Passing out Parade of Thiha Company of 125th Intake of Defence Services (Army) Officers Training School (Bahtoo) held
NAY PYI TAW April 6
Passing out Parade of the Thiha Company of the 125th Intake of Officers Training Course of Defence Services (Army) Officers Training School (Bahtoo) was held at the parade ground of the OTS in Fort Bahtoo this morning.
On behalf of Chairman of State Administration Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Maha Thray Sithu Min Aung Hlaing, Vice Chairman of SAC Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) Vice-Senior General Thray Sithu Soe Win delivered an address at the ceremony.
Also present on the occasion were Daw Than Than Nwe, wife of the Vice-Senior General, Lt-Gen Zeya Kyaw Htin Aung Zaw Aye of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army), senior military officers of the Office of the Commanderin-Chief, the commander of Eastern Command and wife, senior military officers of the Bahtoo Station, invited guests, and cadets.
First, Vice-Senior General Thray Sithu Soe Win took the salute of the cadet companies, and then inspected the cadet companies. The cadet companies saluted the Vice-Senior General in slow march-past and quick march-past.
Afterwards, the Vice-Senior General presented a silver sword to Cadet No. 121 Cadet Aung Min Thu from the 125th Intake of OTS who won the Best Cadet Award.
In his address, the Vice-Senior General said military personnel are the persons taking the main role in serving the duties for the perpetuation of sovereignty and for national defence, while keeping in force Our Three Main National Causes. They are also the persons who dare to take risks if the situation of the nation and the Tatmadaw calls for it. OTS has trained the cadets to become good officers equipped with intellectual and physical ability, and they who are going to serve the national defence duties at the assigned battalion/unit. In this regard, they must take pride in their work and must be dutiful.
Tatmadaw was established during the independence struggle and is the armed forces with the fine traditions of safeguarding the independence throughout the successive periods.
As future military leaders, cadets must have the knowledge of the Tatmadaw’s history.
Tatmadaw was formed as Burma Independence Army (BIA) on 27 December 1941.
It was later reestablished as Burma Defence Army (BDA), Burma National Army (BNA), Patriotic Burmese Forces (PBF) respectively. Tatmadaw that always stood by the people as a firm national force throughout the successive periods of history, played the pivotal role in restoring independence, and successfully warded off all dangers arising out of armed insurgencies and alien instigations together with the national people.
Tatmadaw always stood with the people under various systems all along the successive eras for the perpetuation of independence and sovereignty.
So, Tatmadaw’s fine traditions must be understood, preserved and relayed.
When it comes to the flourishing of patriotism, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Maha Thray Sithu Min Aung Hlaing said at the 63rd Intake of DSA: “If national character and culture waned, then patriotism would die down. Lack of patriotism is the gravest danger to the country and the people. For a country, the flourishing of patriotism of its citizens is crucial.
Dynamism of patriotism, linage and preservation of national integrity are instrumental to our Tatmadaw as well as the entire nation. Patriotism means the love for our own country, race, religion, language and culture. It is the spirit of being unbearable when our country and people got hurt. Since its conception, our Tatmadaw has been following order and discipline based on patriotism.
So it is the strongest institution,” the Vice-Senior General quoted as saying.
This is why your comrades at your assigned battalions/units need to continue to better follow order and discipline. The Tatmadaw is constantly discharging its national defence duty in the interests of the State and the people to promote democracy inspired by the people and ensure stability and eternal peace by overcoming all challenges. As such, I want to strongly urge you to safeguard Our Three Main National Causes: “nondisintegration of the Union,
non-disintegration of national solidarity and perpetuation of sovereignty”.
Building a modern Tatmadaw requires combat skills and prowess, so emphasis is placed on human resource development necessary for these skills and prowess of soldiers. Modern military training, military techniques and other related subjects are being taught locally for Tatmadaw members and they are also being sent abroad for such trainings. The Tatmadaw is trying to be able to be armed with modern military weapons and equipment for improving combat skills. Efforts are being exerted with added momentum and step by step to build up a standard army. The country will be strong only if its Tatmadaw is strong. So, you comrades are urged to loyally serve wherever you are assigned as we build up a modern, patriotic Tatmadaw.
The Tatmadaw earnestly helped hold the general elections successfully in 2010 and 2015 and ensure they were free and fair for the emergence of a good and clean government selected by the people whose ultimate aims is to take a multiparty democracy path. But as you already know, there was reaction to the vote rigging in the general election held on 8 November 2020. And even they attempted to grab power unfairly. To prevent any deviation from the disciplined multi-party democracy, the Tatmadaw took control of the country in accord with the emergency provision of the 2008 Constitution.
