ARMY METHODS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 229, 27 September 1941, Page 8

ARMY METHODS

! 1 "PLAIN BUNGLING" TRAINEE'S COMPLAINTS "A citizen army, like our territorials must always have obvious defects, but in New Zealand thev are distinctly too obvious" writes "Jrainee" in a letter to the Star The average territorial is as keen as could be desired, but long before his three months' training period is ■ completed he becomes tired of 'nlavl ing at soldiers.' * * ,'.'" is complaint is not against ability of instructors, food or equipment (when there is but against the plain bungling in administration. He gets an order to thin m '- v > ? ver e re atcoats,' and then the idea changes to 'great coats over web, and see-saws between these two plans in a number of orders and counter-orders. It is not uncommon to find himself standing twice for half-hour periods in a queue " d n r f some item of equipment and then be inarched off without receiving anything, only to return later. , ''Many in Auckland will recall the totally unnecessary waiting in ranks for three-quarters of an hour to attend a theatre, in the near neighbourhood at which accommodation . , be , en Previously booked. A standard six boy could have called that parade, checked the names of those who had paid (that was omitted in the case cited) and marched the men away in not more than 10 minutes. "This type of maladministration becomes Gilbertian on days when units complete their training periods Lt?™ irc f £ ee ? ins with tne Promulgation of definite orders and plans for handing in of gear, but before one hour is past the whole plan is scrapped and a new one is issued This shocking display of mismanagement will be repeated several times throughout every unit's last dav The men in the ranks who have as'many brains and sometimes more than their military superiors, are permitted to wonder how we could ever hope to win an engagement under such incompetent leadership "Where does the fault lie? "Unsuccessful Businessmen ,, «,w lui ]c inves K J gation reveals (hat what the men call 'mucking about' is not limited to any one unit but s common to all. If one is in a position m,m£" re T e ,earns of the alarming number of unsuccessful former business men who hold posts as unit v^i U Jh n - S a K d - un J l quartermasters. Yet their job m the army is plainly business management. Enough said'! Add to that the fact that thl 'brass hats at district' issue orders and counter-orders without a thought of ™ JU t^ men vs of thinki ng officers and men throughout a unit. It is not so easy to inquire into the peacetime vocations of these incompetent people, but one feels assurer that their former earnings were much below their present military salaries ''How long will this sho6king management continue? The private soldier grins very knowingly- when he is advised of a future plan o" action about anything even when it Sf. fr °m brigade headquarters. They have become accustomed to the Zt S ~ n °—> e s' policy which everywhere obtains. Officers find it difficult indeed to defend their more senior officers before the men thJl l^ be reassuring to know that Sir Guy Williams has really closely analysed our territorial administration and examined the worth or otherwise of a number of our senior personnel. Inefficiency in the army carries no penaltv other than a 'blast.' Efficiency 'will be seen only when a number of very obvious misfits are discharged "