Army to outsource training of officers

Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 9
In a perceptible shift in its ideology and approach to modern-day requirements, the Army is experimenting with the concept of outsourcing the training and orientation programme of officers posted to some branches to private firms.

While the job of training is being offered to ‘reputed firms having a national or international footprint’ to take up such tasks on a turn-key basis, the training programmes would be handled by senior retired officers on their rolls.

Officers posted to some branches in higher headquarters are required to undergo capsule courses to familiarise them with the functioning of the branch. For example, the Master General of Ordnance’s Branch at Army Headquarters, which has initiated this project, conducts a three-day training course for all officers posted to it.

At present, such matters are dealt in-house by the services, with serving officers being deputed for the same. Outsourcing training with senior retired officers at the helm of affairs would, according to the Army’s thinking, ensure availability of skilled advice and conserve military resources and manpower.

The training programme would be designed and approved by the branch concerned and the firms concerned would be required to form a panel of retired officers expert in the required areas for conduct of training. Officers would be of the rank of colonel or brigadier and it would be mandatory for them to have had an instructional tenure at specified military colleges or training establishments as well as a staff posting at the branch concerned during their service career.

Not surprisingly, the move to outsource training and the expected participation of international firms has raised security concerns in some quarters. Screening of firms and personnel associated with training as well as assuring security of information would be mandatory.
Army to outsource training of officers

Comment: This idea seems to be mooted by the bureaucrats. Where is the necessity of Private Players/ Institutions when we have so many Military Training Institutions and Public sector Institutions like CSIR, DRDO in the country? All one needs is to select and employ Retired Military Professionals as expert staff and evolve specialised training capsules for ASC, Ordnance and EME. Emphasis should be on quality of products which ultimately trickles down to the foot soldier and reduction of corruption which is the cause of poor quality; be it services or products for soldiers. All training capsules must aim and emphasise on Service, Character and Integrity as component of Military Leadership.

Cyber Sex: New challenges for the Indian Military

US Centric
As military personnel return from Iraq and Afghanistan, there is growing concern about how the range of traumatic brain injury, post traumatic stress, depression, anxiety and tobacco and alcohol and drug abuse has increased dramatically. According to research released by RAND, up to 30 percent of returning war veterans report symptoms of cognitive impairment or mental disorders. Military personnel who have been exposed to combat are more likely to engage in binge drinking and smoking. As a result, the Millennium Cohort Study will follow a representative sample of the U.S. military personnel from 2001 to 2022 – making it the largest of its kind in the history of our military.

But there’s another type of addiction prevalent in the military – sex addiction, especially cybersex addiction. Renowned expert Robert Weiss, founder of the Sexual Recovery Institute in California, consults with the military to spread awareness about this growing concern. Behavioral Health Central spoke with Weiss about this issue.
Read more:
Addressing Sex Addiction in the Military – A Talk with Expert Rob Weiss from the Sexual Recovery Institute

India Centric
Troops who serve in High Altitude areas, Jammu and Kashmir and NE Regions combating terror do suffer from isolation, risk to life, lack of recreation and entertainment. This frustrating living conditions is ideal to develop various addictions like alcohol, drugs and cyber sex. JCOs, NCOs and Sepoy's are more prone to various addictions as they mingle freely with civil population and the Military needs to be aware of it to constantly strive and evolve mechanisms to combat such diseases which can reduce the combat potential of a unit/ individual. The Officer community too with increasing purchasing power after the SCPC do succumb to addictions if they are not kept busy in professional work. ASC, Ordnance, EME and AMC officers are more prone to porn addiction and it is essential that there is inbuilt checks to ensure such addiction does not degrade the the Military in its Conduct, Morale and Leadership. Lessons need to be learnt from UN Peace Keeping ops in Africa where child sex and smuggling were dominant features of the Peace Keepers. click here for child sex and smuggling report by UNO
Condom machines at borders for PMF

Time for Indian Military to have its official blogs

Sunday, May 9, 2010
US Navy starts its official blog
The US Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, inaugurated the US Navy’s official blog recently : Navy Live

The effort seems refreshing in the military blogosphere more so in the light of the free and frank discussion between various participants including the Secretary. An example can be seen by clicking here.

The blog seems in line with the thought process of militaries of (mostly) democracies in shedding the cloak (or more appropriately the burden) of secrecy, especially on societal and administrative issues. Such a medium is also sometimes essential keeping in view the fact that sometimes the pulse of service-members does not reach the right levels of the hierarchy due to layers and layers of officialdom and red-tape.

The US Navy is available officially also on twitter, flickr, youtube and facebook.
Way to go.
Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh at 5:06 AM