Code of Conduct and

Guidelines for De-Suups

“Guardians of Peace”

(14th September 2019)

Acknowledgement

The De-suung head office would like to acknowledge the inputs and feedbacks received from all
the De-suups in the length and breadth of the country.

1st Published in September 2019

Reproductions in whole or in parts is permitted, provided that full credit is given to the publisher
and provided that any such reproduction, whether in whole or in parts, is not sold for any profit.
Copyright © 2019, De-suung Head Office, All rights reserved
Publisher: De-suung Head Office, Lungtenphu, Thimphu

For a copy of this booklet, contact:

De-suung Head Office
Lungtenphu, Thimphu
Tel (O): +975 2 340353 / 341277
Fax(O): +975 2 341279
Email: desuung11@gmail.com
Website: http://www.desuung.org.bt
 Table of Contents

FOREWORD .................................................................................................................................................................. i
1 PURPOSE FOR BECOMING A DE-SUUP ........................................................................................................ 1
2 GUIDING PRINCIPLES...................................................................................................................................... 1
3 RESPONSIBILITIES OF DE-SUUPS ................................................................................................................. 1
4 ETIQUETTE FOR DESUUPS ............................................................................................................................. 2
5 GENERAL CODE OF CONDUCT ..................................................................................................................... 6
6 CODE OF CONDUCT FOR DISASTER RESPONSE ....................................................................................... 7
6.1 INFORMATION DISSEMINATION ................................................................................................................... 7
6.2 REPORTING .................................................................................................................................................. 7
6.3 MOBILIZATION............................................................................................................................................. 7
6.4 COMPENSATION ........................................................................................................................................... 7
7 CODE OF ETHICS FOR USE OF MEDIA......................................................................................................... 7
8 CODE OF CONDUCT IN DESUUP UNIFORMS ............................................................................................. 8
8.1 SALUTE DISCIPLINE:..................................................................................................................................... 8
8.2 UNIFORM APPEARANCE AND OUTFIT............................................................................................................ 8
8.3 PERSONAL APPEARANCE AND TURN OUT ..................................................................................................... 8
9 DESUUP UNIFORM GUIDELINES .................................................................................................................. 9
9.1 PARTICIPATING IN NATIONAL EVENTS ........................................................................................................ 9
9.2 PARTICIPATING IN DISASTER OPERATIONS / INCIDENCES ............................................................................ 9
9.3 PARTICIPATING IN ENVIRONMENT ACTIVITIES .......................................................................................... 10
9.4 PARTICIPATING IN OFFICIAL MEETINGS AND GATHERINGS......................................................................... 11
10 DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE DESUUNG UNIFORM ............................................................................ 11
10.1 CAPS .......................................................................................................................................................... 11
10.2 BADGES: .................................................................................................................................................... 11
10.3 FORMATION SIGN ...................................................................................................................................... 12
10.4 T- SHIRTS ................................................................................................................................................... 12
10.5 BELT: ......................................................................................................................................................... 12
10.6 FOOT WEAR: .............................................................................................................................................. 12
10.7 NAME TAB: ................................................................................................................................................ 12
10.8 ORANGE UNIFORM..................................................................................................................................... 13
10.9 SERVICE PINS............................................................................................................................................. 13
11 UNIFORM ISSUANCE ..................................................................................................................................... 15
11.1 DE-SUUNG SHOPS....................................................................................................................................... 16
11.2 DISPOSAL OF WORN-OUT UNIFORM AND ACCESSORIES .............................................................................. 16
12 REFRESHER TRAINING COURSES .............................................................................................................. 17
13 MONITORING: ................................................................................................................................................. 17
13.1 ACCOUNTABILITY:..................................................................................................................................... 17
14 GRIEVANCES AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES ................................................................................. 18
14.1 DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES ...................................................................................................................... 18
14.2 APPEALS: ................................................................................................................................................... 18
 FOREWORD

In keeping with the noble initiative of His Majesty the King, the Office of the De-suung-
“Guardians of Peace and Harmony” was launched on 14th February 2011 with the vision of
encouraging and enabling all citizens to be active in taking up greater role of nation building. Since
then the values of community service, integrity and civic responsibility have been imbued in many
De-suups who had participated in the series of trainings conducted by this office. The De-suung
training program encourages and will continue to encourage and enhance the spirit of
volunteerism, instil the sense of belonging, harmony and co-operation amongst the community,
and provide skills and knowledge in the field of disaster management. De-suups are expected to
actively volunteer during disaster operations, participate in charitable activities and be of service
to others throughout their lives by being active members of the society.

