Rookie recruits got their first taste of military discipline yesterday morning on the first day of this year's boot camp.

At precisely 8 a.m. -- or 0800 hours -- some 180 fresh-faced recruits were marched at the double onto the parade square of Warwick Camp before being split into platoons. And they were left in no doubt that their lives, for the next two weeks at least, belong to the Regiment. Those who failed to show up on time were dragged through the camp by bellowing Regiment Police corporals as a crowd of onlookers and well wishers jeered on. They were then locked up in one of the camp's guard room cells for failing to observe military punctuality.

After being shown to their quarters -- cold, bare dormitories lined with bunk beds -- the military ritual began with the men being instructed on how to properly wear their uniforms.

That was followed by a an appointment at the hair dressers where NCOs wielding electric clippers gave the rookies an into-the-bone crewcut.

The training platoons -- marked with different coloured shoulder flashes -- were then taken on a whirlwind familiarisation tour of the camp before being addressed by new Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Patrick Outerbridge.

Then it was on to the South Shore firing range where the recruits got an introduction to the weapons they will be firing in the next three years.

Training company officer Capt. Larry Mussenden explained how the recruits will benefit from the two weeks of square bashing, inspections and fitness training.

"There are a number of responsibilities that we have from carrying out ceremonial duties to helping out if there are any natural disasters or things like riots,'' he said.

"The Regiment is a bit like having an insurance premium and we have to have a trained body of men which is a lot cheaper in the long run. If there was a riot and the police and the regiment couldn't deal with it we would be faced with lots of other problems and that's the reason why we need to have a military presence in Bermuda.

"But the recruits don't just get a basic military training. We also have lectures on things like safe sex and how to go for a job interview.'' Permanent staff instructor WO2 Steve Davis stressed how demanding the two-week course would be. "There's a lot of information that these guys will be taking on and the standard they reach in that short time is a credit to them because they are continually being bombarded with information,'' he said.

After a lunch of spaghetti and meat sauce the troops were given more lectures on weapons before beginning the first of many sessions on the parade square learning how to march.

Photos by David Skinner QUICK MARCH -- This year's recruits make their way to the parade square for their first taste of military drill while Regiment Police Corporal Chauncey Durham expresses his displeasure at a rookie who dared to arrive late.