Troops brave challenges in bid to rise through ranks
Ambitious soldiers were put through their paces on a gruelling two-week overseas camp where they were assessed on command and strategy skills in an effort to earn their first stripes.
Phase 1 of the Royal Bermuda Regiment’s 2025 potential junior non-commissioned officers cadre culminated in a packed programme of activities at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
About 20 soldiers, including members of the Cayman Islands and Turks & Caicos Islands regiments, faced conditions ranging from hot and humid to stormy downpours that tested their mettle and resilience.
They were evaluated on leadership and tactical capabilities during navigation, fieldcraft, patrol and attack exercises.
Successful completion of the two-phase cadre means a private can be considered for promotion to the rank of lance corporal.
The RBR said that from March through May, the potential junior NCO cadre training team instilled in soldiers the basics of understanding tactics as well as how to receive, extract and present information from battle orders.
Platoon Commander Lieutenant Corrie Cross said: “We put all that to the test in the two-week camp.
“We try to summarise all the learning from the previous few months and really push the troops to push themselves and determine if they can cope under pressure.
“Ultimately what we’re trying to do is replicate a stressful scenario to test their leadership capacity as well as check how much of the information they’ve retained.”
The camp, which ran from June 1 to 14, included a 10.5km map-reading and navigation exercise, an obstacle course endurance run, and live firing on ranges of size and style not available in Bermuda.
A highlight for troops was an infantry immersion training component that featured a recreated foreign urban environment where role players acted out high-pressure scenarios that forced soldiers to act quickly and decisively, the RBR said.
Two field exercises that spanned several days each included ambushes, the establishment of harbours — or temporary bases — and section-level patrols in darkness as soldiers demonstrated their teamwork capabilities.
Lieutenant Cross said: “The course was really successful. I was really proud of how our troops developed and met the different challenges that were presented to them.
“It was nice to see everyone come together with one focus and execute.”
She added: “We also had a good opportunity to work with troops from different nations.
“The regiment always loves to maintain those British Overseas Territory connections, so I was really happy for them to join us on the trip.”
Private Tahj Toussaint, 30, has been in the regiment for 12 years and saw the cadre as an opportunity for personal development.
The bartender, from Warwick, said: “It has taught me a lot of patience and that everybody deals with life in their own way. It’s also taught me to look at things from different perspectives.
“During the camp, I enjoyed the hands-on work — the tactical elements as well as the infantry skills and drills. I didn’t like the insects or the weather.
“The most challenging for me was the map-reading and the orders process, but over the two weeks I improved in that area as I had the opportunity to develop those skills.”
Residents have been invited to an assessment event on Saturday as the Royal Bermuda Regiment aims to recruit more people ahead of its foundational training course next month.
Attendees will be invited to undergo a brief physical check and to take part in a personal fitness test — they are encouraged to bring a towel and water. They will also be asked a few questions in a short interview.
Enlistment is open to anyone aged from 18 to 52 who can legally reside in Bermuda.
An RBR spokeswoman said: “In the Royal Bermuda Regiment, we need to fill a varied array of roles, so there is a place for almost anyone.
“From clerks and cooks to mechanics and medics, our troops develop not only in battlefield settings but also in other environments, where their honed skills can easily be transferred to aspects of civilian life.
“The RBR offers a training and working environment that is challenging and rewarding.
“It can provide support for continuing education in both personal and service-focused disciplines, while it also fosters the development of skills related to leadership, teamwork and resource management, among others.
“We are pleased to be an organisation that evolves and remains relevant to the community we serve, including through our coastguard unit and in hurricane clean-up operations, while we proudly uphold tradition largely thanks to our ceremonial duties.”
The RBR reminded the public that its updated policies on hairstyles and beards mean men can wear full beards kept short and neatly trimmed, without dyes.
They may also wear twists, locks or cornrows, providing that the length does not reach the collar or on to the ears, unless the style is worn for religious reasons.
Females are no longer limited to wearing longer hair in a bun when in uniform, although hair must be well groomed and secured or styled back from the face.
The assessment event will be held from 10am on Saturday — the last day for candidates to sign up ahead of the next recruit camp, which will run from July 6 to 18.
“Speak to a soldier, give us a call or come along on Saturday to find out more,” the RBR spokeswoman said.
“As our troops will tell you, there is much to be gained from joining the regiment. What have you got to lose?”
Some documentation is required for enlistment and anyone interested can find out more by calling 238-1045 or sending a WhatsApp message to 707-0353.
To start the enlistment process, visit rbr.bm and click the “Join Us” tab.
Private Tyzhae DeSilva, 20, a boat maintenance business owner from Sandys, achieved the rank of corporal when he was in the RBR’s Junior Leaders programme.
His sights are set on surpassing that as an adult member of the regiment, with the cadre being the first step to promotion.
Private DeSilva said: “I’ve learnt to slow down and think before I do. I’ve learnt a lot about myself with regards to recognising my strengths and I tightened up in different areas.
“The cadre is helping me learn how to deal with different people, different issues and to communicate.
“I kept my head in the game during the camp. There were times out in the bush when I asked myself why I was there but I stuck to it and before long we were on our way home.”
The potential junior NCO cadre training team will soon determine which of the participants have passed the first phase of the course, with successful students going on to take part in phase 2 — defence instructional technique, which places focus on the delivery of lessons.
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