Thanks to movies that have always portray soldiers as Heroes that are hell bent on beating the crap out of an invader or laying their lives selflessly without thinking twice. Movies portray Military life well and real military men have many true stories to back heroism portrayed in movies up. Activities of the military, government in power, movies and ethics are a big factor for the military public image.
A good public image matters a lot for all, as individuals, or organization, if we don’t have a good reputation, things can go smooth as wanted. Activities of the military personnel on their duties assigned to them matters a lot. In some part of war-torn countries, some citizens of these war-torn western powers are seen as a savior to the world due to humanitarian activities, the military peace-keeping operations done while some citizen in this same war-torn zone in particular view the western powers as a beast and unjustified agent of destruction due to error in war operations which may include; drone operators mistakes, personnel bad misconduct friendly fires, enemies manipulation which have caused heavy casualties.
Here today I want to examine bad conduct of armed forces personnel and the word bad eggs surfaced here. A bad egg is the word used to describe the chief of army staff that diverted arms fund into his personal account. Bad egg is the word use to describe an infantry soldier that rape a woman all in the name of clearing a house of terrorist. Bad egg is the word use to describe a soldier that killed his fellow comrade in the name of jealousy; Bad egg is the word use to describe an intelligence agent selling classified information to the enemies. Bad egg is the name of a recruiting officer taking bribe to bring people in the armed forces. Bad egg is the word I use for any member of the armed forces involved in something that is against the rules of military ethics and humanity values. These bad eggs are the one spoiling the public image of nations armed forces, when these bad eggs rise becomes too much, ugly facts begin to rise. The Press begins to criticize the armed forces as a whole and publish many things about the particular armed forces in question regardless of former prestigious achievements of the armed forces. This is very heart-breaking to me because other guys that have worked so hard to perform their duties steadfastly get stained by the products of the bad eggs consequence on the military public image.
Here are cases of bad eggs ruining a good cause.
1. Terrorist Attack: Nidal Malik Hasan is an American revoked Major convicted of fatally shooting 13 people and injuring more than 30 others in the Fort Hood mass shooting on November 5, 2009. Hasan was a United States Army Medical Corps psychiatrist who admitted to the shootings at his court-martial in August 2013. A jury panel of 13 officers convicted him of 13 counts of premeditated murder, 32 counts of attempted murder, and unanimously recommended he be dismissed from the service and sentenced to death. Hasan is incarcerated at the United States Disciplinary Barracksat Fort Leavenworth in Kansas awaiting execution while his case is reviewed by appellate courts. The attack was linked to Islamic terrorist, especially Anwar Al-Awlaki one of the lords of Al-qaeda. The sad part of this story is that this bad egg took the lives of his fellow unsuspecting soldiers that never thought of a mass shooting in a barracks in the United State of America.
2. My Lai Massacre:, My lai Vietnam On March 16, 1968, the Charlie Company, 11th Brigade of US army entered the village of My Lai, in an area of Vietnam where many members of the
American brigade had been maimed or killed by Viet Cong forces, PBS reported. The troops over reacted! And ended up killing over 300 civilians under orders from their Lieutenant, William Calley, who told his men to enter the village firing, though there had been no report of opposing fire, PBS reported. According to eyewitness reports, several old men were bayoneted, praying women and children were shot in the back of the head, and at least one girl was raped and then killed. The story did not reach the American public until journalist Seymour Hersh published a story detailing his conversations with a Vietnam veteran, Ron Ridenhour, in November 1969. The massacre raised significant questions about the conduct of American soldiers and their leaders in the field. The death and achievements of American soldiers in this operation was over-looked simply because some soldiers over-reacted! The world will not want to look at what the good thing that the american soldiers did because of Bad eggs!
3. Sambo Dasuki: is a retired Nigerian Army Colonel and former National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President of Nigeria. On December 1, 2015, Dasuki was arrested by Nigeria's State Security Service (SSS) for allegedly stealing $2 billion and accused of awarding phantom contracts to buy 12 helicopters, four fighter jets, and ammunition meant for the Nigeria's military campaign against Boko Haram Islamist militants. As of December 2017, despite being granted bails by four different High Court judges in Nigeria and ECOWAS Court, Dasuki has remained in detention. His actions might have led to unnecessary death of brave soldiers fighting Boko-haram because the money meant for them to buy weapons and upgrade their old armoury have been allegedly diverted by this man. Bad egg!
3. Murder Cases: Amazingly many people that once served in the military have turned out to be mass shooters, serial killers and king pin of gangs. Their military training was a basis for them to even carry out their nefarious act. Many of these murderers have cited the psychological impact of their military training or wartime service as factors in their crimes. Some have committed their crimes while still in the services, or while clad in combat gear or while using military weapons. Some have talked about being attracted to the military by the opportunity to live out their fantasies of killing people.
4. Armed robbery: Many soldiers on active duties take their spare time or nights to collaborate with armed robbers in obnoxious activities. They also act as the one godfathers for cyber criminals. Bad eggs involved in armed robbery live a very expensive life to the envy of the public which some people might get misconceptions about the military actual salary.
5. Corruption and favoritism In recruitment: Though not legally confirmed, Corruption have a role to play in some countries armed forces. When it comes to due promotion. Some are promoted based on the fact that they have paid money secretly to the promotion board or racial discrimination. Rumors as i regard it have been going on around that in some African countries, you have to pay money secretly to a high ranking officer to act as a god-father in order to be recruited into the military or given a military appointment. The bad eggs involved in this case are spelling a bad news to the general public and to the world at large.
7. Deadly mistakes: This doesn’t need an explanation! We have heard news of air strikes being carried out mistakenly on school building, hospitals and friendly installations. The casualties of this situation are unimaginable. Its never a good thing to hear a news that one of your family member a soldier was unintentionally bombed by friendly airstrikes. The effect of this thing is that the mistakes made are what terrorist organization uses a military operation mistake as a justification for their own deeds. How can you imagine a young boy whose parents were mistakenly killed by peacekeeping forces, such boy can easily get recruited into a terrorist sect with just few words. This strategy is what Islamic extremist use in recruitment; they may look for girls that have been raped by soldiers or a child that have been orphaned by war, they try to convince people that soldiers are the main cause of their problems.
Air strikes and military operations should be carefully carried out if not the consequence breed more hate and strife instead of peace.
Conclusion: A Yoruba proverb goes this way; oruko rere san ju owo lo (A good name is better than riches) and if I can recall the bible also say that. If you are in the military and it happen that you fall in the category of bad eggs, please make amendments now. There are good guys in the armed forces working earnestly to achieve their duties; it’s not good if a bad egg spill things. It messes things up.
Thanks for reading. I remain Afolabi Micheal.
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