Personnel serving under Land Forces Headquarters, who are set to retire from the UPDF Regular service this year have commenced a documentation exercise at the Service Headquarters in Bombo, Luweero District.
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 of those who turned up for the exercise yesterday.
A signals, information and Communications specialist, Col Kulanyi said that it is largely discpline, team work, 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, Commandant General Headquarters Maj Gen Joram Kakari called upon the officers and militants to recognise the Grace of God that had enabled them to service under very many situations and challenges while in service 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 in order 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 with communities even if it is 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 and militants that they remain apart of the UPDF Reserve Forces and some of them could be called up for duty once again as and when the Commander in Chief deems necessary.
“Once a soldier, you die a soldier so it is not all over yet,” Gen Kakari said.
He concluded by asking them to invest appropriately and develop an emergency fund and plan in order to avoid embarrasment and life inconveniences.
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