A Bermuda-born man has risen quickly to become a sergeant in the US Marines, leading his men into action, replacing them in the line when they are tired and partying hard with them when off duty.

Bermuda-born Sgt. Alistair T. Reynolds has been shot at by rocket propelled grenades, improvisedexplosive devices, mortars, rockets and had repeated engagements with Iraqi insurgents but even the death of his mother could not keep him from his unit.

A veteran of two tours in Iraq, Sgt. Reynolds was born in Bermuda but grew up in England and Scotland before moving to the United States.

And after spending his teenage years in Wells, Maine, he enlisted in the Marine Corps.

?He?s done things I?ve never seen any other NCOs (non-commissioned officers) do,? Lance Cpl. James Massie of Little Rock, Arkansas said.

In a feature article in this week?s Marine Corps News, Lance. Cpl. Zachary Frank wrote that on one occasion, Cpl. Massie was awakened for a night patrol after completing an intense, week-long schedule.

?He knew I hadn?t been getting much sleep,? Cpl. Massie said. ?He stepped up and went in my place.?

Speaking from Iskandariyah, Iraq on Tuesday, Sgt. Reynolds said he came ?from a military family?.

He said he had relatives in the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force and his brother was currently serving with the US Army in Afghanistan.

Sgt. Reynolds is serving in the 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company, First Batallion, Second Marine Regiment which is the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit?s Battalion Landing Team ? or main infantry unit.

The Marines have seen a lot of action since their arrival for their second tour in Iraq six months ago.

Even though Sgt. Reynolds is always ready to fight when needed to, his fellow Marines enjoy his jokes and jovial personality to distract them from their otherwise deadly serious situations.

?When it?s time to work, he works, and when it?s time to play, he plays,? Cpl. Massie said.

Fellow Marines said Sgt. Reynolds often plays guitar when not patrolling Iraq?s northern Babil province. He has also written numerous songs during his deployment.

?He?s a great guitar player, but he needs to work on his singing ability,? said Staff Sgt. Raymond C. Barth of Weirton, West Virginia, Bravo Company?s platoon sergeant. ?At the same time, when he gets out in his Humvee, he takes everything very seriously.

?He?s been with the Marines since entering the Marine Corps, and he?s worked his way up from a Private First Class to a Sergeant in four years,? Sgt. Barth said. ?He?s one of the most well-rounded Marines we have.?

?Once, an Improvised Explosive Devices exploded near his foot patrol, but caused no major injuries,? the Marines said on Tuesday, using the official name for an old fashioned booby trap.

While most of Bermuda partied on New Year?s Eve, Sgt. Reynold?s saw a deadly firework display when the enemy fired a rocket-propelled grenade past his Humvee a half-hour before midnight.

But the rocket missed him and he was able to enjoy the New Year with a promotion to sergeant.

And during his first deployment to Iraq, Reynolds received a Red Cross message notifying him his mother had died.

?After returning from emergency leave, he leapfrogged from Kuwait by helicopter and convoy to reach his unit?s position deep within Iraq.

?Even after suffering such a personal tragedy at the beginning of his deployment, he persevered to earn the respect of his fellow Marines for his strong leadership principles and dedication to carry out the mission.

?The success of a mission is dependent on more than just the raw determination of individual Marines.

It requires someone who can bring them together and inspire them to push ? in unison ? beyond their limits.

?One such Marine is Sgt. Alistair T. Reynolds,? the Marines said.

?This year is a lot different from last year,? Sgt. Reynolds was reported to say.

?It?s like playing cat and mouse, but with no mouse.?