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Journalism of Courage
CHANDIGARH, June 15: The Army is expected to revert to the former system wherein battalion-level formations were commanded by officers of the rank of Lieutenant Colonels. Presently such formations are commanded by full Colonels. This, say sources at Headquarters Western Command, has been recommended to counterbalance the government’s decision to raise the retirement age of all ranks by two years and to keep the age profile of field commanders young.
This proposal, formulated during the two-day Army Commanders’ conference held in Delhi last week, had been forwarded to the Ministry of Defence.However, contrary to reports appearing in a section of the media, no decision has been taken on the retiring age and tenures of Army Commanders. It had been reported that the Army brass had decided against increasing the age of commanders from the present 58 years to 60 years.
Traditionally, the Army battalion-level units were commanded by Lieutenant Colonels, with Majors as their second in command (2 IC). However, in the mid-eighties, the command structure was revised on the American lines, and the command of a battalion was handed over to a full Colonel, with a Lieutenant Colonel as his 2 IC.
This had raised the age profile of battalion commanders, with such officers in the age group of 39-45. The implications of older field commanders was thought to be particularly serious in the `Arms’ like infantry, armoured and artillery.
The battalion is the principal combat formation of an Army and it is important that its commanders are young and fit enough to lead troops into battle. The Army bras’s endeavour is to maintain the age profile of field commanders between 35 to 41 years.
The decision of that time had a severe impact on the Army’s command hierarchy, resulting in a "top heavy” Army. Posts meant for relatively junior officers were giver to senior officers, wherein responsibility did not match status.
Though sources rule out, at least in the coming years, complete reversal of the command hierarchy, they say that so far revision of the battalion commanders rank only is on the cards.
Another recommendation to counter the stagnation in promotion of middle-rung officers (Lieutenant Colonel – Brigadiers), resulting from increase in retirement age, is encouraging officers to go in for study leave. Study leave is generally of two-year duration. The posts left vacant by officers going on study would be filled in by those waiting in the wings after having been cleared for promotion.
