The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen Tukur Buratai, on Saturday said that Map Reading remained an integral part of military training which every personnel must master to advance in the service.
Buratai made the remarks while inaugurating the Map Reading area of the Nigerian Army School of Infantry (NASI) Jaji, named after late Maj.-Gen Timothy Tache, a foremost instructor in the school.
According to him, map reading as a subject constitutes an important part of any practical promotion examination in the military.
“Failure in the subject automatically translates to outright failure of the entire exams regardless of how well one scores in the remaining subjects.”
The army chief said late Tache had impacted positively on the careers of soldiers by making the subject easy because of his simplified way of teaching.
“Tache was an exceptional map reading instructor and gentleman per excellence.
“We can therefore appreciate what I meant when I credited him with playing a crucial role in our professional development and career,” Buratai said.
The army chief said map reading area would enhance training conducted at NASI and other military institutions in Jaji and environs.
He said the army would from time to time use the facility during the conduct of army level exercises.
“One could therefore understand the significance of this training area to achieving the Nigerian army training objectives.
“I believe that it is a worthy honour to such a fine officer, a gentleman and a great teacher.
“It is hoped that all those men and women that would use this place would be inspired in much the same way as the person that it is named after,” the army chief said.
Buratai said while Tache may not be around physically, the ideals that he extolled all through his life as well as the knowledge that he impacted to generation of Nigerian army officer’s means that he lives for ever.
“After all, it is said that, to live in the hearts of men and women is never to die, but to live forever,” he said.
Earlier the Commandant, NASI, Brig.-Gen Ali Keffi, said the institution now has world class structures following the restructuring programme introduced by the chief of army staff to ensure high quality training.
“NASI would soon be rather than later, among top military training schools in the world,” Keffi added.
Also the wife of the late General, Grace Tache, thanked the Chief of Army Staff for the honour done to her late husband. (NAN)
