The Last post;
I joined the NWC 27th of October 2000 and was a very active officer. Playing many games and steadily promoted in the ranks. I pushed army command to add the Dutch corps to the OOB, which they did. My first unit was of course the Dutch 8th militia. The unit were my grand grand father Evert Roelof Bijl served in the real life. He was present at Quatre Bras and Waterloo and survived. I wrote a book about his life that will be published this year!
In march 2001 I took over the command of the Dutch 2nd division as a Luitenant-Kolonel. And later that year I became commander of the Allied I corps. I also started the scenario library, build websites for many units in the Allied army and received a special assignment into the 2nd Dutch Guides (Guards). During these years army command was in the hands of Tony Dobson (2001-2002), Ian Travers (2002-2003) and Jim Hall (2003-2005). I also trained many of the officers that are now still in the army. One of my best recruits ever was Geert van Uythoven and he became commander of AAA in 2005.
After Geert experienced health problems I took over Anglo Allied command at 10-8-2009. In 2014 that makes 4,5 years in command; more than any other commander of AAA stayed active before me. All these years were a lot of fun and I played games all the time.
Later I was pushed into the role as Allied Coalition CiC as no other Coalition commander was willing to do it. But because of the interest of the NWC I decided to do it. In the mean time I focused on building websites, as this is also a hobby. I completely rebuild the AAA pages, the RMA and redesigned the NWC main page and the recruitment pages as they are still in the air today. I also re-installed the NWC library (as can be clicked on from the main page) based on an idea from the early days in the NWC.
It was all fun up till 2012 or so. Then our current president decided that all ‘small kingdoms (the nationalities)' should be destroyed and all their commanders should be sent home. He could not control them, being the control freak that he is, thus they had to go. And indeed one-by-one their reputation was destroyed first (by Mr Jones’ his ‘friends’) and they went. I was indeed the last man standing. But luckily the Nationalities with their Kingdoms stayed… this far. For me this is the backbone and basis of the club. The history of the AAA can be traced back easily to 1998 when the army was founded. In these 16 years it build up certain traditions and a specific way of operating. This made the AAA unique and the same counts for the Austrian, Prussian and Russian army. They were and are indeed little kingdoms, and it should stay that way. That makes this club so special.
Nevertheless these kingdoms and their tradition have to be destroyed. Mr Jones even just told me this straightforward many times in emails. So it is not something I invented. The way of doing that is of course to build strict ‘commercial company house rules’ first. Based on these new rules our current president will have complete control over the club, as is his biggest wish. He can now start to rebuild the NWC in his own way, abandoning the historical tradition of each army.
Of course the establishment of these rules are a complete farce, and we all know it. Let me sum up the process one last time, so that it is saved forever in this message and for future officers:
Rules written by Mark Jones personally without any other person assisting him.
No comments on ANY of the written rules by other cabinet members, except for myself.
ALL my comments and remarks neglected.
Not ONE serious thing changed during cabinet discussions. The absolute lack of cooperation and the ridiculous procedure forced me to withdraw the position of the Allied CiC from the cabinet. Which was possible following the rules (because there is no rule for it).
2 weeks discussing period; the way of starting up the discussion period, or what to do with the results, was NOT discussed with the rest of the cabinet.
Discussing period; many people came with remarks. Mr Jones didn’t even bother to respond.
NOT ONE letter changed to the club rules based on all these comments.
Voting procedures NOT discussed with cabinet members. Suddenly there was a vote, designed and drafted by the president only. This was a clear violation of the club rules based on which the voting should have been stopped.
The voting procedure was of course something to laugh about; it was made almost impossible to vote ‘no’.
After much complains the voting procedure was changed half way during the voting. A ridiculous situation where half the voters may have voted different had they voted with the final procedure.
The adaptation of the process was of course not discussed with the cabinet.
During the voting much more was discussed about all of the above; it was all neglected by the president, again.
The results of the voting was presented and ALL the ‘no’ voters with their comments were neglected AGAIN. As what I predicted in earlier posts.
So far about team work!!
So, now we have rules written by one man WHERE NOT ONE LETTER is changed from the time he wrote them till the placement on the NWC website. I hope you all understand what is happening.
Anyway, to finish my story;
I thought it was in the best interest for the club that the position of CiC should go back to the cabinet and thus told them I was back. Mr Jones immediately made use of the situation to explain in all haste that me, as a person, stepped down as CiC. Which was nonsense, and we all know it. Then he came with the idea to vote about it. Which is not possible when the cabinet does not have 5 members (that was the reason the CiC position stepped out).
But then suddenly something unexpected happened. I was no longer backed up by some of my own AAA high ranking officers. They were clearly influenced by Mr Jones and his friends ‘breaking down reputation campaign’.
Anyway, this will be my last post. I offer my Sword to the NWC and will ask the AAA high ranking officers today to store that sword in the AAA museum and to take over army command. With regards to the Allied Coalition activities? The complete coalition is now without active management, but this was the wish of the cabinet.
I cannot longer protect the culture and history of the AAA and the Allied Coalition in general against negative forces that are only there to destroy it. I am also not willing to work under a dictator that is not willing or not able to work in a team. I am also disappointed in the fact that I did not have enough support to continue. My pleasure in gaming was lost since many years anyway. I had hoped to retire this year in a normal way, with proper army command follow up secured, but it cannot be.
So I am gone. I am not a person that take decision lightly. So this will be a definite one, you will never see me back in the NWC.
One final wish is that I receive the honor to be placed in the Retirement Castle and that the Dutch 8th militia will either be deleted from the OOB or never be occupied by any other person.
Farewell my friends.
Generaal Marco Bijl
retired
NWC
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