Challenges of Commanding a Signal Regiment

Strength
With a post graduate degree in science and having successfully completed the TSO Course followed by a long tenure with DRDO I was not overawed by technology the tenure of more than three years with 27 Mtn Div Sig Regt had provided me enough practical knowledge about the nuts and bolts of running a Divisional Signal Regiment as also the pitfalls of not being vigilant on a 24X 7 job. From Chhabra I had learnt how to bring the maximum concentrated effort at the time required and from Kapoor the power of delegation. I was also by now well versed in the finer points and the intricacies of dealing with the Staff both Signal and the General. I had also learnt over time that there was a play of the personal egos involved in these interactions. One of my major strength was in that I had in my a wife a person who though a total novice to regimental life was not only willing but keen to get involved in the welfare of the regimental families and the various formation activities, though unfortunately she was saddled with a willing but a weak team. The regiment was lucky in having a top class Quartermaster in Capt Chander a General Service (GS) officer, Goverdhan Rai a sincere and honest cipher officer and Barar a competent TMO. Strangely they were the GS and Special List officers who had not lost their élan and helped me to lift-up the regiment Another asset was Zorawar Singh the loyal Subedar Major. He had an imposing personality and led a team consisting of a number of competent JCOs.

Weaknesses
With no major commitments after the Bangla Desh operations the unit deployed for long in Punjab had fallen in to the culture of a static unit and was costing on its past glory mainly the weakness of the regiment lay in the senior officers. My Second in Command, good in planning was deficit in delivering. From of the other three Majors at regimental HQ one was downright dishonest, inefficient and incompetent as also a shirker with a trait of trying to forge links with senior officers through his wife who with little interest in the welfare activities of the regiment was a part of the senior lady’s Rummy and Mah-Jong circuit. The other major having risen from ranks though willing and honest had his professional limitations. The third fresh from the SODE course on promotion reported in shirt and trousers with his uniform yet to fetch up with the rest of his baggage; unfortunately he also suffered from lack of confidence and low self-esteem. The Boys due to long inaction in Malout to me appeared to have become rusty. I also noticed a general lack of interest in soldering. To the external environment I was an outsider not part of the clique of those who were together during the Bangla Desh Operations.

Opportunity
I could discern that even with the limited assets at my command and some effort there was an opportunity to bring back the regiment operationally up to mark. There was also an excellent opportunity to groom the crop of young officers with the regiment to be good and competent Signal officer by giving them giving responsibility and providing necessary guidance. I also noticed a chink in the armour at Div HQ in the weak AQ branch lacking the confidence of the GOC which I fully exploited to the advantage of the regiment.

Threats
The Regiment stationed at Ranchi in Bihar was no body’s baby. 9 Inf Div was placed under Central Command located at Lucknow. However. due to geographical constraints for administrative support it was dependent on Eastern Command at Calcutta. We also had a third master: for operations the formation came under 2 Corps located at Chandi Mandir in Haryana which itself was part of the Western Command then located at Shimla. It was a hopeless situation in so far as the ‘Chain of Command’ was concerned; I would at times get calls even from the Signal Directorate at Army HQ. Any one in the chain could find fault with us with none willing to extend a helping hand in a crisis situation or when a lapse had taken place. The Staff at Div HQ did not have much love lost for me personally a newcomer. Internally there were good chances of pilferages of the POL (Petrol Oil and lubricants) , rations and sale of the cheap liquor from the unit canteen to civilians as also misuse of local purchase privilege with the prevailing lowered threshold of honesty.

Strategy
The Strategy after detailed analysis of the situation and a deep deliberation that I evolved was to first convenience the officers and make them understand that our first priority as Signallers was to provide reliable communication to the formation possible only if the regiment was professionally competent. The next point that I stressed upon was the need to excel in the tasks assigned to the regiment in the training directive issued by the Formation HQ as also those offered and willingly accepted. With this achieved I assured them that every other problem could be tackled and I would then be able to act as a shield to protect the regiment from external pulls and pushes.

Junior Commanders
Deciding not to be too dependent on my listless senior officers I gave additional responsibilities and provided opportunities to the junior Captains and Second Lieutenants to exercise their imitative in the process I was prepared to accept a few mistakes committed by them. I did not believe in Zero error syndrome. My interest was in building their self confidence. However, this entailed a lot of guidance and supervision by me and also at times blowing hot and cold. It was with immense pleasure and satisfaction that I saw them growing fast professionally, delivering the goods every time and making my hands strong. To name a few the three stalwarts Rajeev, Choudhry and Sood as also Mehta come to my mind; same four were also together once again on the OST course at MCTE Mhow when I was their Faculty Commander. It was also important and I ensured to have efficient and honest officers posted at the Brigade Signal Companies especially those located at a distance from Ranchi to take care of any problems emanating from the three Brigade Commanders.

Annual Inspections
Charity begins at home and had to start at my level. Not only I had to be scrupulously honest and just in my dealings as the Commanding officer but my actions had to be visible; only then I could enforce discipline on the others. The reluctant individual who had over time got used to easy ways unfortunately had no options but to fall in line; their Black books despite valiant efforts on their part about my acts of commission and omission remained blank. I also lead the officers for the PPT (Physical Proficiency Test) as part of the GOC’s annual inspection though of 43 years by then I managed it without much difficulty.

Dividends
The pilferages stopped the regiment did not have a single malaria case that was rampant in other units the power of local purchase for mechanical transport and telecom equipment that has large loop-holes to be exploited was tightly controlled and kept under acceptable limits which resulted compliments whereas some other units had to face the GOC’s ire on both accounts. With the records at Ranchi and the unit having been away for long the publication of casualties in respect of the Jawans was in serious arrears; some case had even become time barred. This was effecting the pay and allowances of the jawans and causing latent dissatisfaction; I spoke to Records Officer at the Signal Training Centre and sent my Head Clerk to the record office at Jabalpur used some special provisions and eventually got the mess sorted out.

Troops Welfare
Next was the food for the jawans which I would check the preparations on daily basis. The quality of the food served in the regiment had interesting yet serious repercussions. With the GOC’s and GSO1’s personal staff getting attached to the regiment due to their administrative convenience for their meals the news about the high quality of food in the Signal Regiment soon spread to Div Camp resulting in a near revolt; with every jawan clamouring to join our Langhars this was some thing that was neither desirable in the overall interest of discipline nor acceptable to me. Hopefully, from the prodding of the OC troops the AQ and the Camp Commander by the GOC the quality of the food served to the Div Camp would have improved.
To be continued.......

Brig Lakshman Singh, VSM (Retd)