of cross-border threats, or as we say in military language, transnational threats, and take advantage of the specialised expertise they were exposed to in countering such challenges.”

• For more information about the Royal Bermuda Regiment Junior Leaders, visit www.bermudaregiment.bm or call 238-1045