Responsibilities of a Liberty Buddy - Case Study Example

of the of the Concerned 19 August Responsibilities of a Liberty Buddy Introduction The security of the deployed personnel has always been a top priority for the US Navy. However, in the post 9/11 scenario, it has become even more imperative to chalk out policies and measures that assure the safety of the Navy and army personnel at foreign ports. In a post 9/11 context, the International Maritime Organization ushered in new changes into the 1974 International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, considering the vulnerability of the US maritime machinery and the US troops to threats originating from international terrorist organizations. Liberty in Navy means a regular time off accessible to the sailors. The term liberty usually includes within its ambit weekends and holidays, never exceeding seventy two hours. While enjoying liberty a sailor is never expected by the authorities to leave the immediate area. Each ship or a base has its own definition and limits regarding the liberty area. The whole idea is to see to it that a sailor on liberty remains safe while enjoying one’s stay at a port and is able to return to the command post as and when ordered by the authorities. While delving on the concept of liberty, one also needs to take into consideration varied other aspects of the US Navy culture. As other navies of the world, the US Navy also has a long set culture and tradition of alcohol consumption, and hence it would be reasonable to assume that some of the sailors and army men on liberty may end up getting drunk at the foreign ports and hence may get into trouble. Varied policies and regulations have been put in place by the US navy and army to assure the safety of the US personnel at liberty ports. The arrangement for liberty buddies is one such effective and pragmatic policy measure that has done a lot in that direction. Being a liberty buddy to a fellow sailor or a soldier tends to be both a prerogative and a responsibility. Hence a liberty buddy is well expected to be cognizant of the responsibilities and duties ascribed to one. What is a Liberty Buddy? It goes without saying that most of the personnel in the US Navy are well aware of the term liberty buddy and the concept has in fact become an integral part of the Navy’s culture and tradition. While on liberty the soldiers for obvious reasons are to leave a ship or a base. Hence, a liberty buddy is a fellow sailor or a person with whom a soldier signs out with while at a foreign or a local port. In strict and simple terms, both a sailor and one’s liberty buddy are expected to leave and return together and stick to each other while being off the ship or away from the base. This arrangement has been designed to assure the safety of the personnel, especially while being on a foreign port. The whole premise behind the liberty buddy policy is the fact that there is safety in numbers. To put it other way, it is good for the navy and army personnel to be in groups while on liberty at the foreign ports as this assures that they manage to get the required help, assistance and guidance if they get into any kind of trouble. It goes without saying that even a cursory analysis of the logic inherent behind the liberty buddy policy does testify to its relevance and effectiveness. The Navy and Army have always been keen on encouraging the personnel to manage and tackle the situations as a team. The liberty buddy policy is one other step in that direction that assures that the personnel not only enjoy the moments of leisure as a team but also take care to watch the back of eachother while being away from the mother ship or their base. Ion fact the buddy system is not something new. Since times immemorial, in almost most of the world navies, the sailors going on liberty were required to go off board with some other service member. This provision especially applied to the junior members as being young and new to the system, they were perhaps presumed to have a greater chance of getting into trouble. So the presence of a liberty buddy was taken to be a provision that assured help and safety as and when required by the young sailors. In the US context the liberty buddy provision is typically applicable when a sailor goes away from one’s home port or service station. There are certain rules and regulations that govern the liberty buddy provision in the Navy. The nature and configuration of these rules and regulations depends to a great extent upon the port where a sailor is posted or where one’s ship is located. In a commonsensical context, the rules and regulations pertaining to liberty buddy could be expected to be strict and stringent especially at the foreign ports or at the ports where the chances of threat to the life and well being of the US personnel are high. Simply speaking liberty buddy is a great idea that is not only in consonance with the ethos and traditions of the US Navy and Army, but is also astutely practical and pragmatic. It helps the US military personnel to stay clear of trouble when away from the mother base or ship and allows them to enjoy themselves and cherish moments of stress free enjoyment and leisure, while being assured that somebody is watching over them. Besides, it has been found that the liberty buddy provision is more strictly applied to the young service members. The statistics available with the navy do testify to the fact that it is mostly the young service members that are obviously more likely to engage in misconduct or getting into trouble while being on liberty. So the liberty buddy program allows them to engage in mirth and enjoyment while being