Introduction

Last week I started a serie about my time in the Army during my Obligatory military service. At the end of this post you can find a link to the other part(s). My idea to write about this came from the news that on Morocco they are planning to re-introduce the obligatory service again. It reminded me at myself servicing the army when it was still obligated.

The barracks at Teuge

Teuge is a small village near my hometown and was (to me) mostly known for it's small airport.
I had ever known there was a army division located until I was sended there.
The company was called "RVCC Oost" and was responsible for a big part of the transport for the eastern part of Holland for the army, it consisted of Soldier drivers and civilian drivers.

When I arrived for my first day I got a small introduction, the crew wasn't big because most of the people working there were drivers. I got stationed at a small office where I planned drives for the fleet. Trough the faxmachine assignements and requests were sended and we had to plan them in or order cars. Besides transports all the cars for generals and other higher places soldiers were rented through our offices. I worked with a other guy "Van diee" , he was working for the army but as a civilan, I had a lot of fun with him.

In the Dutch army all soldiers had to wear a barret, except at Teuge. The Major ( chief of the barracks) had put a formal order out that in Teuge there wasn't a obligation to wear a barret. Of course everyone loved it, but it was sometimes a problem when you visited a other barrack, because you never took it with you :). I really did like it at the barracks, I had great workinghours, the people were nice and I was home quick.

After a while they asked me if I wanted to run the kanteen, every lunchbreak some chauffeurs were comming in for a tosti or a sandwich. I agreed, while still doing some administrative work. After workhours they came back to have a beer. I remeber these times as great, chatting with the drivers, cooking some snack, ordering the goods. I had a great kind of freedom.

The Major

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The chief of the location was Major Jansen. He was some older, very nice man. He played tennis a lot. One day he asked me if I played tennis and wanted to join him. I did play some recreational tennis so I agreed. The funny thing was that we played tennis during workinghours and it counted as work. He always said 'We have to sport during our service, but there is no one who said which sports "...

He came to the bar after work every now and then, just a glass of water but a lot of talking with the guys.

The drunk general

Every year there was a big banket in Den Haag for former (highly placed) army personel. Teuge always arranged the luxury cars and drivers for the guests. Van Diee asked me if I wanted to drive a old-brigade General from Doetinchem (near Zutphen) he thought it was a nice variety of work. I thought it would be fun so I said yes. For those kind of occasions the rented luxury cars at Budget Rent a Car, I recall getting a brand new Audi 80 . As I young dude that was great...obvious.

I drove to Doetinchem and went to the adress of the General, it was a nice villa in the old part of Doetinchem. When I escorted him to the car , he think he was about 70 years old and very decently.
From Doetinchem to Den Haag was a 150 KM drive, he was in de back of the car and didn't talk very much. I didn't dare to start a chat because of his former function lol... So it was very quiet in the car. The only moment he said something was when a drove about 130 km per hour while 120 was permitted, I remember him saying "Could you ease down a little soldier, otherwise we are way to early at the banket" ...oops...

When we arrived at the location it was very crowded with cars, from all over the country current staff and retired staff was brought by soldiers like me. When I dropped him off they told me that the drivers could relax and wait at a other part of the barracks, so I went overthere. It was great to see that they didn't just left us to wait , for us there was also a great banket with great foor, pinballmachines, games, tv's etc to kill time... I had a great evening of waiting :)...

At the end of the night we were supposed to pick up our ride again, So I reported to the gate. Again it was very crowded with cars and I thought it would be a long night waiting for my passenger. But it wa totally the opposite. We all got a ticket with a number and had to wait in line, when the guards hold up the ticket with your number you could drive to the entrance to pick up your passenger. Never saw something go so smootly, almost with military precision ;)..

When the General was in my car again I noticed he talked much more, soon I saw he was drunk :) He had that funny look in his eyes, talking with some difficulty and very cheerfull. I couldn't hide a smile on my face seeing him like that while on the way to the banket he was so formal. Even before we drove out of Den Haag he fell asleep :) , so on our way back I could drive a little faster (it was a long day for me as well..

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This was a great experience, I drove a real General to his party :)

My final days in the army

Day were passing by and I had a lot of fun in Teuge, great people, great things to do. It didn't felt like army at all cause there were no things like shootingranges etc. Just before I would leave cause I "did my time" There came this request for bringing new Mercedes Jeeps to former yugoslavia. The Dutch army was on a peace mission overthere and they needed new jeeps. At our barrack new Mercedes Jeeps where delivered (camouflage painted) and they had to be painted white ( United Nations). In stead of a real car painter doing that kind of job, some soldiers painted them white in a barn an put some stickers of the UN om them. Some things are so easy hahaha...

They asked me if I wanted to drive one of those to yugoslavia, to Split, and of course I wanted that because I thought it would be a once in a lifetime experience... So they tried to arrange things but after a while I got a call that it wasn't allowed for me. The reason was that I would be out of the service while I wouldn't be back yet from yugoslavia, so with the insurrance It would be a problem if anything happend. I thought it was a pitty but I did understand..

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My last day at the army I had to visit a lot of desks in Deventer to be able to leave. Normaly you have to turn in all your belongings but because I was from the last group in obligatory services, we could keep it.

While I was writing this serie posts, getting back all those memories I must admit that it was a great time indeed. Although I tried to get out, afterwards my opinion and feeling changed 180 degrees. I do think that a army is better of with people who choose the army themselves because those are the motivated, enthousiastic and ambitious people.. Who choose themselves.. A army is better of with pro's who volunteered I guess...

I hope you enjoyed reading this series, as much as I enjoyed writing them. It's a part of my personal history :)

Have a great day

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Obligatory military service part eight (last part)