Bermuda is to serve as a training ground for the Bermuda Regiment this weekend.More than 300 soldiers will be deployed as part of a training exercise around Dockyard, Warwick Camp and on South Shore beaches.The exercise is in advance of the Regiment’s overseas camp at Camp LeJeune in North Carolina and is an opportunity for new soliders to build on basic training and more seasoned troops to improve their skills.Said Sgt Maj Fred Oldenburg of the Regiment’s Training Wing: “It’s an important event because usually we only have one night a week to train. When we get them all in on a weekend like this, we have a captive audience, and training becomes ingrained.“Of equal importance to the training phase is the transition to a testing phase. At the end of the exercise period we will evaluate them on what they have learned in as realistic conditions as possible. We call is closing the residual training gap.”Every branch of the Regiment will be involved in the exercise.Said Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Gonsalves: “The Regiment has a variety of roles, from hurricane and disaster relief to ceremonial duties, as well as a public order obligation.“We train rigorously for the worst to help make sure the worst never happens. We continually follow international best practice, and it pays dividends. If, and when we get requested to assist other islands or locally, we know that our methods are the best that can be provided. ”There will be live firing at the Warwick Camp range; troops training on South Shore beaches will be using blank ammunition.The training area between Horseshoe Beach and Warwick Long Bay will remain open to the public but will be signposted with sentries on duty.The training exercise will run from Friday night to Sunday afternoon and there will be live firing at Warwick Camp between 7.30pm and 10pm on Friday.Blank ammunition will be used on South Shore between 8.30am and 4pm.For more information call 238-1045 or visit www.bermudaregiment.bm