Saving the Character of Officers Messes

The issue which I propose to raise for your consideration pertains to offer of membership to Army Officers Messes to Civilian Group A officers like IFA.

Officers Messes in Army, as you know, are created, maintained and run with Public Funds supplemented by private contributions by officers. Elaborate rules, codified as Paras 1259 to 1289 in Regulations for Army, 1987 govern membership and functioning of these messes. Regulations for Army strictly limit membership to these officers messes to Army Officers, as defined in Section 3 (VIII) of the Army Act and Army Rule 188. Thus no commander including GOC-in-C have legal authority to open the doors of Army Officers Mess to anyone else. Being member of such a mess is both a 'compulsion' and a 'privilege' for an army officer. This membership entails both social as well as financial obligations on the army officers and their families. The member of such mess also has, necessarily, to be under command of a military authority. Thus I am surprised that many of the Command Headquarters have made IFA member of their officers mess on the pretext of they (IFA) are part of said Headquarters and membership is limited to tenure of IFA with the headquarters.

Civilian Group A Officers like IFA belong to what is termed as an 'Organised Cadre' and Government apparatus consists of many such cadres, e.g, IAS, IDAS, IDES, IDSE and so on. As you would be well aware these Civilian Group A Officers are governed by CCS ( CCA) Rules. Thus the terms and conditions of service of Group A Officers are quite different from those of the Army Officers. However many a time some of them do affiliate with the Army in various capacities for a tenure and extending officers mess membership to anyone can result in demands for the same from others. In fact majority of 17405 Civilian Group A Officers of MoD can claim membership to Army Officers Messes on same grounds as advanced for IFAs. For example an IDES officer may be CEO or DEO in a small military station like Bukhlow or Wellington where civilian population may be negligible and these officers may want to partake army facilities. A civilian GE from IDSE may want to be member of Unit Officers Mess in Barmer. There are many LAO headed by officers of IDAS who are affiliated with Army and they may want to be part of local Army Officers Mess. IAS and AFHQ Cadre officers who are part of MoD may want to be members of Army Battle Honours Mess. 

Then there are equivalent civilians like Lecturer for 11th and 12th classes in Central Schools located in military stations primarily catering for wards of army All Rank. These lecturers draw same Grade Pay as Lieutenant and Captain. Does the Army plan to extend membership to Army Officers Messes to all of these officials. If yes how does it propose to create adequate infrastructure and staff for the same and if not then how does it justify extension of membership to IFAs.

General SLA Marshal (US Army) had described Army Officers Mess as a 'uniquely military establishment meant to nurture and strengthen 'Primary Group' in a combat unit. Let's keep our messes focused on the function they are meant for. Request senior military leadership be asked to not weaken very foundations of military ethos for the sake of temporary advantage of having an agreeable IFA. It is important for all of us to remember that youngsters join army for its distinctiveness which includes such institutions like Officers Mess, which have been nurtured by generations of predecessors who didn't think only of immediate. My humble request is that if we can't add to it let's not destroy the existing.

Lastly let me end by repeating an old truth, which is that, each cadre looks after itself. 

For example:

A. Recent bad deal given by the Armed Forces from 7th CPC has been widely and correctly attributed to biased advice the young IDAS officer gave to the CPC.

B. When Civilian Group A Officers were granted NFFU they did not ask government to extend that perk to officers of Armed Forces.

C. Previous subterfuge to deny 'Rank Pay' to Officers of Armed Forces was executed by the IDAS officersmember of Unit Officers Mess in Barmer. There are many LAO headed by officers of IDAS who are affiliated with Army and they may want to be part of local Army Officers Mess.  IAS and AFHQ Cadre officers who are part of MoD may want to be members of Army Battle Honours Mess. 

Then there are equivalent civilians like Lecturer for 11th and 12th classes in Central Schools located in military stations primarily catering for wards of army All Rank. These lecturers draw same Grade Pay as Lieutenant and Captain. Does the Army plan to extend membership to Army Officers Messes to all of these officials. If yes how does it propose to create adequate infrastructure and staff for the same and if not then how does it justify extension of membership to IFAs.

General SLA Marshal (US Army) had described Army Officers Mess as a 'uniquely military establishment meant to nurture and strengthen 'Primary Group' in a combat unit. Let's keep our messes focused on the function they are meant for. Request senior military leadership be asked to not weaken very foundations of military ethos for the sake of temporary advantage of having an agreeable IFA. It is important for all of us to remember that youngsters join army for its distinctiveness which includes such institutions like Officers Mess, which have been nurtured by generations of predecessors who didn't think only of immediate. My humble request is that if we can't add to it let's not destroy the existing. Lastly let me end by repeating an old truth, which is that, each cadre looks after itself. Remember when Civilian Group A Officers were granted NFFU they did not ask government to extend that perk to Army officers.