MEETINGS: AGENDA-DISCUSSIONS-CONCLUSIONS
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I chanced upon this topic and was fired into shooting this review without further delay. There are some very good reviews on how to conduct/prepare for important meetings here on MS. Do read them, they are very useful.
As an ex-Naval Officer and an ex-Military man I must must share this experience with all.
THE MILITARY MEETINGS
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In the Military environment certain meetings have an electric charged air about them. All Officers arrive in time, some with Brass Hats and sticks, with their ADC’s /Flag Lietuenants holding bulky briefcases and files. A Cap Station table, where all Peak Caps are kept shows how heavy the Brass is.
Invariably a meeting chaired by a General or an Admiral is very very important and all come prepared prim and proper, some with hugh maps, some with presentation like folios with CDs projectors and all.
I remember one meeting which was chaired by Vice Admiral Ronnie Pereira, then the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Bombay. He went on to become the Chief of Naval Staff and gave Mrs Indira Gandhi a few sleepless nights.
He was in his present appointment just for 3 months when he called this meeting.
We were some 40 Officers present for this meeting. I as a Junior Staff Officer to a Commanding Officer of a Fleet Ship was also in attendence.
The meeting was about ANNUAL INSPECTIONS OF SHIPS AND CARRIERS.
Now an Annual Inspection can either make or break an Officer’s career. So for Fleet Ship Captain’s aspiring to become Admirals they have to ensure a good operational performance by the ship and the ships company during the Inspection.
Ronnie was a mercurial man, at times a terror, a born leader of men and the most loved Admiral in the history of Indian Navy.
There were some 40 points on the AGENDA. The meeting started at 0800 hrs(8 AM) and was expected to conclude at 1300 hrs(1 PM). All times IST.
RONNIE’S OPENING REMARKS
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With eyes hooded, a baritone voice, Ronnie says:
Good morning Gentleman.
(The way he said it, we all felt we were not Gentleman).
I have now been your Chief for some 90 odd days. At the outset I must say that I am most disappointed with the way you run your ships. Your Guns get stuck, your tactical manouvers are sluggish, most Commanding Officers play safe during close quarter situations, I see no innovation, no leadership qualities, no initiatives. The men under your command appear sloppy, there is no sense of pride in them in the Uniform they wear. The Junior Officers are listless, more concerned about their next appointments and career plans. We have become an ANNUAL CONFIDENTIAL REPORT based Navy. This has to stop! AND NOW! I am not here to see the demise of the WESTERN FLEET! I shall have no hesitation to kick your butts so I suggest you pull up.(plenty of British expletives). I am most dissapointed with all that I see around this once great Fleet!
(Here he bangs the table 3 times and hard).
End of opening remarks.
FLEET CAPTAIN’S SPEAKS
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(He is obviously shaken. As the senior most Commanding Officer Afloat, he has to speak for all. But he knows Ronnie too well.that is his trump card.)
Admiral Sir, Comanding Officers and Officers. I fully share the the Admiral’s sentiments. We must all ask ourselves this question. How have we come to such a sorry pass? There are some historical reasons, events of recent past such as too many Court Martials of otherwise fine officers for operational failures.
He went on to list many points.
The Fleet Captain continues:
Now why have we become a PLAY SAFE NAVY?: Sir in the last 5 years, 8 Commanding Officers have been COURT MARTIALLED for reasons of collisions and grounding of ships. 37 officers received letters of SEVERE DISPLEASURES for acts of minor ommissions. This has resulted in the Comanding Officers to play safe and see off their time on board ships.
RONNIE booms: Point noted Fleet Captain!
DECISIONOF THE ADMIRAL: NO COMMANDING OFFICER OF MINE SHALL BE COURT MARTIALLED no matter what, provided he has shown GREAT DARE DEVILRY, COURAGE AND INITIATIVE while handling his ship in a Battle Tactical situation! Go on Fleet Captain.
Fleet Captain: Leadership Qualities of Officers. Here again, may I state Leadership Qualities of our Officers were of a high order during the 1971 war. Our senior Officers were our role models. In a short span of 10 years, there is a sharp decline in standards. Why has this happened?
RONNIE: Yes, Officers today DONT HAVE THE MORAL COURGAGE ANY MORE TO STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG! How many of you here had the courage to voice your true opinions to your Senior Officers? Leaders? I don’t see any! Too many YES MEN THESE DAYS, I dare say.!(Here he starts shaking all red faced and angry. Lights a cigarette to calm his nerves). Gentlemen you may smoke.
(No one dares light a cigarette)
Fleet Captain: May I suggest to all Officers here, follow the high standards set by Admiral Ronnie Pereira. May I assure the Admiral on behalf of all Officers in the Western Fleet that in 30 days time there shall be a vast attitdinal change for the better! Else we resign our Commission!
All Officers shout: Yeah, yeah! We are the Western Fleet! We shall overcome!
Ronnie beams, is flushed with pride and surveys all with hooded eyes.
RONNIE: Flag Liettenant. What’s the time?
Flag Lieutenant: 1100 hrs Sir!
Ronnie(shouts in a booming baritone voice): Flags! Hoist the Admiral’s Flag and the GIN PENNANT on board INS VIKRANT! Thank you Fleet Captain and all Officers, I shall be delighted to see you on the Flight Deck of Vikrant within the hour!
With that Ronnie got up, stubbed his cigerette and with his typical swagger walked away!
End of meeting! Not a word was discussed about ANNUAL INSPECTIONS OF SHIPS! All Officers present stood befuddled! They ran helter skelter to the Cap stations, hastily picking up their useless bulky files and brief cases.
Note: When a gin pennant ( A TRIANGULAR FLAG) is hoisted on any ship, it means the SHIPS LIQUOR BAR OF IS OPEN FOR ALL for free and that the Admiral in person is the host!.
Some 120 odd Fleet Officers scrambled to the Flight Deck of Vikrant. We started drinking at say 1200 hrs. Cases and cases of beer were drowned. The Senior Officers preferred to drink Brandy, Gin n Tonic. Ronnie held the stage and enthralled all the Junior Officer with his wit and humor. The last Officer left at 1700 hrs. That last officer was Ronnie himself!
EPILOUGUE
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The Fleet Captain stood by his words. The Officers were galvanised by the sheer personality and leadership qualities of Adm Pereira. The Western Fleet was turned upside down, the operational and fighting qualities of the Fleet were pushed many notches higher. The men smartened up. No Commanding Officer was ever Court Martialled. Leadership qualities flourished and moral shot sky high.
I think, the way Admiral Pereira handled this meeting and followed up with an impulsive decision to hoist the Gin Pennant on board the Vikrant, went a long way in kick starting the Western Fleet! As I said, the Fleet Captain knew Ronnie ttoo well. I was his Staff Officer //winkey.
After all, ends justify the means.
Mariner2