A #defence tidbit.
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Both conscripts and reservists may have various meanings in different systems. But based on personal international peacekeeping experiences, I think we Finns are not doing too badly.
Perhaps we are sometimes doing better than many professional military personnel. One little case decades ago opened my eyes a lot in this regard.
I was serving under a Brigadier from another country with professional system. One day he told me to prepare written instructions for telephone duty privates. I didn’t really understand what he wanted and saw no need for such a standard operating procedure. But as ordered, eventually I managed a list: answer phone; take notes; pass on message as appropriate.
No. Not at all. The Brigadier was not happy and took the task to himself. I never saw the final document, but this SOP commenced something like this: sit straight on a chair provided at the duty desk; have a notepad plus pencil in readiness by your right hand; when phone rings, answer thus...
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R ActivityRelay shared this topic
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Maybe one more reminiscence is allowed, as this subject about different military systems now came up.
Long time ago I was driving in the area of operations of an international peacekeeping mission. Was going to someplace, but not sure about the route.
A roadfork ahead, and a peacekeeper private standing guard there. He was from a faraway country with professional military system. Very good:
– Good afternoon, soldier, do you speak English?
– Yes, Sir!
– Excellent. Can you please tell me, if this road to the right leads to so-and-so-place?
– Yes, Sir!
– Thank you very much. Good bye.I got lost and never found my intended destination. Afterwards asked from a colleague of mine, an officer from the same country as the private, what might have happened. Turned out it was my own fault. In that country’s system, a private cannot say no to an officer. Instead of a stupid question, I should have asked, which one of these two roads leads to where I am going.
