State Administration Council Vice Chairman Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) Vice-Senior General Soe Win addresses Diamond Jubilee Ordnance Corps Day
NAY PYI TAW December 1
Diamond Jubilee Ordnance Corps Day was held in Hsinbyuship Hall, Transit Centre here this morning, attended by Vice Chairman of State Administration Council Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) Vice-Senior General Soe Win.
Present together with the Vice-Senior General were the SAC Secretary, SAC members, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in- Chief, the Nay Pyi Taw Command commander, retired senior officers of the corps and guests.
Quartermaster General Lt-Gen Kyaw Swa Lin of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army), Director of the Directorate of Ordnance Maj-Gen Win Lwin and Nay Pyi Taw Command Commander Maj-Gen Zaw Hein formally opened the ceremony.
The Vice-Senior General unveiled the diamond jubilee signboard, followed by a photo session.
In his speech, the Vice-Senior said the corps has been playing a role as a part of the Tatmadaw since its establishment during the independence struggle.
Till today, the corps has been discharging its duties to the best of its members’ physical and mental ability in accord with the motto “supply arms for the battle victory”. The role of the corps had become pivotally important in the preindependence period. It was first established as the Burma Army Ordnance Depot-B.A.O.D on 1 December 1947, which has become the Ordnance Corps Day. During the early postindependence period, the corps had found a new way of supplying arms from air, and the method proved successful in crushing insurgents in 1949 From then on, aerial arms supply has developed gradually.
The groups that are excel in weapon capacity and command and supply achieve areawise victory. However, there are changes in military concepts and ideologies the corps’ importance role remains unchanged.
A poem on military strategy points out the need work in all seriousness in storing food rations in towns for members of every rank to make them always fresh and alert. History tells us that only the armed forces that are excel in command and supply win the wars occurred in the world.
Although it has experienced a lot of changes in manpower, troop strength, structure and name, the corps is always dutiful and its essence Always ensure right materials, right place, right time and right quality remains unchanged.
The corps is always active in public welfare undertakings in addition to discharging its normal duties well. It took part in the rescue and relief programs during and aftermath of Nargis cyclonic storm and other natural disasters.
Members of the ordnance corps were sent to pursue relevant studies for maintaining and servicing modern ordnances and military equipment in order to keep abreast of international countries in their professions.
Moreover, learned subjects and their accumulated knowledge are being shared with officers and other ranks from the ordnance corps and regiments and units from the Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air) in the training.
The members of the ordnance corps serve transport and supply of arms and ammunition to the soldiers from the battle fields and continuously manufacture necessary military equipment for Tatmadaw members and other marketable products for the people at fair prices.
Tatmadaw factories under the ordnance corps fully meet the demand of the whole Tatmadaw with the high quality arms and ammunition produced from local factories of the Tatmadaw without relying on foreign made military equipment. Moreover, surplus production capacity is being operated for manufacturing the marketable personal goods at correct prices for the people.
As such, the Vice-Senior General urged them to continuously raise the manufacturing process got ensuring import substitute, increasing productivity and shifting the importer statue to the exporter.
As members of ordnance corps poured out the vigorous efforts to meet the assigned missions during the 75 years period, the Vice-Senior General took pride in conferring Zeya Kyawhtin title on three members, gallantry certificates of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services on four members, honorary certificates of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services on 33 members, Excellent Performance Award in Administration Field (Second Class) on two,
Excellent Performance Award in Administration Field (Third Class) on one and Excellent Performance Award in Industrial Economy Field (Third Class) on one respectively.
The ordnance unit under the leadership of the Tatmadaw during the independence struggle period of Myanmar has grandly stood as a fully grown corps. The 75-year period proved that officers and other ranks serving at the ordnance corps could steadfastly serve the duties assigned by the State and the Tatmadaw. New generation members of the ordnance corps need to take over the fine traditions and hand it over to the posterities as valuable legacy.
They all have to serve their assigned duties in line with the adopted slogans and mottos.
The Vice-Senior General expressed his wish for the ordnance corps to be longlasting term from the Diamond Jubilee Ordnance Corps Day which falls today.
Director of the Ordnance Maj-Gen Win Lwin reported on the brief history of the corps and presented the documentary video on the Ordnance Corps Day. Then, the members of the ordnance corps presented the song in honour of the Diamond Jubilee Ordnance Corps Day.
The Vice-Senior General accepted the commemorative gifts to mark the Diamond Jubilee Ordnance Corps Day presented by the director.
The Vice-Senior General cordially greeted senior military officers of the Ordnance Corps at the ceremony and visited the exhibition to mark the Diamond Jubilee Ordnance Corps Day.