Life Coach - Step 12 of 100 - Games people play

Games at unit levels are played for three reasons

• Keep physically fit
  
• Build up camaraderie between officers and troops
• Through competitions increase loyalty for own company and battalion
  

The problem starts when the focus of the Commanding Officer becomes winning of games at brigade level to establish supremacy of the unit and one's command.

So now we have the same set of people in every company who participate in a particular game every year at company level. They are then chosen to represent the battalion. Then they train and compete at brigade level.

The reason for playing of games is compeletely lost. An example: In my company we had a set of 20 players who represented the company in hockey, football, basketball, volleyball, etc. The total nafri was 180 ORs. These people existed only for the games. Their leave schedule, training camps, promotion exams were all adjusted to meet the games schedule primarily. I don't blame them. They did what they felt was in interest of the company and also their career.

But as a company commander did I really see it that way. I would rather have 6 teams of completely different set of people. I want all the troops to play to help them unwind, to be fit and to enjoy the sport.

Is this possible at battalion level? Maybe the pressure of pride in the brigade would affect the CO. But at some point in time, you will be the Brigade Commander. Wont it make sense stopping this charade of sports?

Question time:
Let us hear from your tenures if you ever encountered a commander who let troops play for the sake of playing and how did this affect the brigade.