Hello Bermuda. Last week we discussed recruit camp. Well, I went to visit recruit camp this week and am happy to report that things seem to doing fine.

The numbers are up from last year and the young guys seem, for the most part, to be just getting on with what they have to do. I can tell everyone that from personal experience recruit camp really isn't that BAD (excuse the pun Larry Marshall). In fact, to the contrary, it really is quite good.

More on this after The Top 20.

Up to number one is Live Your Life by T.I. featuring hot girl and Bajan Bombshell Rihanna.

Tumbling to number two is Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) by Beyonce.

Way up to number three is Right Here by Brandy, thanks to the dance mix.

Falling into the number four spot is Miss Independent by Ne-Yo, DJ LT's current fave.

I Hate This Part, by the Pussycat Dolls, climbs to number five.

On the way up at number six is Chopped and Skrewed by T Pain featuring Ludacris, a former essential new tune.

Falling to number seven is the hip and cool new track by John Legend and Andre 3000, entitled Green Light.

Slipping to number eight is the new one from Jazmine Sullivan entitled Bust Your Windows.

Sliding to number nine is Whatever You Like by T.I.

Up to number ten is Trading Places by Usher.

Jumping to number 11 is Sandcastle Disco by Solange, Beyonce's little sister.

Falling to number 12 is Mrs. Officer by my namesake Lil Wayne featuring Bobby Valentino and Kidd Kidd.

Down into the number 13 spot is the new hit from Ne-Yo, entitled Closer.

Up to number 14, is Miles Away by Madonna. Madge continues to impress and produce hits, 27 years after her first single. The woman is unbelievable.

Improving to number 15 is Pop Champagne by Jim Jones featuring Juelz Santana.

Falling to number 16 is Get Up by Gospel Sister Duo Mary Mary and at number 17 is Dangerous by Kardinal Official, from Canada, featuring Akon.

Up to number 18 is Keyshia Cole featuring 2Pac with Playa Cardz Right. You'll hear this one on the radio quite a bit these days; it kicks and is well produced.

Now, this week's essential new hit.

New this week is One More Drink by Ludacris and T Pain, in at number 19. This track is off the rack. The beat is awesome and is one of the best produced I've heard in some time. This hit is my current fave and it bangs.

New at number 20 is Womaniser by Britney Spears. Not a bad track.

Now back to this week's words: the Bermuda Regiment.

I believe in the collective democratic power of human beings to do what is in the best interest of the country.

Thus far, the majority of the country still wants conscription, still wants the Bermuda Regiment and still understands that exposure to a disciplined organisation like an army does more good than harm to most individuals.

The people who do not improve in organisations like the regiment usually will not improve anywhere. Hear me out, I said usually, meaning in the majority of cases.

During my visit to recruit camp this week, I happened upon a veteran soldier who said to me, "The proof that this organisation is good for our people is in the success in life of the people who have come through it. If you look around this room, everybody here has made a success of their life in some way".

We went on to discuss that many of the people who spend extra time in the army have become successful doctors, lawyers, accountants, creative entrepreneurs, self-employed contractors, senior managers in both the public and private sector, indeed leaders.

This doesn't mean that people cannot be successful without being in the army! Don't get that twisted. Many of us have been to universities and I can tell you from personal experience that the things that I learned in my 21 years in the army were not and could not be taught at university, or at the post-graduate level.

I have an MBA and I will say here that my success in my personal and professional life has been more a product of things I learned in the army than by my MBA!

I'm not discouraging people from getting degrees, quite the contrary - go earn a degree, you need them. What I'm saying is that military experience can give you that extra edge, the stuff you don't get in university that separates the boys from the men, the leaders from the followers, the bosses from the employees. Schools in Bermuda and worldwide are good at producing effective employees. Organisations like armies produce leaders who end up heading companies, owning businesses, being in charge.

With so many of our young men and women ruining their lives with poor life choices, the army offers a place for those who might not learn the skills needed to be successful in life.

I include women in the discussion because we have reached the point where many women are making poor life choices that limit their chances of success.

I will take licks for this, but I'm going to say it anyway. Having numerous children by several different men is not a path to success for a young lady.

Further, although it takes a man and a woman to have a child, with all the birth control and information that is available, there is absolutely no reason why a young lady should have three to four children, each by a different guy, before she reaches the age of 30!

Go ahead critics - pounce on me if you will, but that is the truth. I'm sorry but if I were a female, there is no way that I would have three to four children by just as many different men.

All I would have to do is take a pill a day. Don't get me wrong, children are a blessing, to be cherished and loved. But if you can't provide for them and you're creating an unhealthy environment for them, you shouldn't be having them.

Then these very same people who will ask for Government to help pay for them and provide for them. I go back to the passion children comment made by Senator Col. David A. Burch, where he famously stated, "The Government wasn't in the bedroom when you made your passion children; so why should the Government pay for them?"

He pissed off some people but he was right. Those with at least half a brain agreed with him.

However, I digress, back to the Regiment.

The Bermuda Regiment continues to provide good training for young people. Of course it is not perfect - very few things and few organisations are. Heck, just look at the giant businesses around the world that many people have worshipped for years!

The Regiment in Bermuda, though, is really perfect for Bermuda and Bermudians. You get most of the training and atmosphere of being in the military, without having to put your life at risk by fighting wars. That's really cool. You get to train alongside full-time professional soldiers and learn from them without ever having to be exposed to some of the cruelties and tragedies they have faced.

So you get the best of both worlds in the Bermuda Regiment.

Peace...