Appalling Experience

Finally, I get to do my ORD clearance.. 1/2 day off today and i've 25 days of off and leave, will start clearing leave ALL THE WAY from next Tuesday onwards.. because Monday is the Logistics Audit (formerly known as Logistics Readiness Inspection LRI).

Actually I am supposed to start clearing leave and off from TODAY onwards, but I wanted MT Line to help out with the Log Audit but seriously ah.. They are not very interested in the preparation leh and experience tells me that they are in deep trouble.

Besides WAR, perhaps the next most important annual affair is this Logistics Audit or otherwise known as Logistics Readiness Inspection (LRI). As the name "readiness" suggests that the CMTL and everything else within this unit must be ready within a specific period of time, should emergency or war breaks out.

However, to my dismay, a bunch of regulars and NSFs are not interested in the audit, I've BIG difficulties helping them out. I spoke to my Motor Transport Officer (MTO), a NSF, I told him to get his platoon to buck up abit, he was also quite gan jiong but his regular senior specialists and other section commanders don't seem to be worried.

Hmmm.. So I decided to inform them what I found out from the Audit Preparation Checklist and share my experience on what are the things to be done, then I decided to go ahead with my ORD clearance (i.e. go home early) and don't waste my off and leave because they simply BO CHAP, why should I be over worried for them. So I left with "peace" knowing I did my best.

I like it when one of the section commanders told me " you need not be involved in this LRI as a disruptee". That's true I thought. It's the mess they caused, they have to go and clean it up or face the Auditors on Monday.

One of the things that disgusted me most was what an officer does. Motor Transport Companies in SAF are now consolidated i.e. a Fleet Manager takes charge of three Centralised Motor Transport Companies (CMTLs). In each CMTL, there is a commissioned officer in charge and he is the second-in-command, known as Deputy Fleet Manager (Dy FM), in charge of a CMTL.

This regular serviceman Dy FM told everyone that he is not going to be present for LRI because he has to attend a course (For a Logistician, what could be more important than the Annual LRI??!) What he is going to do, really makes me lose all respect for him. In fact, I despised his actions, it's obvious that he is trying to escape from this very important "Examination" for all Logisticians.

He is tasking a NSF Officer - an inexperienced 2nd Lieutenant to face the LRI team of experienced, senior inspectors alone?! What is this? As the most senior personnel in the CMTL, Dy FM has the responsibilities to be answerable to the inspection team throughout the entire inspection period. If he does this, how is he going to command if war really breaks out?! Outrageous.

This is also one of the reasons why the other regular Warrant Officer and Senior Specialists are super upset with Dy FM and disheartened to put in their effort for this inspection. It's not that these regulars are inexperienced but they are truly disheartened by what happened in the unit. Haiz.. A Staff Sergeant told me he is going to declare all the lapses and those lapses are terribly serious and critical faults that LRI loves to dig out. *shake heads*

I don't know what to say.. I can't help but be worried for them because they would be adversely affected if they fail the LRI and........ to a very large extent, I foresee this unit scoring very poorly or perhaps even failing the LRI.

Actually I wanted to give an update about myself but I ended complaining about this LRI thingy.. haiz..

I'll do my best tomorrow and Friday to help the unit esp. on the administrative aspects which I am better trained when I was serving my NS from 2001 - 2003. I will do my best, the rest is up to them.

Anyway, life goes on.

Cheer up Daniel.