New Recruits Reflect on Growth and Challenges a Week into Royal Bermuda Regiment Training
One week into their rigorous foundational training, Royal Bermuda Regiment recruits are already witnessing personal growth and the benefits of military life. From building discipline to pushing their limits, the recruits are embracing the challenges of recruit camp.
The soldiers, now more than halfway through their intensive training, have spent the past week immersed in a packed schedule of lessons, drills, and early-morning workouts. For many, the experience has pushed them beyond their comfort zones and toward greater personal development.
Private Tiquann Pieroni, 31, joined the Regiment to develop stronger discipline and focus.
"My reason for enlisting was to build up more of a character for myself, a stronger mindset of discipline, because I have a bad habit of procrastination," said Pte Pieroni, a warehouse manager from Sandys. "It will give me a better focus for sticking to one direction in terms of what I want to do and where I want to go."
He added that meeting people with different personalities has been an eye-opening experience. While he enjoys the physical fitness aspect and learning about weapons, he admits that mastering drill movements has been a challenge.
"The drills are very difficult for me; I need a lot more time with those," he admitted.
Pte Pieroni, one of 24 recruits who started training on February 9, noted that he is already seeing improvements in himself.
"I’ve built up more endurance, and my patience has become better," he said.
Like Pte Pieroni, Private Kira Dill, 21, from Devonshire, sees the recruit camp as an opportunity to grow.
"I want to prove to myself that I’m capable of anything—capable of tough or hard things," she said. "I see the benefits of being here because I care about serving my country. I also believe this will help my discipline, make me more responsible, and make me wiser."
Private Jonathan Lozada first experienced military life as a cadet with the Regiment in 2004. Two decades later, the 38-year-old kitchen porter from Southampton returned to gain a fresh perspective.
"What I’ve enjoyed most is the fitness. I do a lot of running, so that’s been one of my favourite parts, as well as the marching. Of course, the food has been very good as well," he said with a smile.
Reflecting on his military journey, Pte Lozada added: "To have friends who have been here for 15, 20, 25 years—it’s breathtaking. It brings back memories." Looking ahead, he hopes to push himself as far as he can in his military career.
Second Lieutenant Shane Helberg, the recruits’ platoon commander, acknowledged that the first week presented challenges, but emphasized the importance of teamwork.
"The most important thing they need to learn is to help each other out—that’s what we’re trying to get across: don’t leave a man behind," he said. "That’s more important than anything else, so they need to grasp that—it’s the teamwork element."
To balance the intensity of training, the recruits enjoyed a sports evening on Saturday, providing a welcome break from their military duties.
As they prepare for their first overnight field exercise, as well as an assault course and fitness tests later this week, the recruits continue to push their limits, proving their resilience, teamwork, and commitment to the Regiment.