A former Sgt Major who claims she was demeaned, disrespected and made to feel "like a cockroach" at Warwick Camp has given her support to Bermudians Against the Draft (BAD).

Marilyn Steede quit her full-time job as Bermuda Regiment chief clerk in April, when she wrote to bosses: "This employment position has been, without a doubt, the most demeaning, disrespectful, disparaging experience that I have ever experienced in my entire life, fuelled with condescending, disdainful approaches and foul language by specific senior supervising personnel.

"The working environment was toxic and I felt like a cockroach that was under someone's foot and was trying constantly to get free."

Now Ms Steede — who made history as the first female in the Regiment to attain the rank of warrant officer class two — is backing anti-conscription campaigners BAD.

"I can no longer remain silent in acknowledging my support for the 14 members of Bermudians Against the Draft in their stance against mandatory conscription," she said.

"I guess you could label me as having been a closet supporter up until this point. How can anyone endorse 'slavery' in any form?"

Ms Steede joined the Regiment voluntarily in 1985 and became a sergeant major nine years later. She was the first female platoon sergeant to supervise a male recruit platoon and the first person to be awarded the Best Sergeant of the Year trophy.

She served for 11 years as a volunteer and first worked as chief clerk at Warwick Camp between 1992 and 1994. She was discharged from the Regiment in June 1994 but returned as a serving soldier and as chief clerk in 2008.

Ms Steede told The Royal Gazette that conscripts in and out of uniform were subjected to "excessive and prevalent profanity" from officers, as alleged by BAD.

"This behaviour is not reserved only for when soldiers are in uniform," she said. "Just recently, I witnessed a sergeant major chastising a lance corporal with a barrage of profanity when that soldier had reported to Warwick Camp in civilian clothing to provide a service to the Bermuda Regiment by his civilian employer, on his employer's time.

"I have been in attendance to hear vulgarities spewed out at soldiers with regard to generalised derogatory remarks in respect of a soldier's parent. These are examples of the teaching of 'respect' that the Bermuda Regiment claims to impart to our young men."

She added that young Bermudian men were being pressured to attend college overseas to avoid the draft, instead of being able to make their own informed adult choices.

Regiment spokesman Major George Jones said he was limited legally from commenting on Ms Steede's claims about her employment.

The officer said profanity was "a symptom of Bermuda society and not the Regiment" and that the decision to seek further education was available to all, regardless of the Island having a conscripted army.

"If certain individuals choose to delay their requirement to serve, as upheld by the Privy Council, then that is clearly a personal choice. However, in any case, the end result is that Bermuda benefits positively from a better educated and more qualified young Bermudian."

He added: "There are many who may support — or disagree — with Bermudians Against the Draft for their own valid reasons and a realistic and unbiased review of Ms Steede's comments plainly indicate that hers are not."

BAD founder Larry Marshall said: "We are grateful for the courage and conviction of Ms Steede because this is something that has been bothering her for some time.

"The fact that her conscience motivated her to come forward at this critical stage in the struggle is what is needed. She has confirmed what we have been saying all along."