The Bermuda Regiment has appointed Major George Jones, a lawyer with 18 years of Regiment experience, as its new Second-in-Command.

Major Jones was yesterday named to the position in a statement from Government House.

"I was both honoured and humbled when His Excellency informed me of my appointment," he said. "My focus has never been on career progression within the Regiment, but rather benefiting Bermuda society as a whole.

"I look forward to continuing to do so in tandem with the additional responsibilities my new appointment entails."

Major Jones was born in Bermuda in 1969 and educated at Saltus Grammar School and in the United States before returning to Bermuda and immediately volunteering for the Regiment.

He credits his high school motto – and Bermuda itself – for inspiring him to voluntarily serve in a Regiment reliant largely upon conscripts:

"My high school had the motto "To Serve, Not To Be Served", and I have always tried to live my life accordingly.

"I was a firm believer then – and still am now – that if it were not for Bermuda I would never have been offered the opportunities in life that I have had.

"I wanted to give back to our society in a meaningful way and felt Regiment was the best and most immediate avenue through which I could do just that," he added.

He was commissioned as an officer in 1994 and has served as Platoon Commander, Regimental Signals Officer, Company Second-in-Command and Company Commander in Bermuda as well as most recently, Company Commander for Support Company, with responsibility for the Regiment's specialist units.

He was the first member of the Bermuda Regiment to be attached to the 3 Royal Anglian Regiment. He served as a Company Commander with responsibility for the Counties of Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland during his three years studying law in the UK.

Major Jones has also been a United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination Team Member since 2006, and has been trained by the UN in Panama and Chile.

He served as Contingent Commander for Ops TURKS TEMPEST, a humanitarian relief mission to the Turks and Caicos, involving both Regiment and Parks Department personnel in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike in 2008.

Over the years, he has seen an increased ability on the part of the Bermuda Regiment to offer such assistance, as well as enhanced cooperation with affiliated overseas regiments leading to additional opportunities for local soldiers.

He also notes a recent substantial increase in the pay rates – most significantly for the junior ranks.

"More opportunities for better pay", he said, "What better changes can there be?"

One thing that he does not believe has changed is the need for the Regiment in our society.

Looking forward to his new role, Major Jones describes it as being largely about supporting the Commanding Officer in matters of training, operations and discipline, and ensuring that his orders and directions in these matters are carried out.

His personal goal, as a former Signals Officer and currently as the Officer Commanding Support Company is to see an upgrade of the existing communications platform.

"There have been discussions now for sometime in and amongst all the Emergency Measures Organisation for the need of a single, inter-operable system that will allow all of the service to communicate directly during times of joint operations. I look forward to seeing the new system integrated, ideally within my tenure," he said.

Currently employed as an Associate in Appleby's Corporate and Commercial Practice Group, Major Jones has previously worked with the Bank of Butterfield, Butterfield Asset Management and Promisant Ltd.

Major Jones holds a BA in International Relations from Bucknell University and an MBA in Entrepreneurship from Babson College as well as an LLB from the University of Buckingham. He was called to the Bermuda Bar in 2006.

He has gained both professional and personal fulfilment through his many years of service:

"Some of my best friendships have been made through my involvement in the Regiment, as well as some of my fondest memories.

"It is the opportunity to continue to serve alongside and together with these men and women, for the benefit of Bermuda as a whole, that really makes it worthwhile," he said.