I'm a regular in BMTC and i'm starting to wish i never signed on. Ever since mid last year, when the army suddenly imposed many new safety regulations, our training has started to become less and less realistic. Starting with the foundation of every soldier, BMTC.
Nowadays recruits are not really going through a military experience. Its more of just a show. No more tough punishments, no more tough training. There is ZERO hardship left in BMTC.
Trainings like SAR21 technical handling are done while STANDING and SQUATTING instead of proning because recruits complain their elbows hurt. Yes, you read that correctly recruits DO NOT PRONE FOR TH lessons anymore! During field camps recruits don't high kneel, don't leopard crawl (unless there is a fire movement lesson). They are given canteen breaks often regardless of how F-ed up their behavior is.
The new commanders, who were recruits only mid last year, show no standard whatsoever, be it specialist or officer. On the specialist level, new specs don't even care whether the recruits follow basic regimentation and discipline like keeping still in the file, adhering to lights out, etc..because they themselves were never punished as recruits for doing the wrong things. On the officer level, the newly posted officers don't even know how to control recruits and just focus on making them happy by giving them welfare. Conduct of lessons are not smooth and lesson plans etc are not studied. New commanders are too interested in making sure the recruits like them instead of teaching them the right things. When your commanders start showing signs of incompetence, you know something is very wrong at the core of the army.
Now i'm not trying to say that safety is a bad thing. Safety should be of utmost importance but at the end of the day, if our training safety regulations are compromising out operational readiness, then whats the point of national service?
Article first appeared on https://www.facebook.com/safconfession/posts/194222620756439