A simple graduation ceremony for 14 young Afghan officers whose next step is to move on to pilot training. I am not fond of such things for the most part, but they were my students, and I am very happy to see them moving on in their careers. Being the military, what should be a 15 minute operation takes at least an hour because we need to hear speeches from both the American and the Afghan Colonels. My boredom was far surpassing any interest one could really have listening to a speech in a language one does not understand, when a little excitement pepped up every one's day.
One of our students who unfortunately was unable to pass the exam was very frustrated and decided that he had had enough! During the Afghan Colonel's speech, he stood up to air his grievances. As soon as he stood, I knew there would be trouble of some sort. He had been speaking to me just before the ceremony about how his English was better than that of most of the students who had graduated. He was sure that the previous graduates had cheated, and the head of our organization had something against him personally, which is why he didn't graduate. He state he was going to burn his uniform in front of the Parliament building in Kabul with the media in attendance. Yes, I knew he was angry, but I didn't think he would try to do something during the ceremony. Perhaps I should have sat with him. Maybe I could have done a better job calming him down during our discussion. Unfortunately, none of this was the case, and my student of nine or so months wrote himself a one-way ticket back to Kabul to face whatever disciplinary measures the Afghan military leadership wishes to dish out.
Fortunately, the trouble was limited. He stood and started to say whatever he needed to say (in Dari of course). The leadership attempted to reason with him and get him to sit down. I instructed another teacher to get closer to an exit, and one could hear the clicks of safeties and holster latches being undone. One of the American leaders rushed over and escorted the student out. On the way, the student tore off the patch of our organization, which is worn on the left sleeve, and his Afghan military uniform top. The buttons flew in multiple directions as they separated from the uniform, and he threw the shirt to the floor. A civilian helicopter pilot instructor picked up three buttons and put them in his pocket.
The graduation continued on mostly as planned. I congratulated my students on their achievements, had many pictures taken with them (none with a camera of my own), and indulged in the cake and pop (soda). It was a happy time for them, but for me, an air of sadness, and perhaps guilt, tainted the celebration. I just hope the "what if I had...." doesn't stick around too much longer.
One of our students who unfortunately was unable to pass the exam was very frustrated and decided that he had had enough! During the Afghan Colonel's speech, he stood up to air his grievances. As soon as he stood, I knew there would be trouble of some sort. He had been speaking to me just before the ceremony about how his English was better than that of most of the students who had graduated. He was sure that the previous graduates had cheated, and the head of our organization had something against him personally, which is why he didn't graduate. He state he was going to burn his uniform in front of the Parliament building in Kabul with the media in attendance. Yes, I knew he was angry, but I didn't think he would try to do something during the ceremony. Perhaps I should have sat with him. Maybe I could have done a better job calming him down during our discussion. Unfortunately, none of this was the case, and my student of nine or so months wrote himself a one-way ticket back to Kabul to face whatever disciplinary measures the Afghan military leadership wishes to dish out.
Fortunately, the trouble was limited. He stood and started to say whatever he needed to say (in Dari of course). The leadership attempted to reason with him and get him to sit down. I instructed another teacher to get closer to an exit, and one could hear the clicks of safeties and holster latches being undone. One of the American leaders rushed over and escorted the student out. On the way, the student tore off the patch of our organization, which is worn on the left sleeve, and his Afghan military uniform top. The buttons flew in multiple directions as they separated from the uniform, and he threw the shirt to the floor. A civilian helicopter pilot instructor picked up three buttons and put them in his pocket.
The graduation continued on mostly as planned. I congratulated my students on their achievements, had many pictures taken with them (none with a camera of my own), and indulged in the cake and pop (soda). It was a happy time for them, but for me, an air of sadness, and perhaps guilt, tainted the celebration. I just hope the "what if I had...." doesn't stick around too much longer.
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