The sight of the Bermuda Regiment soldiers deployed at the Island's ports may have reassured tourists last week but their sloppy attitude has disturbed residents and sparked an investigation.

Soldiers called up to defend the island's key points during last week's terrorism scare were seen drinking and sleeping on the job, buying beer in liquor stores, and carrying their guns in a slack manner.

Lieutenant Colonel David Gibbons said: "I am hugely disappointed.

"A lot needs to be addressed to ensure the standard is raised."

The Regiment has had a lot of calls from the public complaining about slack soldiers during the three-day embodiment after the terrorism attacks in America.

One reader wrote to the Royal Gazette about armed soldiers seen guarding the airport on Friday morning: "They were asleep with their weapons pointing in various directions across their bodies.

"I was afraid that I might startle them when I had to gently toot my horn to rouse one of them to come to our car to explain why we needed to drive to the terminal.

"I don't think Mr. bin Laden would have been so courteous."

The letter writer went on: "What is the deal with the brown paper `canteens' some of the members of the Regiment were drinking from in the back of the trucks going to strategic points?

"Would this have anything to do with their sleeping on the post?

Other observers noted:

soldiers buying beer from Burrows and Lightbourn store on Front Street

an Uzi-toting soldier sleeping on an airport trolley on Thursday afternoon

a soldier using his rifle as a make-shift walking stick while crossing Front Street from Pier Six in the early hours of Wednesday morning

soldiers walking through St. George's with their rifles slung over their backs and pointing at the ground - a possible hazard if the gun accidentally went off and the bullet ricocheted around the street.

But Lt. Col Gibbons said that the Regiment had not been carrying loaded guns.

He said soldiers had been instructed to carry weapons in a non-threatening manner by having them over their shoulders rather than across their chests.

Asked about a Royal Gazette photo which showed a soldier carrying his rifle in his hand Lt. Col Gibbons said: "I am not happy."

"I have instructed the adjutant to start an investigation.

"We have a meeting on Thursday morning to go over these points but it will now take a very focussed aspect in dealing with these sorts of things. Obviously it concerns me greatly.

Lt. Col. Gibbons added: "Unfortunately the standard I expect wasn't maintained. We need to make sure there is a greater command presence on the ground."

He said meals and soft drinks were given out in brown paper bags.

But he said: "I will supervise establishing what was in those brown paper bags and deal with it."

Lt. Col. Gibbons said he had been disappointed from his own observations of soldiers as he travelled around the island.

He said he had seen soldiers sitting down on the job in St. George's and looking out the window of their make-shift barracks on Front Street - on both occasions he had intervened.