As of now thirty five batches of integrated trainings has been conducted over a period of eight
years. Over 4200 volunteers comprising of both male and female from a wide range of professional
backgrounds have been trained. All the volunteers are spread across the length and breadth of the
country and are expected to be available at a very short notice as and when required in times of
emergencies. As the numbers increase every year, it has been felt necessary to bring out a standard
written code of conduct to maintain discipline and maintain consistent uniform standards
throughout the country among the De-suups.

This code has been developed as a result of a series of consultations with De-suups across the
country. We hope this will be helpful to maintain the required discipline and standard De-suup
Uniform code throughout the country. As this is the first edition, this office is very open to receive
constructive feedbacks for any changes required on any articles in this booklet. We look forward
to the continued support and high spirits of volunteerism and initiatives from our fellow De-suups.
Tashi Delek.

Palden Drukpa Gyalo !!

(Tashi Tobgye)
DIRECTOR GENERAL

i
There is a higher responsibility - not written in any legal document but instead enshrined in
humanity and history - a natural responsibility and duty that we all must shoulder equally,
irrespective of who we are. Of paramount importance to the strength of a nation, is the ability of
her people to live as one united family - a community in which interaction is marked by trust,
understanding and cooperation

His Majesty The Druk Gyalpo

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1 PURPOSE FOR BECOMING A DE-SUUP

• To promote a sense of community, harmony and co-operation as group and as active

members of society.
• To build upon the spirit of volunteerism and the positive influence of ethics and values of
community service, integrity and civic responsibility.
• To enhance abilities of De-suups to shoulder their duties and responsibilities naturally and
to be of service to others throughout their lives.
• To train and create awareness in disaster preparedness, response and management
techniques to deal with natural calamities.
• To disseminate the fundamental principles of the De-suung in order to develop the ideals
of unity, harmony, integrity, duty and courage.

2 GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The following principles constitute the De-suups’ fundamental values which are sacrosanct and
inviolable. It must be upheld at all times.

• Unity - Be united in all our endeavours.

• Harmony - Promote harmony among people and communities.
• Integrity - Shoulder responsibilities with the highest level of integrity
• Duty - Perform duties in the true spirit of volunteerism with dedication and commitment.
• Courage - Discharge responsibilities selflessly and courageously.

3 RESPONSIBILITIES OF DE-SUUPS

A De-suup shall:

• Preserve, protect and safeguard the sovereignty, integrity, security and unity of the nation.
• Serve the nation whenever and wherever needed.
• Preserve, protect and respect the culture, heritage and environment of the nation.
• Foster tolerance, mutual respect and the spirit of brotherhood among the people
transcending religious, linguistics, regional or sectional diversities.
• Safeguard public property.
• Uphold justice and act against corruption.
• Act in the aid of law.
• Provide emergency relief and rehabilitative services to all victims of all forms of disaster
in partnership with National and Local authorities.
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4 ETIQUETTE FOR DESUUPS

Etiquette is defined as the formal standard or rules of correct and polite behaviour in society or
among members of profession.

In Bhutanese context it could be equated to our unique and stringent code of law called the
“Driglam Namzha”. We generally call “zacha drosum and taja thongja”, which is generally meant
for rules of correct behaviour in the society. Therefore, it is not a unique subject for us Bhutanese.

Therefore, etiquette is yet another set of formal standards of rules of correct and polite behaviour
in the service which all De-suups are required to follow both on and off parade. This helps in
keeping up the dignity of the profession as also foster ‘spirit-de-corps’ and a happy De-suup
society. Discipline and conditioned responses are the bedrock of the De-suups and this is what
separates us from the chattering classes. There is nothing ‘human’ about the treatment received in
the early stages as discipline must be taught first – the hard way. It is to substitute buddy – buddy
human relations; and other directive control come early over the years and with much experience.

