Prepare for move

In this station, I attended the church function and involved in all the proceedings sitting in the front bench. I felt the god’s presence as days light. In Masjid, Mandir, Gurudwara, Church or what ever way we call it we go and focus our thoughts to the altar and pray as focusing the sunlight with a lens and feel its power.

     

One day we assembled in brigade head quarter to send off the commander. He is retiring from his service. All the soldiers from that station had assembled there to pull the Jonga decorated with flowers from head quarter building to the gate. There was a strong emotional attachment and bond as one from the family is going back proudly fulfilling his duty after devoting his whole life to the Nation.

      a break during outdoor exercise in academy

It’s always important for an organization to have a proper communication procedure. Army has an excellent way to do that. It’s not in the procedure, but the commitment in following it. So no flip flops and no goof ups. Structured, time bounded, directional, KISS (Keep It Simple and Short) orders reach faster undiluted to all levels and with a feedback at every stage.

By this time the full unit was getting prepared to move. I had to go and see the packing of various sections. Prepared load chart in the vehicle as per items to be loaded in each vehicle. Finally we had to move. I became the In charge of the transport column ,became a convoy commander taking around 40 loaded vehicles under my supervision, travelled around 250 kms to reach the rail head, where from our special train to Jammu had been booked.

Getting closer to my first Army unit

Getting more closer in my first Army unit

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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Prepare for move