I have been there before, and I know that one of the respectable and privileged appointments in Military Service, especially in the Army, is that of a Commanding Officer (CO). Whether in an Infantry Battalion or Regiment, several facts are indisputable: Ghana Armed Forces
Such an Appointee would have been inactive Service for between 15 – 20 years, and must have been between 40 – 45 years old;
He must have been a Graduate of the prestigious Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College or similar Institution of Military Training and Education and must have possessed at least one second (Master’s) degree.
Responsible for Command, Control, Administration, and Welfare of about one thousand (1,000) all ranks and attached personnel; he is referred to as a “Father” or an “Oldman” by all unit personnel, their wives/husbands, and children.
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Some of the personnel in the unit may be far older and might have been in Service much longer than the incumbent Commanding Officer.
In the current circumstances in Ghana, every CO must have witnessed political transitions of no less than three previous administrations – Mahama, Mills, and Kufour, and by extension, the way and manner the COs before them handled operational roles and responsibilities in their respective areas of responsibilities, before, during and after elections years. History is replete with the good, the bad, and the ugly.
But in all things, and in order NOT to undermine one’s professional career, it is expected that a Senior Officer of the rank and appointment of a CO would be minded of a few time-tested attributes during political seasons:
Your future survival in the armed forces would depend on nobody but yourself;
How you implement Standard Operational Procedures (SOP), Orders and Instructions, and Political Orders clothed as Military Instructions as a professional has far-reaching implications for your career;
Politicians would always urge you on to give them advantages and preferential treatment over their opponents;
Some Political Orders would jeopardize your career progression, and may eventually lead to premature retirement or even dismissal;
Your subordinates and peers know perfectly well the ‘line of no return’; when your actions constitute political intrigues rather than pure military ethos; they have seen it much earlier and know your mindset even before you order them; they may do your bidding (received from Politicians which you may have succumbed to, knowingly or unknowingly). How long would you be able to have that free-ride to their detriment?
My dear Commanding Officer, don’t delude yourself into thinking that your subordinates are not discerning. They accepted you as their “Father” from the very beginning. However, from the moment you gave them the orders to go and do some of the things we are all witnessing all over the country, they knew where you stand. In the not too distant future, they will let the whole nation know, by way of videos and or photographs, what you asked them to do. Whether that will enhance your professional accomplishments as a Commanding Officer, you alone will live to tell. Do not say you didn’t read this piece of advice in my open letter to you.
You must note that your professional credibility may be irreparably affected if any orders of yours lead to collateral damages or injuries to any soldier (in his line of duty) or civilian (exercising his constitutional rights and responsibilities as a citizen of Ghana).
My hope and prayers are that no Commanding Officer would be indicted for his role in the nasty scenes we are witnessing all over Ghana during this voter registration exercise. God forbid the recurrence of violence during ELECTION 2020 under your watch.
Already, it seems that some COs have crossed certain “RED LINES”. Whether deliberately or not, some of those reports or allegations are not too clear and have to be investigated by the Military High Command, on a case by case basis, and disposed of in line with Service Regulations. There is still time to make amends.
In these days of fast-moving occurrences on social media, I get attracted to and read in between the lines certain critical, well researched, or well-informed articles on occurrences in the Security Services by one Owula Mangortey from the Dodowa forest; I hope you do, too.
I am reminding you once again of a well crafted “Good Will Message/ Statement” by this same Owula Mangortey from the Dodowa forest which, to all intents of purposes, revealed the mindset of your former Commander-in-Chief, President John Dramani Mahama, on what will be done or not done for the Security Services when Mr. Mahama gets another chance to become the next President of Ghana.
Curiously, I am yet to read a policy statement that is a rejoinder or rebuttal or disagreement by President Mahama or his Security Advisors to the seriously well-crafted, what I call “Dodowa Forest Good Will Message” to the Security Agencies.
Knowing what is generally accepted by all peace-loving Ghanaians, I am inclined to rely on the terms of Mangortey’s assurances to the effect that the next NDC government under President John Mahama, has no time for vindictiveness against professional Officers and Men of the Ghana Armed Forces.
So, you must focus on doing your professional work for the maintenance of the stability and peace of our beloved country.
I wish all Commanding Officers strength in these uncertain times. God grant them the serenity to accept to do things that are right which they cannot change, the courage to change the despicable political orders they can change, and the wisdom to know the differences between good (which an average mind would conclude as professional judgment) and evil (political induced orders). And above all, the courage to do what all their superiors had done in the past to attain greater heights in the Service to God and country.
God bless our homeland Ghana and make us great and strong, mentally, physically, and spiritually, to resist the oppressors rule.
In the meantime, a 21 Gun Salute to every dedicated, loyal, committed, professional Commanding Officer of the Ghana Armed Forces. Ghana Armed Forces
Yours in the Service of God and country.
Ghana Armed Forces
Colonel Morkeh Korsah (Rtd)