The Royal Bermuda Regiment has not operated at its maximum capacity since conscription ended in 2018 – but officials say it has not prevented it from carrying out its duties.

According to Major Duncan Simons, the organisation’s total strength has ranged from about 270 to almost 380 and currently has approximately 300 soldiers – its maximum number is 400.

Major Simons said: “The factor having the greatest impact on recruitment is the state of the economy; our intakes typically increase during economic downturns.

“Another factor is the decrease of young people in Bermuda, both due to low birthrates and emigration.”

Major Simons said lower enrolment numbers had not affected the regiment’s ability to carry out its duties properly.

“During the Covid embodiments of 2020-22, no more than 200 soldiers were mobilised at the peak of the operation and additional numbers allowed for soldiers to be rotated and to allow for resiliency and redundancy.”

He added that at least 60 soldiers were deployed to clean up after hurricanes, but that number sometimes doubled depending on the storm’s damage.

Since conscription ended, some of the organisation’s services, such as the coastguard unit, have expanded and the soldier turnover rate has decreased.

Major Simons said: “[Members] typically stay in the regiment well beyond their initial three-year commitment – now, the typical service time is around five to six years.

“We generally lose around 20 to 30 people a year and we need to take in a little more than that.”

Nineteen people volunteered for this year’s first recruit camp and a second camp is planned for later in the year.

The House of Assembly voted to end conscription in June 2018 and Wayne Caines, the then Minister of National Security, said at the time: “The modern era dictates that the time has come for conscription into the RBR to end, as is the case in each of the other Overseas Territories.”

The decision was opposed by nine former commanding officers, who believed that the organisation would not be able to attract enough soldiers.

Despite initially protesting the decision, Lieutenant-Colonel Allan Rance said that it was “far too soon” for the regiment to consider reintroducing conscription.

He added: “I don’t think that there is any going back on it not being a volunteer organisation and a lot would have to depend on future manning and how important people consider it to be for the country.”

While acknowledging the importance of the coastguard, Colonel Rance said that since most of Bermuda’s population lives on land, the regiment has to remain land oriented.

He explained: “The Defence Act makes it very clear that the regiment’s primary role is assisting the civil authority, primarily the police.

“It is great to have a coastguard, but the regiment should not neglect the role it has on land.”

Lieutenant-Colonel Patrick Outerbridge, also one of the nine former COs who objected to ending conscription, said he would like to it brought back because he believed it helped to recognise talented people.

“When I was there, we always led great talent; you are taught how to show up on time, how to work with a team, and I think that some of these kids could use some of the discipline.”

Anyone between the ages of 18 and 50 who is working on the island and may be interested in joining the regiment can visit its website.

• UPDATE: This article has been amended to clarify that nine former Regiment Commanding Officers opposed ending conscription.

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