The Bermuda Regiment has taken the right approach to recent reports in this newspaper about a fitness for role exercise that took place in November.

Rightly, the Regiment did not try to justify the weaknesses that were identified; instead, it stated that the report and any recommendations will be used as a blueprint as the Regiment moves forward.

That?s quite right, although it is also likely that the Regiment will put up a more vigorous response to the report behind closed doors. However, it is good that it recognises that no one is perfect and that there can be improvements.

The bigger question concerns the Regiment?s overall mission.

Its primary function is to support the Police in the event of civil disturbances such as riots. Its secondary role, which has grown in importance over the years, is to be a rapid response clean-up force after natural disasters like hurricanes. Finally it provides a ceremonial function for parades, the opening of Parliament and so on.

It is often rightly said that the Regiment also provides a social function in that it often gives young men and women a healthy does of discipline and may be one of the best integrators of society that the Island has.

All of this is true and important, but it will be of little benefit if the Regiment is seen to be lacking an actual role and purpose.

The problem is that the Regiment is rarely called upon to carry out its primary function. The last time it was embodied to deal with a riot was in 1977. It was also embodied for the 1981 General Strike and for security duties after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

But that is about it.

Its more important role recently has been in disaster relief, most notably after Hurricane Fabian struck in 2003. This is valuable work and the Regiment now trains for it, but it would be easy to question whether soldiers are the best people to do this kind of work.

To that extent, the review that the Governor has commissioned, of which the Fitness for Role exercise was a part, is important and valuable.

It must decide whether the Regiment still has an Internal Security role, and if so, how it should best train for it. There was a a tacit admission from the Regiment that a conscript battalion might not be best when it proposed a professional company of about 200 soldiers be instituted in a post-Independence Bermuda.

It is often said that soldiers train for a war that they hope will never come, and the same is probably true for the Regiment. Policymakers would look very foolish if they abandoned the internal security component of the Regiment?s role, only for a disturbance to break out that was of such a scale that the Police could not handle it. And it may be that the Regiment poses a deterrent to a disturbance of that kind.

Still, ensuring that training methods are up to date, and instituting disaster relief as a key function for the Regiment, should be encompassed in the Review.

This newspaper believes that the Regiment should continue to expand its marine capabilities as well, both for transporting soldiers and patrolling inland waters in the event of a disturbance and for search and rescue.

Finally, the basic unfairness of random conscription restricted to men remains a thorn in the side of the Regiment. Conscripting a larger pool of men and women both having them serve a shorter term in the army would be one solution. Having all young men and women perform community service, but not restricting it to the Regiment, would be the ideal solution.