Professionals’ corner, personal experience series

[Pan-Islamic-Pakistan]

It was Feb 2012. I was a bit young at that time.

Early morning, we received a volley of 106 mm rockets fired by TTP. Dust clouds from the launch location were visible from our location so we decided to reach there ASP and hit some TTP stragglers.

That location was a good 6 kms away, for that, we had to climb down our mountain, move into a stony nullah bed and then climb another mountain. I along with a platoon strength took off. Meanwhile artillery fire had also been called in from two artillery batteries (12 guns) which were pounding the probable routes of withdrawal of TTP guys.

Along the way i got a report of a probable sighting of TTP guys running away and i decided to take a small component of my team in their pursuit. I soon found their footsteps and kept on running after them.

Now the icing....
I decided to kept my pursuit going even though i knew that i was going to run into my own artillery's 105 mm shells. Being a bit careless and motivated.....jawaani bhi kia cheez hoti hai......i decided to take the plunge.

It was a harrowing experience.....shells in valleys and confined spaces echo more and your eardrums and brain gets rattled.....unluckily, my exploit did not fetch me any results, and i had to stop because it was almost last light, and i was accompanied by only one of my soldiers....we two in no man's land.

So we returned, tired.....

It was my first outing like this.....first in a series of many over a period of almost 3 years.

Thanks for sharing your experience brother. May Allah swt reward you for your service to our country.

 

[VCheng]

Nopes, they were about 4-5 kms back, in wireless contact, thats all.

I admire the courage showed, for the individual, but worry if the situation had several personnel follow you into that danger, with an adverse outcome. After all, discipline is instilled for good reasons, no? Courage and bravery are great, but one wins wars not by these virtues alone, but by making "the other .... die for his country" to paraphrase a great quote.

 

[PanzerKiel]

I admire the courage showed, for the individual, but worry if the situation had several personnel follow you into that danger, with an adverse outcome. After all, discipline is instilled for good reasons, no? Courage and bravery are great, but one wins wars not by these virtues alone, but by making "the other .... die for his country" to paraphrase a great quote.

You are right, but i must say that it is something very much normal. In such situations, when adrenaline is running high, boldness sometimes does overcome cautiousness. And in my personal experience, boldness always pays off...

 

[VCheng]

You are right, but i must say that it is something very much normal. In such situations, when adrenaline is running high, boldness sometimes does overcome cautiousness. And in my personal experience, boldness always pays off...

I can agree with that. Some virtues, like courage and initiative are individual; some like discipline and chain of command are organizational. Both have their value.

 

[FL-COP]

@PanzerKiel ty for your service

 

[Thorough Pro]

 

[PDF]

Missing @jhungary here to share his experiences.

 

[jaibi]

Me too.

Missing @jhungary here to share his experiences.