After two weeks of scorching afternoon heat, intermittent rain and cold nights, 313 Bermuda Regiment soldiers returned from a 15-day exercise at Camp Lejeune North Carolina exhausted, exhilarated and somewhat relieved.

And while the soldiers from Alpha, Bravo and Support companies enjoy some well earned rest, Regimental headquarters is today a bee hive of activity as assessments, debriefings and future planning continues in earnest.

In fact there are steps already being made for next year's camp, although nothing concrete has been set in place.

For Bermuda Regiment commanding officer Lt. Col. David Burch, now in his second year at the helm of an organisation that turns 30 this September, the camp gave him an opportunity to appraise the battalion's competence and shortcomings.

This year's camp, which ran from April 22 until May 6, involved half of the entire body of 626 men and women. Those left behind were mainly first-year soldiers in Training Company who entered the Regiment in January 1995.

Unlike previous camps that involve one rifle company at a time on a rotating basis, this year's camp included both rifle companies and a substantial administrative tail.

"We took everybody which is not something we do often,'' Lt. Col. Burch explained. "But this camp was specifically designed for all those in specialist areas so that they would have an opportunity to train together as a unit.

"We wanted the soldiers and their leaders to come back with a real good idea of the strengths and weaknesses of their own sub unit.

"This information will then drive the direction and focus of training for the balance of this year.'' Both rifle companies were tested on basic weapons handling during the first week on the ranges, where they fired the Uzi and the mini-Ruger rifle.

Each soldier had to register a passing score with their weapon and was required to shoot accurately from the standing, kneeling and prone positions.

During the second week, the soldiers practised navigation over unfamiliar territory by day and night as well as living in the field, patrolling in jungle and urban terrain and crowd control.

Each rifle company alternated a 48-hour stint in the field at Combat Town, with one in Mout City -- the Military Operations Urban Terrain facility -- a makeshift urban town complete with a church, town hall and Government administration building.

There they practised internal security drills that included vehicle check points, cordons and searches, reactions to sniper fire and improvised explosive devices.

Also included in this year's group were six officer cadet candidates for whom the trip to North Carolina was the culmination of a seven-month local commissioning course.

In addition to the weapons testing and navigation, the cadets had a separate 36-hour test in the field to confirm their ability to prepare and extract orders, make combat appreciations, and lead reconnaissance and fighting patrols.

Successful candidates with be commissioned 2nd lieutenants in a ceremony at Government House on June 8.

Additionally, various members of support company -- cooks, medics, assault pioneers, regimental police and boat troop -- worked closely with their counterparts in the Marines.

As a result they were able to gain a deeper insight into their area of expertise.

The assault pioneers spent one week learning to make plastic explosives and defensive positions, while the boat troop went to Norfolk, Virginia and the regimental police did a stint at the brig.

Similarly, the medics worked with the Marine medics at Camp Johnson.

Meantime, members of the Bermuda Regiment Band and Corps of drums trained with the Marine Corps band and then took off for a five-day excursion through Raleigh Durham, and Charlotte in North Carolina and Atlanta.

Mr. Garth Pedro Peters, the department of Tourism's regional manager for the south eastern United States, organised the tour which attracted media and local interest.

In Charlotte, the band played at the Marriott Executive Park hotel before moving on to the Sheraton Imperial hotel in Raleigh, Durham. Their final stop was in Atlanta at Guest Quarters and Doubletree hotels.

For the finale, the band performed a beating retreat ceremony on May 3 and the Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan took the salute as they marched past at the end of the festivities.

"The band were working on a new programme for the summer season,'' Bermuda Regiment public relations officer Major David Gibbons explained.

"The camp overall set out with a few aims. Basic weapons handling for the rifle companies and a broadening of the experiences for those in Support company by working hands on with Marines.

"I think overall in my 14 years experience in the Bermuda Regiment the morale and the attitude on this camp was incredibly good from all the soldiers.

"It was an exceptionally good camp by all accounts which is encouraging.'' MEDICAL AID -- Two Bermuda Regiment medics respond to a mock wounded soldier on the roof of the Government Administration building at Mout City.

TOP VISITOR -- Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan chats quietly with Support Company Sergeant Major Sherwyn Richardson.

WE'RE READY! -- Members of A company's one platoon prepare to move out for the ranges. All photos courtesy of the Bermuda Regiment.