Monday, March 13, 2017

My relationship with my army

 I seem to have a love-hate relationship with the army.
On second thoughts, that's not the right explanation. That's what happens when you try to explain a complex relationship in just a sentence.
I surely love the army, but I definitely do not hate it. However, there is something negative in it, in my perception.
Let's take the love part first.
Whenever I am in a an army environment, I seem to be having the best part of my life. That's love isn't it? I am at ease in an army environment. Interacting with army officers, and more-so soldiers, seem to boost up my whole being. Something is very good about it.
If I try to analyse it ( which is not a good exercise at all), I feel very good vibes in an army atmosphere.
Now let's take the aspects that affect me negatively.
I don't find any emphasis on efficiency. For an organisation that sends people to their death missions, a non-emphasis on efficiency seems highly irresponsible to me. The systems, the people are reasonably well intentioned but not efficient at all. The sections, the platoons, the companies, the bns - at every level, they simply could be about 300% better.
The worst part is that no one is bothered about this sheer waste.
Sometimes I think that too much emphasis on efficiency would kill the warm feelings in the army? Could be. But only if it is overdone, as probably was in the US army during the Vietnam war. But one doesn't have to overdo it.
Just get more efficient, without killing off the cohesiveness of the army. Can be done.
With that, I can now describe my relationship with the army much better. I think I love the army, but I do not respect it too much.
And personally, I'd much rather be respected than loved.

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