BDF�s Pamphlet No1 (not BNF)

Richard Moleofe | Friday September 26, 2014 17:17

 

This is the Company Commander’s course at Force Training Establishment (FTE) at Sir Seretse Khama Barracks. With his usual smile, he poses a question to the class and says; “who knows what Pamphlet No1 is?” Most hands went up, including mine. After the first student attempted to answer, all other hands went down except mine. The fellow had said Pamphlet No1 was a Botswana National Front political document and Col Galebotswe told the officer that he must bring the answer closer to home. He pointed at me and I told the class that it was the BDF’s code of conduct document.

The other entire sixty or so students were left in awe by the answer I gave. I had just been lucky to read the document a week earlier on a notice board outside of Col Galebotswe’s office. This document is certainly one of the oldest at BDF and yet it has escaped the attention of many officers and men.

At the time, Col Galebotswe was out to promote this document which was slowly sliding into the rubbish bin of history. I asked one of the founder officers cadets why this document had been so elusive in the past. He answered, “nnya monna re ne re tshaba gore barena ba tlaa re re promouta BNF (we were apprehensive that our commanders would think we are promoting BNF)”

Now we have a Commander who had in the past become odd in the sense that he promoted at code of conduct document that many wanted dead. And we all wonder how he will deal with issues of discipline beyond paying salute complements and master parades. The Commander is a strong willed person and his resolve will clearly be tested this time around as he leads a military organisation in an era much more different from what his predecessors were initially confronted with. He is confronted by the best opportunities and on the other hand he has to confront the worst challenges.

One of the greatest challenges presented itself this past week as The Voice, a local tabloid, carried an article about a jailed lovebird. The public is enraged. And for some of us who are ex-soldiers have to contend with bringing some sense to the debate, the issue will certainly be blown out of proportion as it is now turning out to be a human rights issue. It is up to BDF to confront it now and bring the nation to light on these issues of conduct in this military establishment.

Taking into account the action of the organisation to prosecute the two lovebirds through an action of a court marshal, it seems we are going to see a great deal of change at BDF in as far as discipline is concerned, while discipline has never been a problem at BDF,  except on the issue of sexual misconduct and this automatically opens up the flood gates on other issues of infidelity within the military. 

It is with much irony that BDF has never in the past prosecuted any senior officer for sexual misconduct or infidelity. But this organisation is a hive of sexual activity at the workplace with female civilian staff and spouses to juniors. And it seems it commences with a junior female officer and according to my personal opinion, it’s all because she got involved with a private soldier. Like someone has said, love knows no bounds.

I need to note to the reader here that I do not dispute the fact that the two accused have been involved in a misdemeanour of a sexual nature and it is right that they have to face the consequences of their deliberate actions. What I am apprehensive about is the fact that several senior officers have in the past and in the present eluded prosecution on similar matters of sexual misconduct. In fact, their offenses were much more grievous because it was a case of adultery and that is not the case with the current case. The two accused are lovers.

According to the Associated Press, sex is the major reason military commanders are fired. When publishing a recent study conducted by the US military headquarters in the Pentagon, the following figures were revealed. Among US military officers at the rank of Lt Col and above, 225 have lost command since 2005 for misconduct including sexual offenses. Here we are discussing a military establishment that has recruited women for the last sixty years while its only six years for us here. Within the parameters of US military law, sexual offences include adultery, pornography, improper relationships and sexual harassment.

The statistics per command are as follows; Army 83, Navy 99, Marine 41 and the Air Force with 32 such cases. Well, of course the Navy spends much idle time at sea and that may inform their figures.

According to this report, sex has proved to be the major downfall of presidential candidates, members of congress, governors and other notables within society. And I guess that includes baruti (ministers of the gospel). It is also among the chief reasons why military officers are fired. About 30% lose jobs consistently due to sexual misconduct.

I would like to believe that the above information will help in cooling down public fury and sentiments on the current case of sexual misconduct at BDF. The rights of the two are not being trampled on and they also knew from the beginning that their conduct would attract some form of sanctions. They must be prepared to face the consequences of their actions. Falling in love across rank barriers has also happened in the past within the US military and the best remedy is for one to give up their job- and it is usually the junior because financial factors are always weighed in when such a decision is taken.

This case is going to help BDF come to terms with its own laws and regulations, including the mentioned code of conduct. Civilians are asking if it is against the law to fall in love. The military mainly survives on its traditions rather than a written code of law.

For instance, there is nowhere in the BDF Act where it is stipulated that the paying of complements by way of salute is mandatory. And yet in the absence of such a law, the military code of discipline is hinged on this and the moment this is removed, then this institution will become something else.

The challenge for the current crop of commanders is to stop applying selective justice. It is well known within the BDF that a handful of officers from the rank of Lt Col and above are well entrenched in such misdemeanours of sexual misconduct. The law must be applied equally for the benefit of all and for the protection of the military institution.

When the current commander took over the reins of power, he pursued offenders who had been charged by the civil police for driving under the influence of the ‘waters of mortality’, something that sent his popularity ratings to the lowest ebb. He will now need to show his resolve in confronting the sin of immorality within the military, a vice that has dogged this organization since 1977. A word for the Commander is here; keep on promoting Pamphlet No1 my Comrade (in arms).