No more sirring in the uniform now. Not if you happen to be in the Army’s 2 Corps, the strike formation. Address a senior officer as ‘sir’ and you will have to pay a penalty—a bottle of beer within six hours of the ‘misdeamenour’. No more late hours at work either. Evenings are for games. And officers found clearing files on Sundays or after the office hours will be declared ‘inefficient’. These were some of the do’s and don’ts handed out by Lt Gen G D Singh, General Officer Commanding of the Ambala-based 2 Corps, in a DO letter. In one stroke, the General has tried to banish all that he thinks is fallacious in his army. The edict decrees that all officers will henceforth address their seniors not as ‘sir’ but by their ranks. So, he would like to be called General. The 19-page letter touches various aspects concerning soldiers. ‘‘It should be ensured that every soldier gets a break of one complete day in a week, and the officers should implement it ruthlessly.’’ Expressing his displeasure at the increasing paperwork, the GOC has ordered a more efficient use of the phone. Orders, he says, should be passed through log book in HQs. The order also calls for making JCOs and NCOs computer savvy.Frowning at the preponderance of danda-wielding guards in cantts, the General has ordered that they be banished at once. And the number of armed guards be reduced to the bare minimum. General’s commandments • Vehicles: Tinted glasses are out • JCOs: More respect to them • Officers Mess: Ostentatious functions are out, so are entertainment programmes by officers wives • Unit activity: No AC in CO’s office • Leave: Full leave for everyone. • Soldiers: Not to be detailed as helpers to unauthorised persons, or as nannies, caddies or ball boys. • Canteens: No polythene please. On the use of official transport, his instructions are clear-cut: it should not be be used for going to office, except by the Flag Officers, COs and PSOs who can’t claim transport allowance. Service transport will also not be used for going to club functions, private parties, schools, et al. And certainly not on Sundays unless it is for collective welfare activity or for families of officers, JCOs, and other ranks while going or returning from leave. Conceding that implementation will be dificult, the GOC states that officers can point out any lapses to him. In case of laxity in implementation, he would not ask for any explanation from the formation or unit but ask them to deposit Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000 in the GOC’s fund from the commander’s fund or regimental fund. This would be an official transaction. He concludes by asking the senior most officer in each station to help him implement the orders by calling him up on every 1st and 15th of the month.
