Granted, they weren't "thrilled" to be in the army, but in less than two weeks there was consensus on several issues. Topping the list of "positives" the men listed getting to know so many fellow Bermudians from all walks of life whom they would otherwise not normally meet.

Being divided into platoons and packed 34 men to a barracks, in addition to constantly interacting with the rest of the camp every day and night, meant that there was no opportunity for loners to thrive.

Sharing the experience of getting (and keeping) their barracks and kit up to daily inspection-standard had served to bring the men together within days.

Teamwork was something else the men were learning to appreciate. For many, it was a first-time experience in an age when the "me" factor was all they had focussed on or cared about.

Not surprisingly, perhaps, there was complete unanimity about army food. It would never take the place of home cooking.

"Eat now, taste later" quipped Private Kevin Pilgrim. "I never appreciated ice cream so much in my life."

Nonetheless, the new recruit said he was enjoying army life, and especially meeting new people. A small business owner, he was not worried about any fallout his absence might make.

"The army accommodates me to make sure my business is running okay," he said. "They work with me and I work with them. It's fair, and the army has taught me a lot of things that I can apply in my own business. There's a lot of opportunity up here. If you want to be a better person, and have an opportunity to advance yourself, this is the place to be."

For Mrs. Pilgrim there was also good news.

"I'm getting fit, losing weight and being motivated to exercise. It makes me feel better. In fact, everything we do is fun," her husband said. "My wife is proud of me."

For Private Lorenzo Burch army life held few surprises.

"It's exactly what I thought it was," he said. "It is trying to build up people's morale, bring people together from all walks of life, make them form into one body and work together."

The information technologist admits that he was one of the ones who "definitely" didn't want to be in the Regiment.

"It wasn't part of the life style I wanted to be living," he said. "While I didn't have a problem doing it provided everybody was doing it, if I could serve my country in my chosen field that would be much better."

Nonetheless, he was taking a philosophical approach to military service.

"You definitely get out of it what you put in. If you come in with a positive attitude you will definitely enjoy your experience here."

In terms of the food, Pte. Burch said, "It definitely makes you appreciate your mamma's, wife's or girlfriend's cooking."

For Private Owen Darrell the day of reckoning came four years after he was drafted, having been deferred as a university student, and while he said he wasn't looking forward to doing his time he wasn't "going to run away from it".

With his first two weeks almost behind him, he admitted he did not care for army-style discipline.

"It's a personal vibe," the CedarBridge social studies teacher said. "I was already raised in a disciplined manner by disciplined parents, and a lot of what is going on here, I have already passed that point in my life. I am an independent person, and it almost feels like you have to babysit everybody else. If people in your platoon don't feel like doing something you have to carry them."

The thing Pte. Darrell liked least - and it was a feeling shared by other recruits - was the profanity and yelling in one's face that those in authority constantly practised.

"I tell my students all the time that they should not use certain language, and scream in people's faces, and then you come here ..." he said.

While he also felt that the Regiment's communication skills between the ranks and their superiors could be improved ("Too many people telling you different things") he planned to follow some other advice he also gave his students: "Take responsibility, and take the good with the bad. It's an experience."

In real life, Allan Fox is a statistical officer in Government. In the army, he is Private Fox with an attitude that went from negative to positive after two weeks behind the South Shore Road gates.

"I was trying every means necessary not to go to the army," he admitted. "I've been in school abroad for four years and this was the last place I wanted to be. I wanted to get my career started and I thought this would set me back, but in one sense it hasn't. I've learned a lot from being here - not just life lessons but also how to deal with people. When you get into the work force it's not just you, and the army helps you to learn how to deal with certain types of people from different backgrounds, different religious beliefs, and values. I've met a lot of people I wouldn't normally meet on a day-to-day basis."

Viewing army life as a whole, Pte. Fox said that, like everything else in life, it has parts that people would and would not like, and he had little time for the complainers.

"People should view this as a life lesson, It doesn't make any sense complaining about it. I don't necessarily like being up here but I am going to have to deal with it because that's the way it is. You've got to do what you've got to do."

