The lifelong naval bond

THERE is a saying that among the most difficult things in the world is to train a soldier and then take that training out of him. My years in the Navy instilled a value system in me for a lifetime. While saluting, my palm involuntarily swings 90 degrees downward for the naval version despite having left the service more than a decade ago. As a commercial helicopter pilot, I stay in hotels. My alarm is set by a call to the front desk: ‘Note my shake-up routine.’ I have had ignorant hotel staffers trying to correct me: ‘Sir, do you mean a wakeup call?’ Little do they know that on a ship, a sailor due for duty is shaken physically to stir the tired body into action without disturbing others sleeping in close proximity.

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Flying VIPs in the election season is hectic. Politicians have to travel far and wide to woo voters. I was on one such visit to an obscure village close to international border. The VIP went away for campaigning and returned after about two hours. In the meantime, the local administration put up the pilots in suitable accommodation. Before leaving, we handed over our helicopter to the security personnel. Informed about the VIP’s return, I proceeded to the helicopter and began the walk around in preparation of the flight, checking that everything was correct. I overheard the police sub-inspector telling his young constables: ‘See, the pilot is now carrying out the TRI, the turnaround inspection. It’s mandatory before a flight.’ I turned around and asked: ‘Inspector sahib, how do you know about this TRI thing?’ He replied: ‘Sir, I served in the fleet air arm of the Navy for 15 years before I joined the police.’ ‘What, where, when,’ I blurted out.

It turned out that he was a helicopter mechanic in the 1980s while I was a trainee. He remembered the names of all pilots and engineers in the squadron. His face lit up when I mentioned that I was the same Aujla. ‘But sir, you were so young and also a sportsman. We played hockey together,’ he said. I put my arm around him affectionately and said: ‘Time and tide take their toll on the toughest. I am only a humble mortal.’

From strangers, we became close buddies in a matter of minutes, thanks to our common thread — the Navy. As the VIP approached, the cop bid goodbye with a smart palm-down naval salute, which I returned with immense pride. Today, as we celebrate Navy Day, it’s time to salute the sentinel of our oceans.