The failure of military socialization in the Tatmadaw

Monday, 25 January 2010 15:30 Bo Htet Min

Mizzima News – Commissioned officers in the Tatmadaw (Armed Forces) enjoy more rights and benefits than other ranks while also enjoying the highest decision making power in the areas of the administrative, executive and the judiciary.

Generally, it takes one year for a 2nd Lieutenant to be promoted to Lieutenant and three years from Lieutenant to Captain. Second Lieutenant to Captain positions are designated in the Tatmadaw as junior officers, while Majors and officiating Major ranks with the current rank of Captain are classified as mid-level officers. Senior officers in the Tatmadaw are those with a rank of Lieutenant Colonel and above.

Junior officers such as platoon commanders and company commanders with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant to Captain treat each other like siblings by using terms such as ‘younger brother’ and ‘elder brother’. The 2nd-in-command of a battalion must be addressed as ‘Ah Ba Lay’ (Little Uncle) and officers above the level of Regional Command Commanders must be addressed as ‘Ah Ba Gyi’ (Big Uncle). The present military dictators introduced ‘Ah Ba’ into the lexicon of the armed forces, which was never used previously.

Newly appointed 2nd Lieutenants who graduated from the officer academy are frequently filled with anxiety and worry regarding their insignia falling from their shoulders. If new officers bully subordinates and misuse their authority, the senior platoon Sergeant and Lance Corporal will test the newly appointed officers in the frontline. With senior non-commissioned officers staying in the back, the junior officers have to try to integrate theory learnt in the academy with the ground reality of the frontline – without the cooperation of veteran non-commissioned officers.

When these new officers encounter enemy fire, most are scared, shocked and do not know how to react, dropping their heads to the ground. If this happens, subordinates will lose respect in their commander and start defying orders. However, if new junior commanders respond to the ground reality of the battlefield calmly and bravely, they can easily win the respect and affection of subordinates.

The main point for junior commanders is their relationship with their troops. If they use harsh words, relations will certainly be strained in dealings with subordinates. They cannot win respect, trust and affection until they can prove to low ranking soldiers their bravery, determination, selflessness and generosity.

The worst thing in the army is unnecessary intervention by young officers into the work of subordinate non-commissioned officers, such as in preparing the roster for day-to-day duty for such activities as railroad lookout and road security. Sometimes they even exploit rations, both financially and nutritionally. They sometimes order soldiers to do their personal work. They are even known to control and restrict pass-out rights. Through these high-handed tactics, young commanders face growing tension with the troops.

Furthermore, sometimes young officers object to the drinking of army rum by their platoon Sergeant. But these young officers themselves consume rum though they object to subordinates drinking. Sometimes new graduates from the academy unnecessarily tighten the rules. Such trivial things can grow into big problems.

In the battlefield, young officers occasionally oppose orders given by more experienced non-commissioned officers intended to try and save their soldiers from surprise engagements.

Similarly, when an army column is at a stopover and is communicating with the higher unit on wireless, experienced non-commissioned officers usually arrange a lookout and scout duty for security reasons. However, newly graduated officers may object, and order for an alternate lookout at shorter distances, claiming the tiredness and exhaustion of the column. But non-commissioned officers confront the junior officers and insist on it being done their way from their experience, raising tensions even higher. Sometimes company commanders have to intervene in the growing tension between platoon commanders (young officers) and their non-commissioned officers.

Furthermore, it is sometimes imperative that newly graduated officers be sent directly to their platoon instead of spending a period of time at headquarters, making for an immediate tense situation in dealing with subordinates based on misunderstandings. And with the ever-growing number of newly established battalions, this trend is only enhanced. If decent food is not forthcoming, for example, these young officers may not be able to control themselves, asking for more rations from non-commissioned officers at company headquarters. At such times, non-commissioned officers encounter a disappointing and difficult situation in dealing with young officers.

Some young officers, especially near the frontline, do not want to carry their own backpacks and send orderlies and batmen to company headquarters to arrange for porters. In fact, if young officers would carry their backpacks themselves on the frontline, they could easily win the respect and trust of subordinates. Likewise, by fulfilling just the basic needs of soldiers, such as cheroots, liquor and vegetables, they can easily win affection and respect.

On the other hand, young officers know well how non-commissioned officers and soldiers receive poor training at the training schools. They get angry when poorly trained subordinates do not show due respect to them by underestimating them for their youth. Battles and engagements with the enemy have been declining, so that the esprit de corps among members of the armed forces is diminishing – with less and less room for mutual understanding and compromise.

While corporal punishment for soldiers who violate rules is better than writing in their service book and imprisoning them, nevertheless, some punished soldiers object to their corporal punishment, nurturing deep resentment. Officers should give corporal punishment only when they save lives on the frontline, which will generate a feeling of respect in return. Otherwise, this sort of punishment will be counterproductive. Sometimes they should ignore punishment even if severe violations are committed. It should be left to non-commissioned officers to handle such cases.

Under such immense social hardships and unbearable oppression between ranks, the Tatmadaw is becoming a ticking time bomb, full of discontent and dissatisfaction. In this present situation, unity within the armed forces is becoming weaker and weaker by the day.