Then, the State Administration Council was formed with military members and civilians, and the five-point roadmap and nine political, economic and social objectives were adopted. The Tatmadaw has clearly announced that upon accomplishing the provisions of the state of emergency, free and fair multi-party democratic elections will be held in line with the 2008 Constitution, and further work will be undertaken to hand over State duties to the winning party in accordance with democratic standards.
After takeover of the country on 1 February 2021, peaceful protests emerged after 3 February.
But they turned to riots, violence, explosions and brutal killings at various outside instigations. “The Tatmadaw exercised utmost restraint and handled the situation with least action. Then, martial law was inevitably imposed in six townships of Yangon Region.”
So I want you to understand this.
During the course, military, leadership and administrative skills necessary for junior Tatmadaw leaders have been taught.
Thus, you need to try to apply them in the practical field.
Moreover, you need to constantly train yourselves. Practice means reparations for knowing battle ground situation and overcoming any difficulties. Practice will bring about professionalism, confidence, health and fitness and courage. So, you are always to train and practise earnestly and correctly.
As disciplines taught at the training school are just theories, it is necessary for all to apply them in the practical field by combining the initiative, innovation and disciplines studied during the course like true young leaders. As there may be slight or significant differences between the training situation and that of the battlefield, you are required not only to abide by the three principles to study military equipment and warfare, to train to be fit and skilful and to observe the fundamental military theories and disciplines of the battlefield but also to continuously urge personnel of your units to do so.
As reading can expand knowledge and wisdom and raise the ideological status, it is important to allocate time to study fine literary works. As it is necessary to perform duties assigned at any time and anywhere as Tatmadaw personnel, it is vital to lead fit and healthy lives full of immunity against diseases.
It is necessary for all to abstain from drinking alcohol, chewing betel and smoking, which are harmful to health and life and to lead healthy lives.
As it is training that can contribute to physical and mental well-being, you are required not only to undergo training but also to train personnel in your units continuously. Therefore, it is essential for all exert efforts to enhance the combat capabilities of the Tatmadaw by behaving in accordance with the training objectives of the Tatmadaw to be fit and healthy, to be proficient and to be brave.
Basic principles and practices of leadership have been instilled in you during the training course. “Leadership means performing duties assigned to one by superiors to achieve the objectives in cooperation with personnel in one’s unit.” As it is necessary for leaders to be role models for their personnel in order to offer true leadership, it is important for all to nurture the spirit of good commanders and parents in oneself.
In giving leadership to personnel, it is vital for all to exert efforts to be reliable leaders for one’s organization by providing correct leadership, giving lawful orders and making fair judgements. Objectives of the one’s organization can be achieved through the united strength of concerted efforts under the reliable leadership. Therefore, it is necessary for all to try to apply the 16 characteristics of good leadership.
As leaders are ones who have to bravely solve difficulties and needs encountered during the performance of duties assigned to one’s unit, they are also responsible for advantages and disadvantages. It is vital for all to be reliable leaders who solve difficulties and problems based on the spirit of sacrifice.
As leaders are important for any organization, it is necessary for them to improve their necessary leadership qualities worthy of a leader while performing duties by always upholding rationality, conscientiousness and consciousness. It is necessary for all lead personnel by encouraging what should happen and preventing what should not happen based on well intention.
It is also vital for all to help solve the issues in welfare and social relations of personnel under one’s leadership correctly in accordance with orders, directives and provisions within the legal framework. Only then, can one achieve the trust and cooperation of personnel to perform duties assigned to one’s unit successfully without any difficulties through the cooperation of leaders and personnel. Therefore, I would like to urge all seriously to try to be reliable leaders for your organizations.
It is necessary to strengthen the existing morale of comrades who have joined the Tatmadaw with a valuable basic spirit for national defence. If morale is not good, you can lose your strength, so you need to build up your morale. At present, we are witnessing some foreign countries and local terrorist organizations are making various means to incite and cause dissension between the state and the military. Every member of the Armed Forces is serving the country with their own desire and a noble spirit who wants to protect the State and the people, so he or she must carry out his / her duties with high confidence.
Comrades, no matter how many opposition groups attack us, we must faithfully and courageously face the spirit of patriotism, comradeship and the spirit of upholding the traditions of the Tatmadaw. Therefore, I would like to urge all comrades to understand the beliefs and perceptions of a good member of the Armed Forces, to take pride in the duties entrusted to them by the State and the Armed Forces, and to be loyal and respectful.
As the Tatmadaw is the most important armed organization in the country, every member of the Armed Forces must respect and abide by international rules and regulations, such as the Rules of Engagement (ROE) as well as military discipline, military law and territorial laws.
The Tatmadaw is the strongest organization in the country because it is a well-disciplined organization that is sustainable and able to fulfill its mission.
