A short one on unit reunions.
I recently attended my unit's honour title day, 'Sanjoi Mirpur', and was visiting six years after handing over command. I was in the company of eight other COs, who'd commanded my unit, starting from the late 70s onwards, as well as other officers who had served during various periods of time. It was a great event, successful, because it got so many of us together across time, and we could all relive our experiences in the unit. Present also, were a large number of JCOs and NCOs who had served in the unit and had retired at various points in time, to act as reference points in our memories.
What struck me was that while you may personally remember most of your 'achievements' during command, be it doing your field tenure and an operation done well, winning a trophy, doing well in an exercise, competition, or in sports, others remember you only for your personal and leadership qualities, and your values. Once you are no longer their commanding officer, the quality and duration of your interaction with the men you commanded depends entirely on these qualities and values that you displayed earlier.
Units have reunions only to remember their raising days (their day of creation!) or battle honours. No one ever gets together to remember winning a trophy, a sports event, getting a 'well done' from a boss, or any administrative victories that we claim for ourselves. Everybody wants to hear of the minutest detail when someone is recounting his experience of battle, however small and insignificant it may be. Inflated and artificial achievements are forgotten quickly, once the person who tries to create and propagate it is no longer at the helm of affairs.
Tough times are remembered more often than good times. People who have been through operations and field tenures together develop a stronger bond than those who've been together in peace stations.
The most important thing for the current officers and men is to maintain a true record of what happens, because stories get distorted as they get recounted over years. Therefore, only a true record of what really happened should be captured in the regiment history book without any embellishments or modifications to the truth.
Its important to return for a reunion, "..if you are present there, then you are one of us". The feeling of belonging to a team is priceless!
And the last... the older generation must share their experiences and thoughts with the young officers to help them grow as leaders. More on that later.
I recently attended my unit's honour title day, 'Sanjoi Mirpur', and was visiting six years after handing over command. I was in the company of eight other COs, who'd commanded my unit, starting from the late 70s onwards, as well as other officers who had served during various periods of time. It was a great event, successful, because it got so many of us together across time, and we could all relive our experiences in the unit. Present also, were a large number of JCOs and NCOs who had served in the unit and had retired at various points in time, to act as reference points in our memories.
What struck me was that while you may personally remember most of your 'achievements' during command, be it doing your field tenure and an operation done well, winning a trophy, doing well in an exercise, competition, or in sports, others remember you only for your personal and leadership qualities, and your values. Once you are no longer their commanding officer, the quality and duration of your interaction with the men you commanded depends entirely on these qualities and values that you displayed earlier.
Units have reunions only to remember their raising days (their day of creation!) or battle honours. No one ever gets together to remember winning a trophy, a sports event, getting a 'well done' from a boss, or any administrative victories that we claim for ourselves. Everybody wants to hear of the minutest detail when someone is recounting his experience of battle, however small and insignificant it may be. Inflated and artificial achievements are forgotten quickly, once the person who tries to create and propagate it is no longer at the helm of affairs.
Tough times are remembered more often than good times. People who have been through operations and field tenures together develop a stronger bond than those who've been together in peace stations.
The most important thing for the current officers and men is to maintain a true record of what happens, because stories get distorted as they get recounted over years. Therefore, only a true record of what really happened should be captured in the regiment history book without any embellishments or modifications to the truth.
Its important to return for a reunion, "..if you are present there, then you are one of us". The feeling of belonging to a team is priceless!
And the last... the older generation must share their experiences and thoughts with the young officers to help them grow as leaders. More on that later.
