Major Henry Campbell joined the Bermuda Regiment in 1982 and within three years, he was a Sergeant.

"Within a year of that, I was Duty Officer Selection Training and was offered a full time job as a permanent staff instructor," he said of his career.

"With that I was required to go to England for a 12 months for series of courses and attachments to the British Regiment.

"I ended up doing 13 years and within that time, I went through all the ranks. It was when I was leaving the Island for a whole new lifestyle that it was suggested that I apply for the Adjutant's position, which meant that I was promoted from Sgt. Major to Lieutenant and shortly after to Captain.

"Then I went for a whole slew of courses for officer training at Sandhurst, the Barbados Defence Force Staff College, which involved administration for the British Army to do mostly with battalion administration and the responsibility of deploying regiments throughout the world.

"Also we did high level communication and some security tings that I cannot tell you about. It was exciting."

He then returned to the Bermuda Regiment, who were having an overseas camp in Jamaica.

The highlight of the Adjutant's position was that the Bermuda Regiment celebrated its 25th Anniversary and he and Regimental Sgt. Major Herman Eve had to choreograph a parade for the Royal visit.

"In fact Governor (Desmond) Langley was a great help, because he was in place at that time," said Major Campbell of the former British Army general who recently died.

"He had been a Brigadier, he was a great influence and showed a lot of interest, so he taught me in the preparation for the Royal visit."

Along with that, Major Campbell also spoke about his time preparing for two presidential summits, in which he liaised with the CIA.

When asked if he thought for a moment that he would have had so many experiences when he volunteered for the Bermuda Regiment, he said: "No.

"I volunteered with a friend on a dare — I had plans to do my three years and get out."

He also travelled to Cyprus and was in Germany when the wall that divided East and West Germany was being torn down.

"It was another high point to be out there such a historical occasion," he said. "Amazing."

He has since taken a break from being an active officer, but has been involved with the volunteers specialist group, which is headed by Major Glenn Brangman.

"It is former Regiment members working along with the RAA (Royal Artillerymen's Association) in St. George's for community service and overseas outreach," he said. "We are more involved with mission work in Jamaica and that still continues today."

His most recent promotion will bring him back into the Regiment, however.

"I've been appointed to head up the Cadet Corps," he said

Seeing his step-son embark on a similar career path has been rewarding, he said.

"It is great. One of the things that I believe is good is the foundation that we get and the principles that we are taught — people look at the military and just think everything is regimented and that you have to do things a certain way all the time.

"But you actually learn about being flexible, managing your time, looking after your health, and you have also got to be aware of other obligations and learn to organise yourself better.

"So to see him do it, it's great. He has a natural inclination for it, he's always been somewhat of a daredevil kind of guy, so it is good to see him channel it into the Marine Corps."

Speaking like a proud father, Major Campbell went on to add: "He did the Police, he did the Bermuda Regiment, EMT ... and all these things have culminated into somebody that you don't have to worry about.

"He has had a good Christian foundation and he knows that is the most important thing, as far as we are concerned. After that, he can go for everything else.

"We are very proud of him. It was also just amazing that my promotion appointment came just a week before this, so he didn't know when I got there, so we were surprising him as well as excited to be there."