More than 30 rookie soldiers started training at Warwick Camp on Sunday as the Royal Bermuda Regiment launched its first recruit camp of 2026.

The group included 22 men and women from the island as well as 12 people from the Turks and Caicos Islands, here for the foundational training course.

The recruits will be motivated and encouraged over the next two weeks as they develop drill, infantry, fieldcraft and first aid skills, the RBR said.

Sergeant Forrest Williams, from Paget and a business owner in civilian life, is serving on the recruit camp leadership team as a first-time platoon sergeant.

He has instructed on foundational training courses four times in the role of section commander.

The 35-year-old, who has been in the RBR since 2010, said: “I’m looking forward to the recruits having fun, learning what it is to become a basic soldier, then figuring out which military career path they would like to take.”

On their first day, recruits were given a tour of the camp, collected kit and equipment, and received lessons on proper dress and room standards.

Recruit Lisbeth Alvarez, 23, from Warwick, and a sales associate at Marks & Spencer already knew some members of the regiment and thought joining would offer a “great experience”.

She said: “I’m looking forward to learning discipline and hopefully making some lifelong friends, as well as pushing myself to the best of my physical abilities.

“I’ve heard about the camaraderie, that it’s like a family here, that yes, sometimes things will be hard but we always will push each other to do the best that we can.”

Recruit Donovan McKenzie, a 35-year-old entrepreneur and Hamilton resident, enlisted with a desire to increase his service to the community.

He said: “I also want to challenge myself in terms of creating more discipline at this stage of my life.

“I feel like it’s another level of achievement and that I have more to give in terms of health, maturity and also becoming more of an example for my family.

“I’m looking forward to learning new skills, becoming more inclined to working with others within the community and within the regiment.”

Today, the recruits will gain a deeper understanding of the battalion’s values and standards, take their first foot drill lessons and discover more about military discipline.

• For information on joining the Royal Bermuda Regiment, visit rbr.bm, call 238-1045 or e-mail rbr.recruiting@gov.bm