The Regiment has a disproportionate number of black conscripts, officers who make racist comments and soldiers who visit strip joints and prostitutes, according to Bermudians Against the Draft [BAD].Members of the campaign group and their lawyer, Eugene Johnston, made the claims yesterday during their fourth attempt to get mandatory military service outlawed.Senior Regiment officers denied the claims.BAD claims Government’s conscription policy breaches their constitutional rights to protection from slavery and forced labour, protection of freedom of conscience and the right to the protection of law.Several members of the campaign lined the public gallery at Supreme Court during the hearing, brushing shoulders with senior members of the Regiment dressed in uniform.The first witness for BAD was its member Jamel Hardtman, 29, a former Hott 107.5 radio presenter. He was arrested last summer for refusing to attend further Regiment duties after completing six months of service in 2001.Mr Hardtman alleged that former Regiment Commander William White, who is white, used the n-word to describe black people during a private conversation they had.He explained Lt Col White was in charge of the Regiment at the time, and the comment came when they discussed the 1977 race riots after he participated in a radio show.“During the conversation he used the term ‘n*gger’ to me. Now, he didn’t call me a n*gger but what he did say was ‘it’s the same n*ggers now as it was during the ‘77 riots,” alleged Mr Hardtman, who is black.He e-mailed Lt Col White the following day to complain he was “disturbed” by his “inappropriate” language.Lt Col White was not called as a witness yesterday. However, Mr Johnston put the allegation to current Regiment Commander Brian Gonsalves, who is white, asking: “What do you say about that?”The officer said of Lt Col White: “He has integrity, he’s a truthful individual.”He declined to share a view on the allegation made by Mr Hardtman, saying he is not aware of the circumstances of the conversation.“Is it justifiable in some circumstances for the Commanding Officer to call people n*ggers?” inquired Mr Johnston.“I would never say that”, replied Lt Col Gonsalves, “I would say no”.The Government opposes the BAD case, but tendered a number of Regiment officers, including Lt Col Gonsalves, for cross-examination by Mr Johnston.The Commander denied further allegations that the Regiment has a disproportionate number of black soldiers, describing it as “a melting pot from all across the Island.”Asked if he believes military service should be voluntary or via conscription, the Commander initially replied that “I’m following the rules” and “I don’t have an opinion.”He stressed that conscription is a policy of Government, not the Regiment. But when he was quizzed further on whether or not he supports the idea of a volunteer army he replied, after a long pause: “Yes.”Lt Col Gonsalves defended the Regiment, saying many conscripts have a positive experience.“We’re not perfect, but we’re certainly doing a good job,” he said.The hearing also heard from former Sergeant Major Marilyn Steede. During animated testimony, which saw her raise her voice and get asked to speak more slowly, she claimed she quit as Chief Clerk after the Commanding Officer asked her to compromise her integrity by falsifying minutes of the outcome of a vote.She denied suggestions from Government lawyer Shakira Dill that she left after being directed to attend an employee assistance programme because she was difficult to work with.“The problem with the Regiment hierarchy and me is because I stand on principle and I’m not going to alter it,” she said.During his evidence, Lt Col Gonsalves denied ever falsifying documents.A serving officer, Captain Christopher Gauntlett, did not dispute allegations from Mr Johnston that officers sometimes curse at soldiers and that there have been assaults in the Regiment, including at least two fights during boot camp 2011.Capt Gauntlett said he’d travelled with the Regiment overseas five times, prompting Mr Johnston to inquire: “It’s standard practice when you travel with the Regiment to spent a lot of time in strip clubs?”Capt Gauntlett replied: “I don’t. People do.”Asked if some in the Regiment also sometimes visited prostitutes, he said he didn’t, but some do.The case continues.