Guru's Air Force One

 After tavelling for about an hour or so, that trailor entered into an AF gate, made an U turn and halted. Prakasam, Pasubathi, Gurumurthy and Subramani....names were called out and were asked to get down with their luggages. That was Jalahalli West and the transport had left with rest and so my Horlicks bottle, vest and my short associated friends. I never had a chance to meet them after that. Later, I was told that they had gone to an another training centre in Jalahalli east. There came an another van like vehicle and dropped us near long shelters covered by tiles called billets. There were young boys inside the billets from different states who welcomed, and took us inside. We were allotted with beds and after a while, one Bombaywala (it is his name and from Maharashtra) took us to the dining hall called Mess. If you remember Bakyaraj in his old films with long hair, I too had the same type of hair style and was made like Kumki film hero on the very next day. We were handed over a blank post card and asked to write our home address. Later a rubber stamp "Arrived Safely" was stamped and were posted by our billet incharge. (This is to avoid us from writing our hardship KAHANI).Initial one week had passed without any job to do as the trainees were arriving from different parts of the country. By that time, we were issued with full bedding with blankets, plates, mugs, a trunk box, pair of inner garments, canvas shoes wollen socks, pair of half pants etc. The following Monday morning we were marched to record room and obtained all our family details in two copies. That documents were preserved till the date of retirement and one copy was handed over to me on my retirement day. It had been added with all the activities during my entire service including my postings, marriage, children etc. Next 15 months I had undergone a tough training which is unfair to disclose to public by any gentleman as they are defence matters. There came the 1971 December war with Pakistan. I shall briefly say about that later.......

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Guru's Air Force One

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