₦airaland Forum

buffness:
Aje

ify2016:
Nawa o. What if I disengage with them in order to study overseas? Is it allowed? I don't want to stay long in this service and that prompted my question. Thanks House

ugo4u:
You don't have an option except you will be failing promotional courses deliberately, and to be pensionable now you have to serve for atleast 10yrs though I think it is now 15 yrs or so!!
It's better you don't even enter because the to komot go be wahala many people are stuck in the military because they thought they could play the system.

ugo4u:
You don't have an option except you will be failing promotional courses deliberately, and to be pensionable now you have to serve for atleast 10yrs though I think it is now 15 yrs or so!!
It's better you don't even enter because the to komot go be wahala many people are stuck in the military because they thought they could play the system.

eclipsehemmy:
My advice..... If you are applying for this army job.... Don't go condemning the army on social media.... You are not completely hidden... I don tell you... Wen u reach board dem ask you question on wetin u post u go wan faint.... Army get one full department wer dey monitor cyberspace... I know wetin I dey talk... Esp Facebook.... Make men Dey careful o......

sikowitz17:
lol so army board dey check your twitter? Its obvious you've not been screened before cos if you have, You'll know there's no time for that shit
Who has time to be logging in your Facebook to check your posts? I get guy wey condem army tire for failed leadership and corruption on twitter...we screened together, he's passing out in 4 days...no be only cyber monitoring....is it major general Mohammed Mohammed commander of 1div that will be asking you what you posted? Lmao

sikowitz17:
lol so army board dey check your twitter? Its obvious you've not been screened before cos if you have, You'll know there's no time for that shit
Who has time to be logging in your Facebook to check your posts? I get guy wey condem army tire for failed leadership and corruption on twitter...we screened together, he's passing out in 4 days...no be only cyber monitoring....is it major general Mohammed Mohammed commander of 1div that will be asking you what you posted? Lmao

ugo4u:
Baba he is damn too correct!!! the officer that I met to sign my form told exactly the same thing, he even went to the extreme of telling me to delete my social media accounts, Buratai commissioned a full blown cyberwarfare department some months ago, trust me the army is very very active and responsive on social media. I even dm Hq NA on twitter to test the microphone if what the said officer told me was true and I was shocked they replied me instantly.
I would have even warned aspirants here to be careful on what they post on social media but it skipped my mind.
Even serving officers are not exempted from the onslaught, some course 65 officers are already facing court martial because of posting ordinary pics on SM, talk more of mere candidates.

eclipsehemmy:
God bless you..... I know soldiers wer dey hear am hot now because of social media..... Na scary thing.... I Dey read d signal sent to all commanders to warn their soldiers on the use of social media right now..... Make we careful especially Facebook.....

ugo4u:
To even upload pics for common WhatsApp sef na war, most of the course 44 guys that where uploading pictures upandan when they passed out, even some posted pics during training on Facebook have all deleted their pictures. Some cadets are even reluctant to print calendars and souvenirs sef during POP everybody is scared.

odimbannamdi:
Gentlemen,

Its been a while I commented here. I have been on the sidelines reading the interesting discourse and banters going on since registration began. It is impressive to see that our morale is as high as ever.

In my usual attitude of giving back to Nairaland, the community that has helped me achieve most of my professional/career feats, I want to drop a few nuggets culled from my attendance of the SSC course 44 and course 45 screening exercise.

1. Don’t burn those bridges: With the registration period over, a lot of lobbying is going on at the higher echelon and big men will assure candidates of making the first shortlistment. I repeat, even if your godfather is the COAS, don’t get your hopes overly high. It is not 100% sure for anybody. Go on and pursue the goals of your current career path, while you wait/hope for the best.

Apply for those other jobs, keep being serious with your present employment, write that certification exam, apply for that study program, pick that postgraduate form.

The first shortlistment for 2016 came out the week I was to purchase the Unilag postgraduate form, which happened to be last week the form would be on sale. When I saw my name in the list, I didn’t even bother buying the form anymore as I was so sure of making final list. But alas, I didn’t get in, and I also didn’t make that educational advancement I would have loved as well. I lost out on both ends

2. It is better to be overqualified: This is to our DSSC aspirants, most especially. Get those extra certifications, whether they were requested for or not, and as long as they are relevant to your course. The competition for DSSC is fierce and you need all the leverage that you can get

3. You are a soldier. Zero your mind: Whether you get in via DSSC or SSC, or you are a male or female, you are first a soldier before anything else. Insurgency, violence and terrorism is not stopping anytime soon. Read the news. So zero your mind and be ready for the worst as you embark on this journey

4. Passion is not enough. Is this really your calling?: Everybody attributes their interest in the Army to passion. Even I did. But trust me, it takes more than passion. It also involves it being God’s ultimate plan for you.