On the 77th anniversary of the Armed Forces Day, the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services, Senior General Maha Thray Sithu Min Aung Hlaing, said, “Adhering to the rules and regulations by each military personnel, it is needed to preserve the virtuous tradition of Tatmadaw and to be a well-disciplined Tatmadaw, a well-regulated institution and an organization of quintessential example of discipline. The composition of good soldiers and leaders is required to build up a prestigious institution, Tatmadaw. To become a good soldier, it is needed to be a man of discipline followed by obedience. Besides, it has to be fully-fledged with knowledge and expertise to become good leaders who are needed to acquire the high composition of experience and rational thought with the sixteen characteristics of leadership. I would like to say that a prestigious institution, Tatmadaw composed of good soldiers (subordinates) with good discipline and obedience, and good leaders (superiors) with rational thought could serve the National defence duty in full strength as a capable Tatmadaw and well-established institution.”
Therefore, I would like to urge the comrades to strive to be good leaders with good discipline and obedience, and to build the army under their command into a good force.
The Tatmadaw needs to have three capabilities: military capacity, administrative capacity and organizational capacity.
In order to fulfill these three capabilities, it is necessary for every battalion and comrade to have the five basic qualities:
spirit, discipline, loyalty, unity and the three skills. These three capabilities are interconnected, especially through improved administrative capacity, military capabilities and organizational capacity will be strengthened.
It is important to note today that local and foreign traitors are working in various fields for a variety of purposes for the benefits of their superiors, in other words, in a way that enslaves them, including the disintegration of the military and the formation of a puppet government. Therefore, for the people who want to live peacefully and respect the interests of the State, outreach organizing is a must for every member of the Armed Forces.
In addition, the organizational capacity is the ability to unite the families of the military personnel and the people into one with the Tatmadaw. The mobilization of the army must focus on the four major areas of army building: training, administration, welfare, and morale and we need to build a solid structure so that no matter who divides us, we will always be united. Providing the welfare and livelihoods of the families of the military personnel under our command is also strengthening its mobilization.
In carrying out mobilization activities, we have to carry out development activities in our areas, starting from living and speaking in a military manner and in the event of a natural disaster, relief work, protection of the people from disasters and the public interest must be carried out and the people must live in accordance with the code of conduct.
I would like to urge all comrades to make continuous efforts to carry out organizing activities inside and outside of the army, as good organizational skills will in turn improve administrative capacity and military capabilities, and will be able to successfully carry out any given task. Peace and stability are the key requirements for the country to be firmly on the path of multi-party democracy.
The Tatmadaw is striving for perpetual peace in line with the six principles of peace and development, and will adhere to the agreements in the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).
The State Administration Council has always been making efforts to be able to keep holding peace dialogues with EAOs for ensuring a permanent peace and issued, as a new step, its 1/2022 Announcement on February 6 to invite all EAOs, except the ones announced as terrorist groups, to be able to hold the dialogues on no precondition basis. It is needed to understand that the Tatmadaw did so looking forward to ensuring a true peace with a sense of seeing ethnic people as real brothers.
Besides, the Tatmadaw has already announced that the period of suspending military operations was further extended from March 1 to December 31, 2022 except for the security of the Government and disruptions and attacks on its administrative mechanism. Moreover, the Prime Minister of the State designated the year 2022 as a year of peace, and the National Unity and Peace Coordination Committee has been holding dialogues for a permanent peace with armed organizations, not only non-signatories of NCA but NCA signatories. The cadets are to be dutiful in assigned duties helpful to achieving the perpetual peace.
The Vice-Senior General told the cadets to discharge duties with dignity for the State and the people understanding the truth of present stance in accordance with the noble history and tradition of the Tatmadaw, to always make collective efforts for the Tatmadaw to become the strong, efficient, modernized patriotic armed forces, to systematically and correctly conduct training measures, individually and in groups, as training breeds skill, confidence, fitness and courage, to methodically apply what they learned from the academy on the battle ground in combination with acuity and innovation, to be in accordance with the 16-Point Leadership Feature to become leaders or commanders, who subordinate people rely on, to work hard to be leaders who know responsibility and are dutiful, and those who take responsibility to handle difficulties with a sense of sacrifice through building their own leadership capacity constantly, to continue to maintain tradition of the Tatmadaw that is “the well-disciplined Tatmadaw” in compliance with the rules and regulations set by the State and the Tatmadaw, and to make efforts to build and strengthen organizational measures inside and outside the Tatmadaw units to ensure improvement of three points abilities of the Tatmadaw.
Then, the Vice-Senior General received a salute by the cadet companies and left the parade.
After the parade, the Vice- Senior General, with the senior military officers of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, the commander of Eastern Command, met the cadets who won outstanding prizes and spoke words of honour for them.