I attended the Army day Parade recently. It was impeccable. Men in smart olive green uniforms with their respective regimental colours adorning their arm bands and beret, informing the other of their regimental loyalties, yet the uniform colour of their 'uniforms' conspicuously declaring their unity, that they belong to one country first. The officers from other countries who attended the parade simply stood out...they were different. Our soldiers seemed to merge and blend into a familiar green. Senior officers to the junior officers holding themselves with aplomb....how good they must feel to be in that uniform, to be serving the nation in the highest form possible. I feel a sense of pride.....
The demonstration of a combat situation was scintillating! The helicopters, right in front of you, at eye level, blowing up dust, tanks coming in full speed from behind, the thundering sound of the bombers. Soldiers demonstrating how a face to face combat with the enemy takes place......! We literraly were holding on to our seats. It was indeed a treat to the eyes and a pleasant jolt to the adrenalin...and specially mine which had become quite sluggish off late!
The brass bands, with their bugles and bagpipers, their colourful 'uniforms' rending out tunes never fails to send a chill down my spine. They play tunes, there are no words, but my mind can almost hear the harsh cold of the high mountains, the dreariness of the deserts and a song of the life that has been surrendered to the country. Some popular patriotic songs that I have grown up singing in school sounds a lot more stirring when the army bands play it their way, while they march in unison, their white 'boot covers' ( i need to know the exact name!), moving together in an effortlessly harmonious manner. Since I was a kid, I was captivated by the synchronic movement of the 'white boots'. I would get lost just staring at the white part of their dms boots as they marched on into anonymity....
The traditions of the army have always charmed me. The decorum that one needs to follow, the disciplined structure, it's culture and the slight touch of royalty that it exudes.....how would life have been outside of the army fraternity...? Almost unimaginable! Standing there, in civvies, yet feeling a part of the sea of olive greens, sipping coffee I was grateful to be lucky to have experienced the 'army life' in this life....!
"High in the mountains, buried deep in snow, when the bugle calls I will rise and march again"
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