As you speak to the God of your realization regarding this journey every morning, appeal to Him to make it come to pass IF it is His perfect will for you. Otherwise, pray that it doesn’t work out and that He gives you the fortitude to move on, for your own sake and those of your loved ones. Apologies if I sound religious or sanctimonious, it just that I learnt a lot on this journey.

Let me indulge us

In 2016, I was evicted for having a flat foot, shortsightedness in my right eye and umbilical hernia. Read details here: https://www.nairaland.com/3319739/nairalanders-experience-army-ssc-course. Obviously, two of these defects are irreparable and a layman (and maybe a spiritual discerning eye) would have dismissed my military ambition based on them. But I thought they were just obstacles that I could surmount. So, in December 2017, under the encouragement of explosiveskull (brother, how have you been?) I went under the knife and repaired my umbilical hernia. I was ready for course 45.

In October or so, in 2018, course 45 form came out and I applied again. This time, I had very senior men strategically stationed to help me pull through. They all gave unflinching assurances of assistance. There were all indications that I was going to get in. You guys needed to see me at the airport, about to embark on the journey from Lagos to Abuja. My morale was roof-breaking. Signing was done at MS office, Abuja. Soldiers just dey pay me compliments as they thought I was a young officer, with my well-shaved face. From Abuja, I took off to NDA to report with very high morale!!

Barely 3 days into the screening exercise, on the night of the day we wrote our exam at Command Secondary School, NDA, I encountered a mysterious catastrophe.

We were on the parade ground, in the bone-chilling cold till around 11pm or so when we began filing up according to our states to go back to our hostels. Sergeant Dauda then ordered us to look around and pick up any dirt on the parade ground and dispose it off. Being from Abia state, Adamawa happened to be closest to us. A candidate from Adamawa state then picked up a PET bottle, and in a bid to dispose it off, he flung it towards me and it went straight into my left eye – my good eye.

The force was so much that I lost vision in the eye immediately. My life replayed before me in split seconds and I saw my loving family and fiancée, and colleagues at the office. I wondered how I was going to face them back home with one eye. I screamed and began begging them to take me to MRS, but the soldiers refused that an officer must sign for me to go for treatment. Sgt. Dauda thought I was pranking. He even gave me a dirty slap across my face for shouting, but when light was shone on the eye and saw it, he shouted. Two of my good friends had to hold me by the hand and led me back to the hostel as I am severely short-sighted in my right eye. I refused to look in the mirror at the hostel coz I knew the sight would haunt me forever. But people who saw the eye said my eyeball rescinded and my conjunctiva was blood red and sunken

That night, I couldn’t sleep. I wept like a baby. The Army dream didn’t matter to me anymore. I just wanted my vision back.

It was until the next morning I began to see little flickers of light. But I had now become acutely short-sighted in the affected eye because of what I later discovered to be an inflammation of my optic nerve due to the blunt trauma I suffered, plus my pupil was severely dilated that I was very photo-sensitive. My friend had to give me his sun-shades to protect the eye from light. I was in excruciating pain. For those of us who began course 45 screening from day 1, you will remember a big guy that wore dark shades the morning we began medicals. That was me.

So that morning we began medical screening and we were taken to Afaka in that long bus. Godfather was on ground to waive my flatfoot and blood pressure (which had now developed because of the incident). But they gave me some drugs for my eye and directed me to return the next day so that they will conduct screening on both eyes

The next morning, there was little to no improvement in the eye, plus I was now feeling very sick because of the pain I was passing through. I just couldn’t go on with exercise anymore. I needed to treat my eye before I lose it completely. So I dropped a note for the board that morning, carried my kaya and left NDA by 5am. I first went to National eye centre or so at NDA bypass, from there I returned to Lagos. Senior men are still angry with me, that I am a runaway cadet…lol.

I suffered that period and spent a lot of money treating the eye. The eye has improved, but it is a little smaller than the other one now; the pupil is still dilated, and I have to wear sunglasses when the sun is scorching and I occasionally see flashes of light from the corner of my eye. The eye consultant said I could be at risk of retinal detachment, but I pray it doesn’t deteriorate to that level. Amen.

In retrospect now, I think the Military wasn’t my calling at all. I was just being desperate, under the guise of passion, even though I was not doing badly in my civilian life. God placed those physical impediments (flatfoot and shortsightedness) to deter me from the career path, but I was very hellbent so He let that very mysterious incident happen to me. The question I kept asking myself was

- Why didnt that bottle hit me on the chin or forehead or nose or just somewhere else? It went straaaaaight into my eye. My eyelid wasn’t scratched one bit. Just straight in my eye
- Why did that incident happen a night to medical and not the next day so that I would at least do my eye test and move on?
- Why didn’t the bottle hit me in my already weak eye (right eye) so that the eye test would be done on the good eye and it will be assumed that I am shortsighted in my right eye because of the trauma?

Many many questions rampaging in my mind! But I suspect that if that incident hadn’t happen, I would have encountered a worse one during training and maybe on the job itself.

