After two-three weeks with men in lines, Commanding Officer asked me to shift to bachelor’s accommodation near the Officer’s mess. With this change in atmosphere and life style, I started to realize my rise and thus I felt more dignified. I shifted my entire luggage to the room. Same night from the office a Havildar clerk came running to my room. One of our Jawan’s family members is sick and wanted to go home town immediately. No other officer was immediately available to countersign the travel warrant form. I know it is some what risky to sign without the knowledge of senior officer, but looking at the emergency, I have to sign by reading the document and fully believing the clerk. It was my first signature to approve any official document in the capacity of an officer in Indian Army.
a break during weapon cleaning in academy
You can do anything provided it won’t create any problem. You can also do anything provided you won’t get caught! But it’s unofficial and is applicable usually for things like; when you are not reaching in parade on time, one button is missing from uniform, shoe is not properly polished, etc… I meant it for the people in uniform from not getting ticked off by their seniors. This happens always when someone not meeting the minimum requirement; “be in right place at right time with right things”.
I started taking my food from officer’s mess, even though I hadn’t dined in officially. Dining in itself is a party and an official function. Every unit will have their own way and traditional procedure to do the same. In couple of days my dining in also decided. All officers and families were present. There I sipped my first hard drink in my life. As per the tradition of the unit I had to take three full glass neat cocktail drinks. After gulping each drink, I have to crawl three times under the legs of a Rhino “the symbol of the unit” statue kept in the veranda of the mess shouting “Tagara Raho” means “be powerful and healthy”. After that I could n’t with stand much time and started vomiting and I was taken back to my room. Actually dine-in party is a party for those who comes to dine-in officer and not for the Officer!
I started attending the duties going from officer’s mess. I had to call on all married officers at their house. But, many officers were not available and I could visit to one family only. They had arranged a good dinner for me and gave me a feeling of my own home.
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