Recently I started to read this book called ‘The No-Asshole Rule’. I picked it up at the Border’s fair last year. What caught my eye then was how bold and daring the title was. Well after reading a little, I’ve used what’s in there plus what little a lousy stupid man like moi has gathered be it at my unit and at elsewhere.

The biggest problem that I feel the SAF actually faced is having far too many bigots who are absolute utter certified assholes up there high ranking, with far too much power to abuse and sharply create problems.

How may some outsiders ask can we have such people lying around doing whatever they please. Well simple, signing on is an iron rice bowl, which the recruitment’s are done in a world of its own without the normal pressures in the outside world at work. Most importantly the bullied has absolutely nowhere to go to without reprise. Sadly all the channels of communications are just too fraud-full and utterly pointless. Unless you have a mountain of authority behind you, you just can’t shoot down these assholes. The military here actually helps promote such wondrous behaviour.

Let us move on in a fairly structured manner. The SAF, being a military organisation, is a regimental organisation where the exact rank and file is carefully followed with the higher rank always being the voice of rightness. Here lies the first flaw for the high ranks might not always be right. The feedback channel is frozen as lower ranks cannot speak out against these bullies for there is no one who would either 1) listen to them and carry out action, 2) not believe them for they are less trust-worthy than their direct superiors.

Sadly this causes the SAF to not have maximum effectiveness nor the best talent at work. Too many people fear getting the brunt of things and hide and grovel in one corner instead of coming out with better ways to solve things for they fear too much. Commanders rule by fear and this my dear audience is deeply ingrained in both the doctrines of SAF as well as the commanders.

Let us first examine out doctrines. We have an informal punishment system in place to mete out punishments against wrong doers. Sadly so punishments are not proportional to the ‘crimes’ committed. In addition we only punish and never reward the people who do things right. So how? We ALL proceed to heavily avoid trouble but doing the bare necessities.

Next is commanders. First would be selection of commanders. Of course we should be given a choice to go command school or not but with a choice the available pool of candidates you have shrinks so but of course don’t expect the best. Plus look at the real motivations behind why people chose to go command school. For monetary rewards, for power and to rule(already this shows the want to bully others of lower status) and more. Then look at the criteria. For both there is a certain level of fitness required, and at times it has become one of the key factor too, which sadly is NOT a key leadership skill. The motivations shows already that command school that to attract assholes more than anything because it gives them power.

Then what the schools ingrain into them is another wonderful thing. As trainees they are treated badly, showing that only after they get their rank they can bully others as they had been. This vicious cycle only adds to helping the assholes thrive and giving a legitimate reason to be assholes.

The choice of leaders is inherently flawed and the training just helps in bringing out the assholic beings in the if ever innocent trainees.

Well then now we move on to the key stone or the foundations that help SAF stands up – regulars. Regulars cover regulars and push everything to NSFs. NSFs being NSFs got nowhere to go, especially the other ranks. They can rant and throw their temper without fear for no one can stop them for the bullied get no outpost to let their grievances be aired.

As you can see assholes rule in the SAF and only by being one you don’t get eaten. So my dear readers should I become one to fit in? Well unlikely for I shall attempt to fight this comtemptable beast head on in whatever ways I can. Suppress too long and mutiny might be in the works. Even if the big boss is nice, having ‘wonderful’ direct superiors just meant one thing – you have no joy in what you do. Being mandatory already makes it something not well like. The wonderful track record and reputation just makes it THE place to spent 2 years of you life.

I now sincerely hope that those I know who have gone on for asshole training resist it all and not convert. The SAF does attempt to promote the no asshole rule in our ore values of care for soldiers and limiting the powers using the IPS. But guess what it gets ignore and applied in other ways. Such empty words remains just words.

-wonght
 Oh the controlled environment the assholes are in.