The former commanding officer of the Bermuda Regiment last night welcomed proposals to make it less military and more skills-based - but said he was against soldiers taking over Police guard duties.

Patrick Outerbridge, who retired from the Regiment in July after 22 years as a soldier, said most of the changes were long overdue and were what the Island's soldiers needed to keep them motivated and enthusiastic.

But he feared plans to replace Police officers with soldiers on guard duty outside the Premier's residence and the Cabinet Office was more about how "pretty'' they would look, rather than for practical reasons.

The Royal Gazette reported on Saturday the results of a massive review of the part-time army, which will see the troops better able to deal with natural and man-made disasters.

The plans include cutting 100 soldiers from the current 700-strong force, establishing more full-time troops, reducing conscription from three to two years and creating a new marine patrol force.

The aim of the sweeping changes is to shift the Regiment towards a more modern, relevant role and to make it more interesting to recruits.

Last night, Mr. Outerbridge said although he did not agree with all of the changes, the majority would enhance the army.

He said: "It's nice to see that a lot of my ideas have been recommended.

"I suggested down-sizing the Regiment and having a full-time boat troop.

There was a lot of talent, knowledge and experience in the Regiment when it came to boats, so it made sense to have a full-time unit. It could be very useful here.

"I also said that we had to give the soldiers something else other than riot training. I felt it was important that we gave them skills, for example to build walls and lay conduit pipes -- something that they could take away and use elsewhere, besides the Regiment.

"There should be so many opportunities for them to gain greater qualifications and experience in a number of areas, as well as providing a service to Bermuda.

"The Regiment needs new ideas. The staff up there have to constantly be looking for new ideas on how to try and keep it interesting and useful. I certainly welcome most of the changes.'' Mr. Outerbridge believed cutting the conscription period from three years to two would work, as well as proving popular with the soldiers, as many found it difficult to juggle the Regiment, work and family commitments.

However, he said he did not agree with more soldiers being made full-time, apart from the Boat Troop, because it did not warrant it and their welfare needed to be considered.

And he said he was against full-time soldiers taking over Police guard duties at the Premier's residence and the Cabinet Office.

"It is difficult to have soldiers on guard duty. You (the regiment) have to be on top of the welfare of that young chap 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

"What is the Regiment going to do with that soldier when he comes off guard.

For the Police it is different because when they come off guard duty, there are so many other duties he can do. What are these soldiers going to do? "Besides, guard duty is not the greatest thing a soldier looks forward to -- it's the worst.

"What it will be is soldiers out there in their uniforms looking pretty.'' Also recommended in the review was basic literacy and numeracy training for those in need, full-time staff to be given three-year contracts, the retirement age to be made 50 and a reporting system to be created for measuring performance.

A joint UK and Bermuda team, recommended the raft of changes. An implementation team will now bring the proposals forward.

Last night, Deputy Governor Tim Gurney agreed the issue of soldiers being on guard duty was not going to be easy.

He said: "It is something everybody recognises for sure and we are all very clear that it will take time.

"The Governor's Council have asked the CO (Commanding Officer Lt. Col. David Gibbons) to look at ways of bringing this about and he will report back with ideas on how it can be done.

"There is a huge amount of work here -- not least with first recruiting the full-time soldiers to go on guard duty. They will not be conscription soldiers.''