A group of rookie soldiers will take part in lessons on marching, field exercises and safe weapon handling after they took their places in the Royal Bermuda Regiment for the first time this week.

Two women and 16 men embarked on the tough two-week foundational training course on Sunday.

Second Lieutenant Daniel Wideman, Platoon Commander for the recruit camp, said that the course served as an introduction to the life of a soldier.

“We’re aiming to teach them how to perform drills well – drills in marching, drills with their weapon handling – and deliver introductions to shooting and marksmanship principles,” he added.

“We’ll cover fieldcraft, which includes how to set up a harbour and how to take care of yourself in the field.

“It’s a pretty intense two weeks; you don’t get a lot of sleep or free time and much is asked of the recruits.

“The learning curve is steep but the whole thing introduces them to what military life is all about.”

Lieutenant Wideman aims to create a cohort that wants to invest in the military.

“It’s not just getting them to do two weeks; it’s getting them excited to be part of the regiment, part of something that’s bigger than themselves,” he explained.

“Of course, it’s a way to give back to the community.”

Private Malachi Hayward, 18, was inspired to join the RBR by his father, grandfather and great-grandfather – all of whom served in the military before him.

The Devonshire resident explained: “It was the way they carried themselves, outside and in, that influenced me to join and follow in their footsteps.

“I thought it would be a good place for me to learn and grow as a person.”

As the new soldiers make Warwick Camp their temporary home, Private Hayward noted “how fun it is with the people in my barrack room, how fun it is to get along with all of them, they’re cool people”.

Private Daylen Francis, from Warwick, signed up to build confidence and increase his fitness.

“It’s better than I expected,” the 18-year-old said. “I expected ration packs and things like that, but we’re getting full meals.”

He added: “It’s very enjoyable. I’ve been able to meet new people and I’m learning a lot.”

Private Eli Furbert, 18, from Devonshire, previously got a taste of military life when he participated in the RBR’s Junior Leaders programme.

He said: “I’ve done it all before. I’m not perfect at it but I’m used to doing drill, specifically, and I’m sure the weapons training will come back to me."

Private Furbert, a sailing instructor with Endeavour, particularly enjoyed his camp on Paget Island as a Junior Leader and is looking forward to fieldcraft exercises in the days ahead.

• For more information, visit rbr.bm or call 238-1045.