As an athlete, Pte. Fox found the wide variety of sports competitions an excellent way of teaching him to get along with others in his section.

Private David Signor, on the other hand, found the army worse than he imagined. He didn't mind the drills at all, but he felt that, as raw recruits, they were not given enough time to do certain things, like eat, bathe, and prepare their kit. He was, however, philosophical.

"It's all about discipline, that's what the camp is all about," he said.

Asked what advice he would give a young man facing conscription, Pte. Signor said: "If it is at all possible, get out of it. If not just go and get it over with."

Nevertheless, Pte. Signor, who is a carpenter by trade and plays soccer for the St. George's Cricket Club, said he was looking forward to next year's camp overseas, and proudly declared that his platoon, Red, also known as 'Brave Hearts', was "by far the best" of all platoons.

Asked how he found army life, Private Anthony Smith said, "It's everything I expected it to be - and that can be taken two ways." A truck driver in civilian life, he said he liked the military training and wouldn't mind becoming a full-time soldier. Meanwhile, he had already set himself a goal: to become an RP (regimental policeman). He listed weapons training as his favourite activity, and found the nights very long on gate duty. Asked if passing girls helped, he said no.

"They go by every night but we can't do anything about it because there's always some higher ranking person looking at us."

Although he classed army food as "so-so - it could be better", Pte. Smith conceded that after a hard night in the field even military rations tasted good.

Asked what he was most looking forward when camp ended on Sunday, the rookie soldier said: "Home, a good meal and family".

Private Nkoma Cannonier wanted no part of the Bermuda Regiment - so much so, in fact, that when they came looking for him at CedarBridge, where he works in information technology, he disappeared before finally presenting himself for service. After two weeks in camp, he said his previous concept of the army was "pretty much the way it is", and while he still does not like it, he also sees some positives, although army-style discipline is not among them.

"They say the army instils discipline, but I was already a disciplined person before I came in, and it's pretty much the same for the others in my platoon," he said. "That's why we're good soldiers now."

On the other hand, Pte. Cannonier found the opportunity to live and work with people from all walks of life whom he would otherwise not meet, and the resultant closeness that developed between them, a real "plus". Like many recruits, he particularly enjoyed rifle shooting the most.

While he fully intended to be a good soldier, when asked whether or not the two weeks had changed his views on conscription, Pte. Cannonier said not. He believed in a volunteer army.

"If the army had more incentives for guys to come up here, like education and a raise in pay, they would get more volunteers. There are a number of things that can be done," he said.

Nonetheless, the information technologist would advise any young man reluctant to serve to "just get it over with", and said army life had given him a greater appreciation for his civilian job and home cooking.

Fifteen years ago, Captain David Curley volunteered for the army, and went on to serve six of them full-time. Today he is the commanding officer of Training Company, and as such is one of the senior officers charged with whipping recruits into shape with military discipline and training in accordance with the Commanding Officer's directive.

"I am the beastmaster," the blue-eyed Bermudian officer smiled. "I chose to become an officer, and I enjoy the challenge of responsibility and the art of leading men."

While asserting that "we (the army) are not as bad as people think", Capt. Curley said that in his opening address to raw recruits, he always tells them he is a fair man who respects them, and they in turn will respect him.

"As a result, they would follow me anywhere. I do everything the men do, and I would not expect them to do something I couldn't. If you make the right decisions they won't forget," he said.

With regard to this year's intake of raw recruits, Captain Curley admitted he was very impressed.

"They are very young but the morale and the gelling together is much better than last year. They follow instructions well, and have also adapted well to the cold, inclement weather to the point where it doesn't bother them whether they are in the field or doing drill," he said. "They are bonding well and I have noticed some very good friendships forming. I am hoping that many of them have future prospects as leaders within the Regiment. There is no doubt they are a good group, and every day the troops have gotten more professional. At the end of recruit camp we will have achieved our aim."

While the recruits undoubtedly think two weeks' camp is more than enough, Capt. Curley disagrees.

"Based on my many years of experience I believe recruit camp should be for three weeks - the first for introduction to every military subject taught; the second for heavier training with the topics they have just learned; and the third for confirmation training," he said.