Speaking as someone who has completed his "allotted time" in the Bermuda Regiment I must say that I completely agree with Walton Brown's opinion piece in today's Royal Gazette. It was obvious to me during my service that far too much time is wasted forcing compliance with the rules and creating a cohesive force. If I had thought my service would have been beneficial to my future endeavours I would have been much more attentive instead of counting the days to completion. Better to have 100 well paid volunteers make a career of it than 300 conscripts. One would think that the new price point would be similar to the old. We could give the better quality soldier produced a much expanded role, one in keeping with the needs of Bermuda today. They would take pride in activities meaningful to the entire community ie. Coast Guard etc.
My first 2 week camp served as a traumatic introduction to Regiment life. The cursing and berating by ones superiors seemed more befitting to a convicted criminal guilty of the most heinous crime, not young impressionable men fresh out of high school. I was defiant at first, as was a high percentage of my peers but you quickly learn that there are punishments for those that choose to buck the system. After awhile one becomes immune to the treatment, your fate is sealed and you learn acceptance. The goal of this treatment is to make you a man right? I was told by the then Col. that this ordeal was necessary to prepare us for the working world, when working on a job you have to follow the bosses orders right? Yes and no. The major overriding difference is that I applied and choose to work at my job but I was forced against my will to serve in the Regiment. If I am abused by my boss there are options open to me, I can even get an different job. So you see this justification is absurd but one that i have found they use often.
I sit here 13 years after service with a head full of useless information such as how to field strip and reassemble a rifle in the dark. As a matter of fact I would be so bold as to say that the Regiment actually helps to foster a love of guns in the youth that have passed through its ranks. I personally witnessed many of my peers develop this love, only to be informed on there completion of the required 3 years and 2 months that they can never legally handle said weaponry here again. Why encourage this behaviour in 18 year old aggressive males in a supposed gun free society? Makes you think doesn't it? Is it any wonder they feel the need to answer the call of the cold black steel in a Bermuda where being in the wrong place at the wrong time could quite possibly end your life? In other countries you can have this lust fulfilled by legally owning one and participating in recreational shooting at a range but not in the land of contradiction we call Bermuda.
We must decide if the current configuration of the Bermuda Regiment is the way forward for 2011 and beyond. It is my personal belief that an unbiased review must be done and the results put to the people. We must decide if this is the way we should be treating our young men. There must be a better way, all we have to do is be willing to look.
Clinton, you raise some interesting points, coming from someone who has served. I have been of the view that this whole discussion about the regiment is much ado about nothing, but that was coming from someone who hasn't served. I remember, now, that my brother hated his stint. Since the regiment does perform some useful duties, maybe something that satisfies most parties and still provides the benefits can be found.
ReplyDeleteCordell
That's the problem Cordell... most people that comment about Regimental service have not experienced it so it's easy to write off conscripts concerns. The whole process needs and honest unbiased review in order to chart the way forward.
ReplyDeleteThe method of conscription is archaic and gender-biased. Other smaller islands in the Caribbean have adopted other methods of attracting enough people without having to tramp all other an individual's rights. It's typical of an island that views itself as being so on the cutting edge, but is really narrow-minded and myopic in our views.
ReplyDeleteFor all purposes, gender-biased conscription 'punishes' Bermudian males merely by being born a male. Unless you're going to, by law, enforce some kind of mandatory service on women( not necessarily the Regiment), then it's frankly discrimination and we should not, in the year 2011, be subscribing to this.