A DAY IN THE LIFE: SOLDIER
Name: Calshunto James Rank: Lance corporal Platoon: Guns and Assault Pioneers (GAP) Regiment: Bermuda Regiment
Working Hours: Wednesday nights, 6 to 10, and some weekends. Also, a mandatory two-week camp for each year of service, either in Bermuda or overseas
Entry requirements: Applicants must be over 18 and less than 42 years of age, be a Commonwealth citizen and successfully complete a medical exam
Salary expectations: $140 to $150 per day Soldier What attracted you to a career in the army?
I was attracted to the discipline of it, the art and everything else. It’s just exciting to me, like an adrenaline rush.
How did you join the Bermuda Regiment? I started in the Army Cadets at 13 and stayed for about three years. The Cadets wasn’t as intense as the army is now, but it was a good experience. I always liked the army, so when I got drafted, I stayed for my mandatory three-year service, which I enjoyed. I was bumped up to lance corporal during my second year of service. I’ve stayed on for an extra two years so far, and I’m staying on again for another year.
What did you do to become a lance corporal?
I went on an overseas trip to Morocco. I was on attachment with the Royal Gibraltar Regiment. I took part in an exercise called Jebel Sahara, which was pre-deployment training for the Royal Gibraltar Regiment. During the exercise, our training covered house clearances, enemy vehicle control points, internal security and improvised explosive devices.
Where else have you been with the regiment?
I went to Barbados to work as part of the internal security detail for the Cricket World Cup. It was a good experience, because it was real and not an exercise. We really had to protect and serve, because the internal security was focused on riot control. Nothing broke out, but that was what we were there for.
44 FAST TRACK / Careers module / 2010-2011 What opportunities exist within the regiment?
There’s the chance to go full-time with the regiment, but I’ve just got to wait for the position. Right now, I’m with GAP, which does everything, so it provides a lot of opportunities. We use the ceremonial guns during parades, we train in internal security drills, and we dig battle trenches and carry out preparations for the Alpha Company. When Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II made her visit to Bermuda in 2009, there was a parade that almost the whole Island came to. For her salute, we fi red the cannons. There’s another parade later this year, just after the Remembrance Day Parade on November 11, where our Colonel-in- Chief, Her Royal Highness Princess Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, will present the regiment with new colours. We’re brushing up on our drills in preparation. We have a few new recruits coming over and we have to make sure we show them the proper procedures.
What is a typical day in the regiment?
On a normal day, we’ll prepare the guns for the parade, polish the brass to make sure it’s nice and clean and looks good, brush up on drills, and anything like that. In GAP, we have our chainsaw qualifi cation. In the aftermath of Hurricane Igor, we went around making sure the main roads were clear. We also checked houses. If part of the roof had come off, we covered it to stop water or anything getting inside the house. We helped out a lot of neighbourhoods. We got broken up into small groups to cover the whole Island, so we each had a bit to do.
What is the best thing about your job?
The best thing is the life experience. I get to do a lot of things that ordinary people don’t.
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