By Our Reporter
The Commander Land Forces (CLF), Lt Gen Peter Elwelu has explained to young officers of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces the secret behind his rise from the lowest rank of a Private to a Lieutenant General.
He was on Friday afternoon presiding over the pass out of 93 Company Commanders, four of whom were female Officers. The graduation of the Officers who had completed six months of intensive training on commanding a company strength force was held at Junior Command and Staff College grounds in Gadaffi barrack, Jinja district.
Elweru said, Company Commanders Course was very important in his career because it opened his eyes to the future. “When I finished Company Commanders Course in Tanzania that is when I saw light at the end of the tunnel. I could see, I am going somewhere,†he said.
He added that after Company commander’s course, every Officer should be able to foresee his or her future in the military because the course is a critical intermediary course in military career. And that whoever fails to do so, is in the wrong place.
He added that how well a person grasps the course and the extent to which he or she puts to practice the fighting skills attained in the course will greatly determine how the superiors will identify him or her for senior level progression.
He added that he applied military science alongside other leadership and moral attributes such as honesty, humility, obedience and hard work. That, he has never exalted himself, he is honest, works without need for supervision, and is very loyal/obedient to his God, superiors, parents and the government. That is what has brought him this far.
He said he never sought for any favors or solicited for any deployment. Once given an assignment, he never needs to be supervised. He has simply applied his military science and added on those moral/leadership attributes, and it has put him to where he is. He said that that is how the Generals made it to where they are, not by shortcuts.
He thus discouraged young officers from soliciting for deployments adding that one does not need to seek for any favors or soliciting for deployments to reach where they are meant to be. (Here, the Lt Gen discouraged the officers from looking for soft landings where there is money which is bound to make them land into mistakes. He said officers should strive to build the UPDF, with or without an emolument. He also said dishonest people misuse government resources).
He counseled that no matter where someone is placed without the requisite skills and attributes, that person will stagnate.
The CLF observed that soldiering is a calling from God and that there are no short cuts to the top. That, military service is a call from God and should not be accompanied by vices such as seeking for favors.