Soldier stars in Regiment Recruit Camp video blog

One of Bermuda’s newest soldiers has become a social media star after pulling extra duty for a blog from this year’s Recruit Camp.

Conscript Pte Jacin Lowe, a freelance film-maker in civilian life, is using a Go Pro camera to bring social media viewers a running commentary on his first days in the island’s defence force.

And Pte Lowe is already shaping up to be a star, with thousands of hits on his video diary on the Bermuda Regiment Facebook page – a first for the Regiment and aimed at dispelling some of the myths surrounding military service.

Pte Lowe, 22, from Southampton, said: “It’s been interesting so far – not everybody knows exactly what goes on here.

“As much as possible, I want to film and talk about what we go through on a daily basis and keep people updated.”

He added: “I normally appear behind the camera, so it feels a little bit odd. And I’ve never actually seen any of my footage. But I’ve been hearing from some of the officers, Sergeants and Corporals that it’s had 3000 hits.”

Pte Lowe said that his first lessons in the safe use and handling of Regiment-issue rifles had been the high spot of his first few days at Warwick Camp.

But he admitted: “Drill is probably the thing I like the least – but you have to get on with it. And I’m glad I’m part of one of the best platoons in Recruit Camp. Our Sergeants and Corporals are proud of us and every day we continue to make progress.”

He added: “I’m not a fan of mornings either – I tend to work better at night, so that’s taking some getting used to. And it’s a bit of a challenge getting enough sleep, but at the end of the day, it’s about doing what you’re supposed to do and getting through these two weeks.”

Pte Lowe was speaking only three days into the tough two week training schedule for new soldiers.

He is one of 130 new recruits who joined the Bermuda Regiment on Sunday. The latest intake of soldiers boasted the highest-ever number of volunteers – a total of 40, half of them women.

But Pte Lowe revealed he’s not new to military life – he served in the US Air Force junior Reserve Officers Training Corps while at high school in Florida.

He said: “The discipline has been around since I was young – but I’m a little bit out of shape, so the exercise is tough. But it’s basically the same stuff I was taught when I was young, so I’m not nervous about it.”

A Regiment career offers recruits opportunities to travel, acquire skills useful in civilian life, test themselves to their limits and competitive rates of pay, as well as a $300 bounty for new volunteers. For more information, call 238-1045 or visit www.bermudaregiment.bm .