Following are some of the etiquettes that the De-suups are expected to follow;

a). Walking around: When you are walking around please do so like a lady or a gentleman. Do
not hang around when you are in uniform; and advise the same to fellow De-suup(s) if you come
across such

b). Lead the way: When showing a senior citizen or a visitor around, lead the way. He/she does
not know which way to go and what to see.

c). Punctual: Always be on time for an appointment. If possible, be a little early. Never make
anyone wait for you. Send words if you are held up unavoidably.

d). NCOs prestige: Call a non-commissioned officer (Mag Lops) only by his rank (or Lopon) and
first name or full name. He is proud of the fact that he is an NCO.

e). Chewing: Do not chew doma, gum, supari or tobacco while in office, in uniform in public
place or in the presence of senior (s).

f). Uniform: The hallmark of a uniformed personnel is to be dressed correctly, neatly, and smartly
whether in uniform or in plain clothes. All De-suups must acquaint themselves with the current
dress regulations. Only authorized/suitable pattern of uniform should be worn. Correct pattern of
pins should be a matter of pride and must be done correctly. It behoves a De-suup to wear freshly
laundered/ironed uniform every time and to wear it with pride. It is possible, you only need to
spend a little effort or time.

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g). Lounging in uniform: Either walk, stand or sit. Don’t lounge around when in uniform. Do try
to avoid going to the market for shopping in uniform; it certainly does not enhance the aura of the
uniform.

h). Sunglasses: Wear them only while travelling; take them off when talking to a senior or a lady.
Dangling your sunglasses from your shirt front or pocket of the uniform does not auger well. Avoid
it.

i). Smoking: Do not enter any office either smoking or carrying one. It may be best to refrain from
smoking. If you must, go to the side or away from the gathering. Blow the cigarette smoke side
wards or below, but never in front.

It is improper for a De-suup to be seen smoking whilst in uniform on the following occasions;

• Whilst saluting
• Whilst moving outside the office
• Whilst marching in a group
• Whilst on parade, whether on the parade ground or at the range.
• In conference and class rooms.
• In a lady’s company without her permission

j). Hands in pocket: Please keep your hands out of the pockets, especially when talking with to a
senior or a lady. It is also preferable to keep your hands dry and clean, with clean/ manicured nails
before extending them for a shake.

k). Differing with seniors: This phrase was very carefully coined. The message is that, it is as
important to differ and disagree as it is to do so with elegance and courtesy. An aggressive
broadside road will no doubt win you instant hero- status with your group of friends and back
– bencher, but that is all. The senior will not accept this kind of attitude. So you better decide and
take your chances before adopting this option.

l). Visit by your boss: You should be appreciative when your boss takes time out to visit you.
Assume that he has come for a specific purpose and time is limited. Do not immediately pour your
problems to him. If his time permits, when he has finished with his business, he may ask if you
have anything to bring up. This may also apply to telephone calls from your boss.

m). Courtesy: There is no known substitute for consideration and courtesy. Keep in mind the wise
old sayings, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” and, “Manners maketh the
man”.

n). Behaviour with the seniors: It is a compliment that your senior can relax in your presence
during off-duty hours. The extent of informality and relaxation should be governed by your senior,

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not you. Do not extend off-duty informality to the next official day if you desire to continue
enjoying an informal relationship.

o). Conduct in the play field: During the presence of a senior officer/official, it is the duty of the
game master to seek permission from him and start/break off the game. Never yell or abuse the
game master. You can, however, appeal if you feel the decision of the game master is wrong.

p). In the Mess: Always wear proper rig in the mess. Know your basic mess etiquettes, do not be
sloppy. while on a table do not yell from one side of the table to the other. Always remove your
head gear before you enter the mess

q). Salute: Know your basic drills throughout your life, as a uniformed personnel. While in
complete uniform (boot-belt-beret) if you see an officer, you must salute. If you meet a civilian
who is equivalent to the post of Dasho, you must salute. Please note that, though you will give due
respect to the NCOs, you will never salute to them in any rig.

r). Conduct with civilians: While addressing a civilian, irrespective of their seniority and position,
keep in mind, we do not ‘sir’ them. There are many reasons for this sound practice and excellent
tradition. Generally speaking, the correct form of address is Your Excellency/Lyonpo or
Mr/Mrs/Miss____/ Dasho. This would safely see you through in a majority of interactions- no
matter what your seniority and no matter what that gentleman’s equation with your boss.

s). The following guidelines should be followed:

Don’ts

• Don’t be too dressy, but be smart in your turnout at all times.

