Humor in Uniform - OFFICER LIKE QUALITIES (OLQ)

HUMOUR IN UNIFORM 

OFFICER LIKE QUALITIES (OLQ) - an apocryphal story by Vikram Karve

This happened almost 30 years ago, in the mid 1980’s.

A young “hot shot” newly promoted Lieutenant Commander reported to IAT as an instructor.

Let us call him “A”.

IAT was a top-heavy institution.

In Lieutenant Commander A’s department there were 3 officers – 2 Commanders (“B” and “C”) and 1 Lieutenant Commander (“A”).

Now, since Lieutenant Commander “A” was the junior-most officer, both the Commanders used to order him around.

On many occasions there were conflicting orders from Commanders “B” and “C” and Lieutenant Commander “A” was fed up.

So, Lieutenant Commander “A” went up to the Director of Studies (a Captain) and asked him: 

“Sir, who do I work for? Is it Commander “B” or is it Commander “C”? Both of them keep giving me orders.”

“What do you mean “who do I work for”? This is an training institution and all instructors are equal. But since you are junior, you have to listen to what your seniors tell you – so you obey whatever both of them tell you to do and take advice from both of them. Do you understand?” the Captain said.

“Yes, Sir, but I still have one doubt,” Lieutenant Commander “A” said.

“Speak up,” the Captain said.

“Sir, I want to know who will be writing my ACR?” Lieutenant Commander “A” asked, matter-of-factly.

(ACR stands for Annual Confidential Report – the Performance Appraisal Report in the Navy)

The Captain looked Lieutenant Commander “A” directly in the eye and said firmly: “I will be writing your ACR. The Director of Studies is the initiating officer for ACRs of all instructors in the wing. So I will be writing your ACR – is that clear?”

“Yes, Sir,” Lieutenant Commander “A” said.

He smartly saluted the Captain and left his office.

Thereafter, Lieutenant Commander “A” totally ignored the two Commanders.

Displaying astute “Officer-Like-Qualities” the smart Lieutenant Commander “A” started kowtowing the Captain.

VIKRAM KARVE

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All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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First Posted by me Vikram Karve at 2/02/2014 11:00:00 AM in my blog at url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2014/02/humor-in-uniform-acr-dilemma.html