For Sergeant Ndavyah Williams the Bermuda Cadet Corps programme was love at first sight.

The CedarBridge Academy student became fascinated by the cadets' uniforms, their poise and the way they carried themselves and joined right after moving to Bermuda from Israel in 2008.

According to cadet instructor Sharon Smith: "He's moved up very quickly in the ranks because of his eagerness. We were impressed with his confidence and maturity for his age, and since we wanted to emphasise the cadets' role in leadership this year, we promoted him along with Sgt Dante Durham. They are now the only two sergeants in the Cadet Corps."

This year's sergeants are the first promoted in the four years Major Henry Campbell has served as Commandant of the Cadet Corps.

He described Sgt Williams as someone with "his own level of self-discipline, who was very keen to serve as a role model to his peers".

As part of their duties, Sgts Williams and Durham march at the front during parade, instructing the other cadets.

Ms Smith said Ndavyah had stood out as "very responsible, definitely a leader, [someone] who gets along very well with his peers".

Perhaps it's no surprise then that the 16-year-old has his goals set firmly on the army.

"Right now, I want to stay in the military here in Bermuda maybe five years, and then go back to my original country and give it some years there," he said.

Ndavyah was born and raised in Israel.

His mother Linnelle Williams, is Bermudian. His father, Dallas Roberts, was born in New York and later became an Israeli.

His parents joined a kibbutz-style community Kfar Hashalom Village of Peace in the southern Israel city of Dimona.

Ndavyah described an early life in which the military was ever-present.

He said news of attacks by suicide bombers were "just part of what I was growing up in".

Two years ago he moved with his mother to Bermuda — a place he'd previously only seen in pictures.

He said of his first impression: "It was amazing the beaches, the scenery, all the colourful houses."

A month later he became a member of the Cadet Corps following an introduction by his cousin, Umar Durant.

The Cadet Corps is a voluntary youth organisation open to schoolchildren between the ages of 12 and 18.

The programme is run by the Bermuda Regiment at their Warwick Camp headquarters. Members learn many of the same skills as soldiers in the Regiment.

"Israel has similar things, but it's rougher because of what's going on out there," Ndavyah said.

"The first thing you do is learn how to march. You learn the basics so you can keep in step when you drill or go on parade. There's a lot of marching around the camp. Sometimes it's tiring but it's also good.

"You learn how to shoot with live rounds. The main one we have is the mini ruger rifle you learn how to clean and strip it and the national safety precaution rules. We get target practice on a 20-metre range."

The cadets also taught him swimming: Ndavyah's home city is closer to the Dead Sea than the Mediterranean, and he didn't know how to swim in the ocean.

He said: "And as you move up the ranks, they teach you how to teach classes. They give you the opportunity to teach newcomers the same things you learned."

He has four brothers Pele, 22, Kareem, 12, Yizhariyah, nine, and a five-year-old brother, Namaan, who live in Israel with his father.

"My brother Kareem did the last two weeks up there at the camp with me. And Yizhariyah wants to do it really badly, but he's too young."

The sergeant is also keen to recruit other young people to see what the Cadets can offer.

"A big thing you learn is just safety," he said.

"You have to be aware of what's happening around you. Safety isn't just the Cadet Corps on Friday night, it's everything — who you hang around with, what you do. It's about inspiring others, caring for other people, looking out for others. It means you pay attention and see things instead of just walking past."