• Don’t scold, argue , quarrel or talk in loud or agitated voice in a gathering
• Don’t touch or pat at the back or push people while talking or laughing.
• Don’t ever contradict your senior. If you disagree with the views, say “I hope you won’t
think I’m contradicting you but feel etc etc ”
• Don’t be snobbish or conceited – it is bad manners and it does not do you any good in life
– you will merely become unpopular with your comrades and others in the organization.
• Don’t brag of what you can do at the game and at work. Let others find out for themselves
your worth.
• Don’t ever make a statement unless you are sure of facts and figures.
• Don’t give your opinion unless it’s asked for.
• Don’t talk shop in official and private gatherings. The conversation should be healthy and
harmless
• Don’t bring in official matters to interfere with private affairs.
• Don’t be too flashy about your work. Go about it quietly and unassumingly.

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 • Please don’t sulk if you get caught for any mistake you may make. We all have the human
error which everyone understands.
• Don’t get into the most despicable habit of discussing your fellow Desuups amongst
yourselves. It has led in the past and always leads to more trouble and unhappiness in your
organization.
• Don’t ever criticize others or brag about one self.
• Don’t keep saying that you cannot do this or that always keep in mind it’s a voluntary
service.
• Don’t be too sensitive or too imaginative – by this it meant offence where no offence is
intended.
• Do not show over-familiarity to a lady.
• Due courtesy should be shown to an older De-suup or a De-suup in higher position in rank
than you. It conforms to our culture.
• Never talk to a senior officer or a lady with your hand in the pocket, and with gesture and
mannerism.
• Don’t make personal jokes on anyone, some might take them well but a lot of the will feel
offended or insulted.
• Don’t try to purchase popularity of cheap kind by excessive conviviality.
• Don’t draw public attention by eccentric behaviour or by vulgar display of your wealth
• Don’t discuss topics that may result in heated discussion or embitter the atmosphere in a
gathering, e.g. religion, politics, ladies and others etc.

Dos

• Do make your motto ‘do it now’ and stick to it all times.

• Talk in a language that everyone present understands
• Be very punctilious about saluting and salute smartly.
• Do respect everything that is related to De-suung office.
• Do own up your mistakes before someone finds out.
• Do see that you don’t waste time.
• Do realize that as uniform personnel, you belong to a class whose words is trusted – it is a
heritage you should be proud of.
• Do stick to customs of the organization, no matter how trivial such customs may appear to
you. They help to maintain spirit-de-corps, so essential to keep up the good name, the
tradition and the efficiency of your organization.
• Do take active part in any official De-suung program

In essence, what needs to be understood and remembered is the need for the semi-formal
correctness at work and an informal and easy correctness in social conduct, as opposed to a rigidly

5
formal stiffness at all times. This is the tradition hallmark of uniformed personnel and must be
carefully imbibed. However, when in slightest of doubt, save your grace and go formal.

Remember, a De-suup should only err on the upward side and not otherwise and whenever in
doubt, go formal. That’s the key word.

5 GENERAL CODE OF CONDUCT

All De-suups are required to make themselves fully familiar with the provisions of this code of
conduct, considering its significance and importance and abide by the following;

A De-suup shall:

• Serve duties lawfully at all times in accordance with the visions and aspirations of the
Supreme Commander and uphold the De-suup Honour Code.
• Comply with all reasonable instructions and lawful orders during duty to the best of ability.
• Portray a positive and professional image of De-suung and refrain from any unacceptable
forms of behaviour.
• Show respect and consideration at all times for fellow De-suups, members of the public,
other volunteers and statutory bodies.
• Report for duty when called in a timely manner and should be free from the influence of
alcohol / drugs or any intoxicating substances that will hamper his reasoning and judgment
capability.
• Not take unfair advantages of De-suung membership or exploit others to further their
personal, religious, political or business interest.
• Refrain from engaging in any forms of harassment or making any comments which might
be considered as offensive by any individual or parties.
• Provide service and represent themselves as competent only within the boundaries of their
training, certification, licenses, and other relevant professional experiences.
• Not engage in any activity which could be considered detrimental to the organization and
which could specifically result in personal injury to any volunteer or a member of the public
and shall take necessary actions to prevent such acts.
• Shall prevent and alleviate human suffering with complete impartiality making no
discrimination as to race, sex, religious beliefs, language, class or political opinion or for
any other reasons.

