Women In Command - Pros And Cons

Amid a debate, the writer asserts that to generalise all women commanding officers due to shortfalls in a few may not be completely right.

A letter, available on social media, written by a senior army officer to his superior, raising fingers on the capabilities of women officers in command has reignited a debate on the subject. Women officers are here to stay and that is a fact. The current women officers in command are the first in the Indian Army. There are possibly more than a thousand command positions for Colonels in the Indian Army, of which a part is currently held by women officers, largely out of the combat zone and in static or support units. Weaknesses being visible only in women officers as stated in the letter is possibly farfetched.

Most of us who have served in the Army have seen a variety of traits in those in command (we never had women in command). Some commanding officers were self-serving while others adhered to the Chetwood Motto, which is the nation and men under command before themselves. Some had high empathy for those under their command, while others were insensitive and impatient. Some only looked at their individual careers while others worked to uplift their establishment and left their future to the system. They rarely failed.

There are some who have brought high-performing establishments to their knees with their idiosyncrasies, while others have raised poorly performing establishments to high professional levels. There are some who face pressures from the home front impacting their command, while there are those whose families are supportive, enabling them to concentrate on their task in hand. In short, there are a variety of individuals in command, some who have succeeded and moved forward, some who have done well and stagnated for no fault of theirs, as also a few who have left behind a sordid reputation. The same holds good for women in command. All can neither be ideal or bad. There will be a mix.

Talk to any retired or serving member of the armed forces from any country and he would narrate different types of commanding officers he has encountered in service. This is a global phenomenon. There are some he would swear by and always desire to serve with, while there are others he would never like to remember or meet. A man dies in combat not for the flag but for the 'Izzat' of the battalion and his faith in those who command. He knows that his next of kin will be cared for. That is the commanding officer the nation seeks to select, but may not always happen.

All nominated for command are approved in a stringent selection board where selection percentages are low. These boards are conducted based on assessment by senior officers through a reasonable period of service. Each officer, competing for the next rank, during the period under review, has served under multiple superiors, many of whom have observed them from close.

The current Colonels in command, have largely been assessed by those in senior ranks today. If they have been approved, it implies that those assessing them have found some qualities worthy of an individual being granted the next rank. If the wrong individual is promoted then the blame must rest with today's hierarchy, who were their judges of character. Selecting them as suitable then blaming the system is shifting the blame.

One assessor may have made a mistake, not all who have assessed the concerned individual. If the current army leadership is led by professionals who are simultaneously understanding then it is my generation which should take credit for the right assessment.

An officer learns during their formative years in service. The responsibility of correct grooming is with those senior and mostly with the commanding officer. Generally, most youngsters have role models, largely those under whom they served in early stages of their career. It is what they learn and imbibe that they follow. Errors in later stages of service are largely due to incorrect grooming. There are other factors too impacting command including motivation, respect for the service, the men under command and a desire to succeed. Hence, apart from grooming are individual traits, which have not developed overnight but visible throughout service. These for some reason are missed by assessors when wrong individuals are selected.

Courses at different levels may provide theoretical knowledge but that does not substitute for what an individual has learnt in the field through practical experience. It is for this reason that an individual goes through different stages of command in his service and is closely observed at each level. There cannot be multiple errors in judgment.

All armed forces establishments are closely monitored by the next superior. It is for this reason that there are organisational structures. Monitoring is done through multiple means and inputs can rarely be hidden. Shortfalls in man-management and errors in command can also be addressed through various mechanisms, including counselling and advice by superiors. In rare cases, some in command have also been removed.

Women medical officers have commanded field ambulance units and hospitals at different levels with aplomb for years. These are not easy establishments to command, especially hospitals, where workloads are high, shortages of staff and equipment is a common phenomenon and there are a variety of patients, many critical of the service being provided. Commanding officers of these establishments are always in the limelight. Few have faced criticism. Some would justify it by mentioning that these are professional establishments but so are those which women officers are commanding today.

To generalize all women commanding officers due to shortfalls in a few may not be completely right. There would be good and not-so-good officers amongst them as there would be amongst their male counterparts. What is most essential is that seniors should be there to guide, advice and ensure that errors in command are corrected and sanctity of the unit and its members protected. The current system is here to stay. There is a need to overcome shortcomings rather than question the system or demand an overhaul.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of ETV Bharat)