Personnel serving under Land Forces Headquarters, who are set to retire from the UPDF Regular service this year commenced a documentation exercise at the Service Headquarters in Bombo, Luweero District on Tuesday.
A total of 363 personnel will be documented and sensitised within three days at Bombo.
Col Albert Kulanyi 72, who has been in active service for 50 years, was one those who turned up for the exercise today. A Signals, information and Communications specialist, Col Kulanyi said that it is largely discpline, teamwork, patriotism, positive attitude towards work and life that have enabled him to serve this long, but above all he emphasised the Grace of God.
Addressing the impending retirees and dischargees, Commandant General Headquarters Maj Gen Joram Kakari called upon the officers and and militants to recognise the Grace of God that had enabled them to service very many situations and challenges while in service up to date when they are now set to retire, “we have done alot of work, fought very many battles, won all the wars. I thank you and congratulate you upon all these achievements, but at the end of the day, what has a beginning has an end and our end of service has come.” he told them.
Gen Kakari strongly advised the personnel to maintain discipline, have a positive mindset, adjust to a new life in retirement and above all respect the civil community if they are to fit in well in their communities.
He also encouraged them to embrace government programmes like operation wealth creation where many senior UPDF officers are engaged so they can benefit from knowledge and resources on how to create and multiply wealth.
“A happy retirement is more than just money. You have a wealth of experience please endeavour to share your knowledge to your communities even if its just voluntary, it will keep you busy and active,” he said.
He also advised the impending retirees to eat healthy, keep fit, have a financial plan and live within their means for a meaningful retirement life. “Retirement is the world’s longest coffee break, Enjoy your coffee” he joked.
However he reminded the officers militants that they remained apart of the UPDF Reserve Forces and some of them could be calledup for duty once again as and when the Commanderin Chief deems necessary. “Once a soldier, u die a soldier so its not all over yet,” Gen Kakali said.
He concluded by asking them to invest appropriately and develop an emergency fund and plan in order to avoid embarrasment and life inconveniences.
At the same function, Mr. Turyasingura Moses a Veteran and now a successful business man shared his experience as a veteran now in civilian life.
He shared what he has been able to accomplish after retirement in 2002.
He now boasts of a real estate business, a cinema hall and several agricultural projects.
Turyasingura too emphasised discipline and hard work as key factors to a successful civilian life after retirement but above all faith and trust in God.
The MODVA/UPDF Documentation and Sensitisation exercise for retirement and discharge of UPDF on 25th April 2022 at will climax on 13th May 2022. About 1196 personnel are set to retire under Batch 12.
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