CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – Camp Lejeune is one of the largest Marine Corps Installations and routinely encourages joint military operations. One of the militaries that regularly trains here is the Royal Bermuda Regiment. The Royal Bermuda Regiment came to Camp Lejeune to conduct a two week evolution known as the Junior Noncommissioned Officer Cadre, May 4.
The JNCO Cadre is a promotions course for soldiers looking to advance from Private Bandsman Drummer to Lance Corporal and is open to all soldiers who have completed one year of service and have the recommendation of their company commander. This training requires additional drill nights and weekends and develops leadership, command skills, military knowledge and strengthens teamwork.
“We deploy every year to various places to do overseas training,” said Lt. Samuel G. Hewitt, instructor for the JNCO Cadre. “This is the potential Junior NCO’s Cadre and what we’re doing now is pretty much a final exercise testing. We do it here on Camp Lejeune because we don’t actually have the facilities in Bermuda, so what we do is we bring them out to test their navigation, leadership skills, and tactics and to see if they can get past the cadre.”
The 14-day course consists of scenario-based exercises, rappelling, section attacks and section battle drills.
“They’re going over the basics of section battle drills which (involves) coming under contact with the enemy and fighting through,” said Hewitt. “They’re changing command appointments between section commander and section officer in charge to see if they have (what it takes to) make those hard decisions to attack the enemy position and making sure that they understand how to do a replant on the spot.”
The regiment has been training day and night to take advantage of the time they have on Camp Lejeune to further their knowledge and one day become instuctors.
“We try to develop them in hope for them to one day be a Lance Corporal at the end of the course. They also get to do some shooting,” said Sgt. Patricia Alexander, platoon sergeant, Royal Bermuda Regiment. “I think they’re doing ok. It’s been very hot and physical. In Bermuda, they’re not used to as much heat, but it’s good training and that’s why we enjoy coming out here. At the end we’re going to be happy with the outcome.”
After graduating from the JNCO Cadre, Soldiers progress to the Methods of Instruction Cadre. During the MOI Cadre, students will be taught how to teach. The rifle lesson is typically the content, but the theory can be applied to any lesson. The MOI also focuses on presentation skills generally, as well as public speaking. After completing the MOI Cadre, JNCO’s will progress with job specific training.
“I’m proud of them. They keep coming out here testing their wits, their strengths, weaknesses and I think they’re a very good, dedicated bunch,” said Hewitt. “I look forward to seeing them pass and become Junior NCOs.”