State Administration Council Vice Chairman Vice-Senior General Soe Win addresses Diamond Jubilee of Supply and Transport Corps
NAY PYI TAW November 7
Diamond Jubilee of the Supply and Transport Corps was held at transit centre here this morning, attended by Vice Chairman of State Administration Council Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) Vice-Senior General Soe Win.
Also present were the SAC Secretary, SAC members, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, the Nay Pyi Taw Command commander, retired senior officers of the corps and invited guests.
Quartermaster-General of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army) Lt-Gen Kyaw Swa Lin, Director of Directorate of Supply and Transport Maj-Gen Win Myat and Commander Maj-Gen Zaw Hein formally opened the Diamond Jubilee of the corps. The Vice-Senior General unveiled the signboard of the corps and posed for documentary photo together with the attendees.
In his address, the Vice-Senior General said today is the Diamond Jubilee of the corps established together with the Tatmadaw during the independence struggle.
It has been maintaining and relaying its fine traditions for 75 years. The day is significant and honorable for the corps.
The corps grew together Burma Independence Army (BIA) during independence struggle and anti-Fascist movement. On 27 July 1942, BIA was reestablished as Burma Defence Army (BDA), formed with eight bureaus including Supply Bureau.
One motor company was set up in 1943, North-West Command Supply Unit, Western Command Supply Unit and Yangon Supply Unit, in 1944. Directorate of Supply and Transport was set up in Yangon on 7 November 1947 to enhance the scope of Tatmadaw’s administration and supply. Hence 7 November was designated as the Supply and Transport Corps Day. The corps was dutiful in providing food and arms and ammunition supplies through various modes of transportation in military operations to defend independence and sovereignty including the battles against multi-coloured insurgents in 1949-50,Naganaing operation against Kunmington intrusion in 1953, Yangyiaung operation launched in Lwelan area in 1955, Mekong operation launched in Kengtung/ Kenglat area in 1961, and Kongyan region military operation in 1969. Because of their spirit to sacrifice their life, gallantry and dutifulness, members of the corps, including Thiha Thura title holder private Tin Nyunt, won military medals during area security and control operations in Laukkai, Monkoe, Kachin State and Rakhine State after 2012.
The directorate was founded with one supply company and three platoons, and three transport companies in November 1947. The corps was further extended under the extension of Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air) to carry out its functions with full strength.
As part of extending the work establishment, currently, the central supply and transport unit, the forward base supply and transport unit, supply and transport battalions and companies, motor transport battalions, park transport battalions,
training depots, supply and transport camps and rations supply bases were established in military command areas to take effective supply and transport measures. Significantly, an honorary horse ride company was formed in 2017 and it has been participating in the armed forces day parades since 72nd anniversary.
It can be seen that members of the corps are serving the duties of supplying and transporting rations and fuel, farming of pack animals and medical treatments. In delivering the rations, fuel and lubricants for the whole Tatmadaw, the directorate supervises full supply of rations and fuel for the whole Tatmadaw with the themes to be proper, to be full and to transport in time.
Although the Tatmadaw undertook the purchase of rations outside the Tatmadaw in the past, the Tatmadaw took over some factories from Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries and Ministry of Commerce from 1991 to 1998 to launch manufacturing of necessary rations for the Tatmadaw.
Currently, the Vice-Senior General underlined that Tatmadaw Tea Factories in Namhsam and Thandaung, Tatmadaw Canned Factory in Thandwe, Tatmadaw Shrimp, Fish-paste and Fish Sauce Factory in Yangon, Tatmadaw Biscuit and Noodle Factory in Hmawby and Tatmadaw Flour Factory in Awba are producing the necessary rations for the Tatmadaw. Of them, Tatmadaw Biscuit and Noodle Factory in Hmawby established the meal ready to eat factory for manufacturing and distributing six items of rations for the military personnel on security duty from the military operation areas as of 2020.
During the period from 2011 to October 2022, Tatmadaw factories have been selling foodstuffs to Tatmadaw families, departmental officials and local people via supply and transport battalions at fair prices. In this regard, these factories have sold tea, dried tea, canned foods, fish paste and fish sauce, biscuit and noodle, worth Ks-6,600 million.
The primary mission of the corps as “transport” was implemented with the use of vehicles from the world wars such as vehicles from British and US and TE vehicles from Japan. Currently, the corps use modern vehicles to serve the transport duties for the military units for taking the logistic measures of the whole Tatmadaw, military operations and security duties and stockpile the rations in relevant military command areas with the full strengths. Moreover, members of the corps successfully carried out the transport tasks at the ceremonies organized by the State and the Tatmadaw.
The pack animal husbandry and treatment is crucial in the duties of the supply and transport corps. Due to geographical nature of the Myanmar, park animals are reliable for transport of rations, arms and ammunitions and other materials to some military operation areas which do not have access to motor transport, aviation transport and water transport. In 1947 when the corps was established,
the pack transport unit was formed with 30 pack animals.
Currently, five pack transport battalions have been formed to transport necessary things to relevant military command areas.
Two supply and transport training depots, animal husbandry battalions and central supply and transport units are conducting training courses for officers and other ranks to have high capacity of respective logistic fields.
Along the history of the corps, Tatmadaw members from the crops were assigned with more than 800 vehicles to transport necessary rations and aid for storm-hit people in the rescue and relief works as well as reconstruction tasks for the cyclonic storm Nargis which hit Yangon and Ayeyawady regions and Mon State in 2008.
Those members of the corps also participated in the rescue, relief and rehabilitation, supply of relief aid and sending injured people to hospitals and clinics among the disaster-hit people from eight regions and states in flooding from 2015 to 2019 and Tahley earthquake with the use of more than 700 vehicles.
As the COVID-19 outbreak increased in Myanmar, 500 vehicles transported healthcare and hospital equipment and supplies to various regions and states on a timely basis.
Overseas returnees were also transported to their respective regions in the country. They also helped with cooking meals for patients from COVID-19 treatment centres. So, it is the pride for the supply and transport corps to have played their role even when the local people faced disasters and difficulties.
During the past 75 years of the crops, 13 members were presented with Sithu, Zarni and Zeya Kyawhtin titles for their outstanding performances for the State. Moreover, for the courageous fights for the Tatmadaw, one member was awarded with Thiha Thura title, three Thura title, nine gallantry medals, 20 gallantry certificates of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services and 20 honorary certificates of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services.
For good discipline also, 1,167 members were presented with 1,167 gold medals and 2,683 with diamond jubilee medals.
Again, 3,932 officers and other ranks were awarded medals for outstanding management, outstanding social affairs and good citizenships. They are all recognized and recorded for their dutiful achievements.
As the supply and transport corps was born together with the Tatmadaw during independence struggles, they have been able to serve the interests of the country, people and Tatmadaw. They have also proved themselves repeatedly that they could have ardently served their main aims of the crops and duties assigned by superiors. I hereby wish for officers and other ranks of the corps to be able to continue the successful realization of the objectives of the State and the Tatmadaw in future and for the crops to continue to exist from the diamond jubilee to many more years to come.
Director of Directorate of Supply and Transport Maj-Gen Win Myat explained the brief history of the corps and a documentary video of the diamond jubilee celebration.
Next, members of the corps performed with a commemorative song.
Then, the director presented a commemorative gift to the Vice-Senior General.
Later, the Vice-Senior General cordially greeted the retired officers of the corps in attendance and viewed the commemorative booths on display.