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6 CODE OF CONDUCT FOR DISASTER RESPONSE

6.1 Information Dissemination

a. All information related to disaster response will be disseminated by the De-suung office.
b. De-suups with information on any forms of disaster shall report to the De-suung office.
The Office will then investigate and authenticate the information and respond strategically.
c. The De-suung Office shall state a time and place for De-suups to report for the disaster
response.
d. Desuups shall refrain from responding to a disaster individually or as a group without prior
consent of the dzongkhag / regional / De-suung head office unless in an event that is
deemed under control with minimum hazard to self and others.

6.2 Reporting
Upon receiving directives, De-suups shall report to the stated time and place in appropriate attire
to the Incident Commander of the particular area assigned by the De-suung Director or the
Regional Chairperson / Dzongkhag Chairperson / Dzongkhag Disaster Management Committee.

6.3 Mobilization
The mobilization of De-suups to carry out the disaster response or Emergency Response
Preparedness shall be coordinated by the De-suung Office in consultation with the Office of the
Supreme Commander, RBA and the Chief Coordinator, Disaster Management Committee of that
particular area.

On completion of the disaster response De-suups shall report to the Unit Leader or Incident
Commander of the particular area and shall formally be relieved of their services.

6.4 Compensation
The De-suung Office in consultation with the Office of Supreme Commander may provide
compensation for loss of life, lifelong injuries / disabilities or damage of property in the line of
duty. The possibility of providing life insurance for the De-suups will be explored.

7 CODE OF ETHICS FOR USE OF MEDIA

A De-suup shall:

• Share and disclose confidential information only when appropriate with valid consent.
• Protect the confidentiality of all information obtained in course of professional service
during disaster response and other relevant services.

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 • Take precautions to ensure and maintain the confidentiality and reliability of information
transmitted to other members through use of computer technology or any other electronic
gadgets.
• Refrain from posting or sharing any information or pictures that would defame or reflect
any negative image of the organization or fellow De-Suups.

8 CODE OF CONDUCT IN DESUUP UNIFORMS

8.1 Salute discipline:

Salute should be given in the following manner while in uniform:

a) Salute while reporting to a senior officer for any work.

b) While in group only the senior will salute as per procedure.
c) When two or more officers are present, salute should be given to the senior most officer
and not to other officers present.
d) An officer receiving the salute must always return the salute properly and promptly with
courtesy.
e) No salute will be given without head dress (Beret or Jap Cap)
f) Salute should be given in the correct fashion and not in a casual way.

8.2 Uniform appearance and outfit

a) Uniform must be properly fitted, clean and ironed as necessary.
b) Always wear proper attire smartly
c) Article carried in the pocket must not protrude from the pocket.
d) Metallic accessories must be kept in proper lustre and free from rust.
e) Shoes and boots must be well polished as regularly as possible.

8.3 Personal Appearance and turn out

All De-suups must make efforts to project smart turn out and posture as follows:

a) Men De-suups shall not keep long untidy hair.

b) Hair Cut: short hair for males. Female de-suups shall keep their hair tied neatly and use a
hair net when in uniform.
c) Inappropriate trinkets and ornaments shall not be worn
d) Tattoos on the visible parts of the body should be covered.
e) The face has to be clean shaven with tidy moustache.
f) A De-suup is expected to be polite / gentle / humble but be firm and avoid confrontation
during mass gatherings and crowd control activities.

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9 DESUUP UNIFORM GUIDELINES

De-suups shall follow the following uniform guidelines while participating in the different
activities as categorised below.

