The Wise Bird always calls things by their correct and proper names for people to understand the issues of the day, either negative or positive.

The most respected, fearless and uncompromising bird has noticed of late that the respect and authority the Army had used to have in has been completely eroded.

When the Wise Bird was very young, in the Serra Lyoa town, it was very difficult to see an Army Officer on the street without a pass (identity card), but today Bra Parrot, has been seeing Army Officers without passes on the street especially at night.

What beats the imagination of the Wise Bird is that, many a time Army Personnel are seen at night on the street begging for transport fares to enable them to go home.

Some of them are allegedly claiming that they have not been receiving salaries for months.

The issue here is, the Wise Bird is of the view that Army Officers are supposed to be in barracks at all times except on very serious emergencies.

All government workers would have to take an exit-job request– what is referred to as urgent private affairs (UPA) leave, but in the case of Army they take a pass.

Many a times some of the Army Officers are without a pass and sometimes carry guns with them at night at the detriment of harmless civilians.

In the 60s, 70s and up to the 80s, it was very difficult to see an Army Officer on the street especially at night hours with a guns.

There was some amount of discipline at the time, but today it is not the case – a sharp contrast now exists as it persists.

From the above, the bird can say the military is not as discipline today as before.

The most burning issue the Wise Bird has noticed is that civilians these days are wearing military fatigues (combat uniform) in the day and sometimes at night, and some even pretend to be Army Officers in order to cause mayhem at night.

All over the world, Military fatigue (combats) are meant for Military Officers only but in Sierra Leone especially today it is a common dress for almost all soldiers who go unchecked by authorities concerned.

From all indications, it is very dangerous when civilians are in military uniform — they can do anything to terrorize innocent civilians at night, and would give a bad name to the entire Army force.

The Wise Bird is calling on the authority concerned to start checking those wearing Military uniforms at nights’ period or days’ time.

Years back, the Wise Bird used to see Military Police (PM) moving the length and breadth of the country to arrest officers who are out of the Barracks without a pass, but that exercise has eventually died a natural death.

 So both officers without a pass and civilians wearing Military uniforms have a field day now.

The Wise Bird believes this without a hesitation that all Army Officers must professional in their field.

And so they must be in barracks at all times and should keep to the code of ethics.

The Wise Bird is advising the authorities in the Army to uphold their sacred principles if they want to continue to keep the good image of the force.

It is good they set-up a unit to arrest all those wearing Military fatigue, but who are not at all Military Officers. And also to arrest serving personnel who go out in the streets with a pass.