about 170 recruits yesterday -- when they kicked off their military careers at this year's annual boot camp.

Marching, square bashing and getting to grips with some pretty heavy weaponry will be the order of the day for the next two weeks for the rookie soldiers -- along with the chance to form friendships that will last a lifetime.

More than 100 relatives, friends and well-wishers gathered outside the gates of Warwick Camp to see off their loved ones and to jeer at those rookies who failed to arrive for duty with military punctuality. All recruits, having picked up their uniforms and equipment before Christmas, had been ordered to be ready for duty at 0800 hours sharp.

A handful of latecomers, dashing into the barracks just after 8 a.m. roll call, were frog marched straight to the barracks jail by burly, barking Military Police corporals.

"Run, run, push yourself or they'll push you,'' shouted one MP as yet another beretless and unenthusiastic straggler strolled into camp a few minutes late.

Joseph Tavares, whose son Michael is in this year's contingent of raw recruits, said he was pleased his son was going into the Regiment.

"I think it's a good thing and everybody should do it,'' Mr. Tavares, of Ord Road, Paget, said. "My son was looking forward to it. I noticed the difference with my other son after he came back from boot camp. It's good for you, you learn about discipline.'' After the men had been split into platoons and sections, they were given a lightning tour of what will be their home for the next two weeks.

In that time the novice soldiers will undergo training in three primary areas of military tactics: drill instruction, weapons handling and living in the field.

In addition to the military functions, the Class of 1999 will also be expected to perform at all of Bermuda's ceremonial parades in the coming year, including the Peppercorn Parade in St. George's, the Queen's Birthday Parade in Hamilton, the opening of Parliament in November and the Remembrance Day Ceremony.

Women volunteers enter boot camp But what makes this year's camp unusual is that ten woman volunteers will also be taking part in the exercises.

Camp Commander Major Nick Moore, assured them that they will not be getting an easy ride.

"They will of course be housed separately, but basically they'll be doing all the same things as the men,'' he said.

Major Moore, who spent six years in the regular British Army after graduating from the prestigious Sandhurst military academy, believes that, like it or not, each recruit has a great deal to gain during the two weeks of physical and mental endurance.

"What you see in front of you is about 177 young men -- we are going to transform these men into soldiers,'' he said as the recruits stood to attention on the parade square waiting to be split into platoons.

"In the course of the next two weeks they will learn a lot of practical skills such as drill and field crafts. But they will also learn a great deal about self-discipline, which, unfortunately a lot of the youth of today seem to have forgotten about. We're talking about things like how to dress properly, how to iron a shirt, how to clean your boots every day.

"It's going to be challenging rather than tough. Unless these recruits have done something like the Cadets before, there's nothing else like this in Bermuda.

"Of course a lot of people here will have had brothers or friends who have been through it so they might have an idea of what it's all about. But until you actually get here and go through it nothing can really prepare you.

"But at the end of the day if you speak to most people they gain a tremendous sense of achievement through doing boot camp. I have been back in Bermuda for seven years and I still get former soldiers stopping me in the street. They seem to remember the good things and not the bad.'' Major Moore's second-in-command, Lieutenant Marc Telemaque, summed up the benefits in another way.

"Sure, there's a lot to learn from a practical standpoint in terms of military training,'' he said.

"But this is also one of the few places on the Island which is a complete melting pot. You'll get people from all walks of life who suddenly have to live together and work together for a common goal.

"That's the thrust of recruit camp -- it's all about camaraderie and teamwork.''