safe and without getting into any serious trouble or problem. Responsibilities of a Liberty Buddy Being a liberty buddy is a responsible and onerous situation. A liberty buddy by the very nature of one’s responsibility is expected to do, know and expect many things. Eventually in the situation of a mishap, it is the liberty buddy who is expected to come to the rescue of a fellow sailor. So a liberty buddy cannot be expected to operate in the dark. He is positively expected to fulfill the role of a good buddy and do and know all the things that assure that one’s buddy does not end up in trouble at a port. Know your Buddy The job and responsibilities of a liberty buddy start right at the garrison. It is the duty of a liberty buddy to know about one’s buddy as much as possible. The nature of the Navy and Army duty is such that most of the times the personnel are well aware of the problems and peculiarities of their buddies, before they come to the attention of the commanders. For instance, liberty buddies have been known to be aware of the varied problems like drug abuse, alcohol problems, financial worries, marital distress and emotional distress being faced by their colleagues. So liberty buddies must take note of such data and information while looking over their buddies on liberty. If possible they should not hesitate from taking action well in advance to avert any possible mishap or problem. If the steps taken by a liberty buddy to help and assist a buddy on liberty do not succeed in bringing out the desired results in more than one instance, a liberty buddy must not hesitate from proceeding through the right chain of command to seek help and assistance. Alcohol or drugs could be the worst enemies of personnel at a foreign port. So a liberty buddy who is aware of one’s buddy’s alcohol or drug related problems should not hesitate from seeking the apt help and assistance to avoid any trouble in the future. However, it is not the duty of a liberty buddy to seem overbearing or turn out as somebody who prefers to have one’s nose in every pie on the base. The navy and army personnel are encouraged to tag together as buddies so as to encourage and nurture a feeling of camaraderie and a sense of belonging. So it is the responsibility of a liberty buddy to seem and come forward as a true friend and as somebody who could be relied upon to seek help and assistance. Eventually, the duty of a liberty buddy is to keep one’s friend out of trouble and to look to it that one turns up safely at the base. So it is the responsibility of a liberty buddy to know and find out the things that one’s buddy likes to do, without seeming overbearing or nosey. The whole idea is to develop and strengthen a bond of friendship and trust. At the same time a liberty buddy should share a level of harmony with the nature and likes and dislikes of one’s buddy. It is the responsibility of a liberty buddy to not to prove a spoil sport and insist on returning to the base, when one’s buddy is have some genuinely good time. An attitude of stubbornness and non-cooperation does always have the potential to dilute trust and to vitiate the overall environment. So it is always apt for a liberty buddy to be cooperative and friendly and to try to genuinely participate in and cooperate with the harmless and genuine fun that one’s buddy prefers to engage in. Respect the Locals While being at a foreign or at a local port, it is the responsibility of a liberty buddy to respect and understand the concerns and sensitivities of the local people. A liberty buddy has to learn and religiously remember at all times the premise that no matter what happens, the locals are always right. It is but obvious for any individual to understand the fact that the local people do always command a measure of sway and influence over the community in which they leave. So if a navy or army personnel tries to play hard with the locals at a port, one is most likely to get into considerable trouble. Hence, it is the duty of a liberty buddy to assure that their buddy does not act rude or disrespectful towards the locals and in case of an argument, does not losses one head to give way to a nasty situation. In case such a situation arises, it is the responsibility of a liberty buddy to disengage the conflicting parties and try to pacify the locals by saying the right words and conveying the right apologies. In case the things get way out of hand, it is imperative for a liberty buddy to try to contact the shore petrol or quarter deck for help. Drink Responsibly and Don’t Act Stupid Luckily or unluckily the US Navy and army have a long tradition of indulging in alcohol. In fact it won’t be wrong to say that the army and navy have a whole set of traditions and a whole culture built around alcohol. So while being off base, it is the responsibility of a liberty buddy to not to get drunk and get inebriated, as this may jeopardize the very safety and well being of one’s buddy. Under no circumstance should a liberty buddy should be irresponsible with alcohol or act stupid while being under the influence of alcohol. Conclusion A feeling of camaraderie and team spirit constitute the very bedrock of the US armed forces. Liberty buddy is an institution that has evolved out of such long lasting traditions of team spirit and bonding amongst the personnel. Thus it is imperative for a sailor or an army man that while serving as a liberty buddy, one is aware of and respect the responsibilities and other fine nuances that go into making a good liberty buddy. Especially more so in the current times when the nation is under enhanced threat from hostile elements and groups around the world. Read More