Thursday, December 17, 2009
- sqrt(1-v^2/c^2)
it was the notification that i received today that i have yet to hit my USMS quota that has sent waves of irony through me, so much that i am actually compelled to post.
*enters super un-politically correct mode*
the official rationale behind the USMS is quite solid and reasonable: engage the serviceman on the ground and allow him a channel for suggestions and feedback, which will hopefully improve the organisation. it's a perfectly good reason, and i am definitely going to complete mine because i believe it is.
and yet - i have no way to prove this one way or the other - and yet i wonder, what do the senior regulars actually think of the suggestions that nsfs come up with?
because from the impression i get from how the other (way more significant) matter was handled, i dont think the regulars take us very seriously at all. for trivial things like USMS, it's like they'll go "wow, he's right, it really would make sense for more lights/shelters/fans/whatever to be installed in this area, kudos to the little 3sg who brought it up lets give him $15!". then they'll implement the suggestion, turn around, and say "you see, we listen to nsfs when they suggest ideas!"
for serious matters, however, its like a totally different ball game. it seems to me that no matter what we do, we will never earn the regulars' trust. its like when they look at us there's some sort of 'nsf filter' in their eyes that automatically makes them take us less seriously. i dont know whether its worse to be dissed in the 'tactful' way that tends to be employed by the majs/ltcs/cols, or in the blunt way that is more often employed by the WOs, but either way it sucks like hell.
im trying to do some good for the SAF, dammit. i really want to serve to the best of my ability, and im in a position where i can actually DO something beneficial for people all across the SAF, if they just freaking let me. just because i dont have that oh-so-glorified crest or even a bar on my rank doesnt mean i am incapable of thinking up ideas to help solve serious matters. but no, when i sincerely want to help, i have to voice my opinion to the other parties using my officer as a proxy, and even with his one-bar some people still wont deign to treat him (also a nsf) as seriously as they would a regular. my upperstudy (a 3sg) thinks of an idea which my officer approves of, and sends it off to all the senior regulars with my officer's verbal blessing. immediately a WO shoots an email back at him, saying something about following procedures and even going as far as to cc the email to our unit's CWO.
i have great respect for the wisdom and intelligence of the senior officers (CO,S3,OC) and WOs (CWO,DyOC,FWO) i serve under. it is because of the good image of the higher echelons of the SAF that my commanders created in my mind, that when i meet higher-ups from other units, i have no problem trusting that they are of the same quality. it makes me feel sincere and happy to address them with the honorific "sir" every time i see one of them.
why isnt it reciprocated? why? seems like the only time a 3sg or a 2lt is ever going to get an enthusiastic greeting is from some of the more earnest recruits/cadets. obviously since we're lower rank there's no need for 'sergeant', but most of them sound so dead when addressing us. even when the WOs call the 2lts "sir" you can tell it doesnt carry the same feeling. if encik tan can do it so well i dont see why those from other units cant. no need to respect us for our rank; we dont have powerful ones. but apparently being respected as a person is too much to ask from some.
if they already trust us to handle serious stuff like this daily, what's so difficult about taking that just a little further and considering our suggestions related to the serious stuff? i dont feel like im being consulted at all. i sure as hell cant go directly to the higher-ups because no matter how sincere i am or how good my suggestions are the reply will inevitably be to "get your officer to come and see me". and then im forced to explain it to my officer who doesnt know the stuff as well because hes not the one doing it on the ground. and then my officer goes to see them and his single bar gets eaten for lunch by all the crests, and he comes back and consoles me leaving me utterly helpless. i dont know. maybe i should just stick to suggesting we install seat-belts in vehicles or some lame shit like that.
in all fairness nsfs havent built a good image of ourselves at all. what with all the negativity towards ns, malingering attempts and all that crap. but everyone starts at the same place right? even senior regulars had to have spent their first two years of service in almost the same way as the nsfs. finding a nsf who has his heart in the right place shouldnt be so hard.
my faith is strong, and i still believe that my little corner of the SAF is a wonderful place to be. but if the rest of the organisation keeps such heavy-handed treatment up, perhaps starry-eyed young servicemen like me will become extinct soon.