Before now, I doubt I ever pursued an ambition as resolutely as I pursued the Army ambition. I was not even up to the minimum age when i applied in 2016. For 5years of my life, I lived, breathed, dreamt the dream. I don’t exactly have regrets, I just feel sad that it ended the way it did.

In all, I have come to appreciate my life more.

Again, I apologize if I scared anyone. That wasn’t the intent of this tip. The aim is for you to do a lot of soul-searching as you embark on this journey

5. Move on. It is not the end of the world for you: In the next couple of weeks and months, the Army shortlistment will shatter a lot of hearts. The heartbreak will be worse than the one your first girl/boyfriend gave you, especially if you reached the final stage of the interview with high hopes but did not make final shortlistment. But try to move on, It is not the end of the world. Better things await you.

Finally, as I drop my pen, I want to render a heartfelt appreciation to Ugo4u. The benevolence of this young man transcends beyond the posts he makes here. His nature is just kind-hearted. I was stressed when I got into Kaduna, and he harboured me for a few hours. That evening, we even went to town to photocopy my documents before I entered NDA. Bro, I saw the sparkle in your eyes as you bade me farewell just when I boarded that bus to NDA. How you wished I got in. I apologize for not living up to your expectations, bro. The higher powers didn’t want me to. Please relay my regards to mumsy.

PS: I didn’t apply for course 46. The Army dream is now dead and buried. We have dreamt new dreams and we are now chasing them. For as many that applied, I wish you what I would have wished myself. For those who will eventually get in, I earnest pray that God preserves your life as you navigate through the uncertainties of this career.

Amen. This is so touching and geart breaking.....i hv been ff u frm wen u tell ur story abt ur experience in 2016 NA screening. Even tot u re among those passing out on sat dah is y u hv nt been active on dz forum lately..... I really hope and pray God take you beyond ur expectations in life. You really deserve more respectable and prosperous carrier

eclipsehemmy:
I hardly reply people like you.... A total civilian without any military orientation except screening is talking.... I'm talking from experience.... Ask any soldier how many people where arrested, dismissed and jailed cause of social media.... See I gave an advice.. If you don't want it leave it... See d last dssc dat passed out,...... Did you see anyone of them posting with uniform on Facebook.... Get into the job and know facts..... U don't need to take my advice... You know all... You have attended one million screening.... Those I adviced,understand what I have said...naso everybody go dey say one psn dey pass out this weekend... Stories that touch

KODACK:
I have been hearing that Army needs many people, how true is that.

I heard that Army currently has shortage of Captains and Majors.....how true is that..


cc: sojeee, ugo4u

ugo4u:
You can't resign, not after deploying their resources to train you, however you can desert( runaway) after three months your salary will be stopped, but desertion in Military is a serious offence if they mean you they will hunt you wherever you hide and jail you for a long time. It also depends on the circumstances that made you dash, cos you could be charged for cowardice that one na double wahala.
sojee can also throw more light.

ugo4u:
Baba he is damn too correct!!! the officer that I met to sign my form told exactly the same thing, he even went to the extreme of telling me to delete my social media accounts, Buratai commissioned a full blown cyberwarfare department some months ago, trust me the army is very very active and responsive on social media. I even dm Hq NA on twitter to test the microphone if what the said officer told me was true and I was shocked they replied me instantly.
I would have even warned aspirants here to be careful on what they post on social media but it skipped my mind.
Even serving officers are not exempted from the onslaught, some course 65 officers are already facing court martial because of posting ordinary pics on SM, talk more of mere candidates.

CaptainStephen:
They don't know what is going on

KODACK:
https://www.nairaland.com/5445272/buratai-spiritual-efforts-needed-defeat

darkelf:
If I were buratai, I would think to focus the new cyber warfare command on hunting insurgents especially the sophisticated ISWAP. Pursuing social media loving soldiers should be secondary

sikowitz17:
Toh...peoe be coming here to tell us its to monitor and punish officers taking pictures to post...loads of pictures on my Instagram and Whatsapp from course 44 and 45 and they are not being punished.. Person call me total civilian because e wan yarn nonsense..its good that there's nairaland to house people from people..
We shouldn't show ourselves here....
Anyways...I pray it favors us all this time around... Some of us have gotten used to NDA life that we will do whatever it takes to get in again...
See y'all in afaka.

Prospect048:
take it easy, not even sure yet whether ssc46 will be trained in afaka or ribadu yet but one thing that is sure is that they be trained at nda... Calm down, what d guy said concerning pictures with uniform and upload on SM especially fb is right, there is signal that backed this thing up. Those u claimed to be uploading on whatsapp they can't upload it anyhow on fb.

CaptainStephen:
They don't know what is going on

sikowitz17:
boss I know...but is the punishment a court martial? Its like you need to explain what a court matrial is...
I heard about it, it was sent to all arms of the military and there's a loop hole in it...if you cover your name tag and rank, its not taken seriously.
But court martial!!! Haba

ugo4u:
https://allafrica.com/stories/201811050017.html