9.1 Participating in National Events

The national events shall officially comprise of the following events;

• De-suung Raising Day, 14th February

• National Day, 17th December
• His Majesty’s Birthday, 21 February,
• HRH Gyeltsun’s Birthday, 4th June

The following dress code should be followed while attending the above mentioned events. The
same dress code shall be followed during Royal Audience, in the presence of His Majesty the King
and in the vicinity of the National flag. During the occasions of National mourning, state funeral
and any funeral of De-suups who passed away in the line of duty is to be attended in this same
uniform.

a) Orange uniform
b) Beret Cap with badge
c) Name Tab and “BHUTAN” name tab
d) His Majesty’s badge
e) De-suung badge
f) The De-suung formation signs
g) Black Belt
h) Any T-shirt as mentioned in the approved uniform list
i) Service Pins as per its precedence mentioned in article 10.9.3 of this booklet
j) Black combat boots without any pattern or no high heels in case of females
k) Dark colour socks
l) Official Winter Jacket approved by the De-suung office can be worn as optional during
cold weather
m) Dark blue raincoat can be used on rainy days. Umbrella cannot be used while on duty

9.2 Participating in Disaster Operations / Incidences

In the event of attending the following disaster operations or incidences like;

Forest fires, flood, Fire, River rescue, search and rescue, accidents. The following dress code shall
be followed;

a. Orange uniform
b. Jap cap
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 c. Name Tab and “BHUTAN” name tab
d. His Majesty’s badge
e. De-suung badge
f. The De-suung formation signs
g. Black Belt: either free issued or purchased from De-suung office
h. Any T-shirt as mentioned in the approved uniform list
i. Don’t wear service pins
j. Any type of Boots except sneakers or slippers or high heels in case of females
k. Dark colour socks
l. Official Winter Jacket approved by the De-suung office can be worn as optional during
cold weather
m. The Desuung half jacket or the De-suung reflector jacket can be worn from the outside if
participating in Gho or Kira
n. Dark blue raincoat can be used on rainy days. Umbrella cannot be used while on duty

9.3 Participating in Environment Activities

Environment activities may include the following activities like plantation activities, cleaning
campaigns, landscaping, advocacy or awareness campaigns, Zapto layrim. The following dress
code shall be followed while participating in the above mentioned activity;

a. Jap cap / Beret Cap. Please note: Jap cap may be used in normal activities. Beret cap with
badge shall be used in the presence of VVIP / VIP.
b. Orange uniform
c. The De-suung formation signs
d. Name Tab and “BHUTAN” name tab
e. His Majesty’s badge
f. De-suung badge
g. Black Belt
h. Any T-shirt as mentioned in the approved uniform list.
i. Don’t wear service pins
j. Any type of Boots except sneakers or slippers or high heels in case of females
k. Dark colour socks
l. Official Winter Jacket approved by the De-suung office can be worn as optional during
cold weather
m. The De-suung half jacket or the Desuung reflector jacket can be worn from the outside if
participating in Gho or Kira
n. Dark blue raincoat can be used on rainy days. Umbrella cannot be used while on duty

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9.4 Participating in official meetings and gatherings
The following dress code shall be followed while participating in meetings, gatherings or during
crowd control activities;

a. Beret cap with badge (Jap cap shall be used during crowd control activities)
b. Orange uniform with all formation signs
c. Name Tab and “BHUTAN” name tab
d. His Majesty’s badge
e. De-suung badge
f. Black Belt
g. Any T-shirt as mentioned in the approved uniform list
h. Service Pins as per its precedence mentioned in article.
i. Black combat boots without any pattern or no high heels in case of females
j. Dark colour socks
k. Official Winter Jacket approved by the De-suung office can be worn as optional during
cold weather
l. Dark blue raincoat can be used on rainy days. Umbrella cannot be used while on duty

10 DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE DESUUNG UNIFORM

10.1 Caps

10.1.1 Beret cap:

a) Beret cap should be of woollen material and grey in colour.
b) Beret may be worn with orange uniform while entering office premises.
c) Beret badge: All de-suups shall wear the officially issued beret badge.

10.1.2 Jap Cap:

a. Jap cap shall be of orange colour with the word “De-suup” in black colour written on the
back of the cap (or no wording). It shall be worn only with the orange uniform.
b. Jap cap shall not be worn with any dress other than the prescribed orange uniform
c. The design of Jap cap shall be as per the approved design of the De-suung head office only.

10.2 Badges:
Two types of badges shall be issued. Badge with his Majesty’s Kupar and badge with the De-
suung logo.

Manner of Wearing: The badge with his Majesty’s badge shall be worn above the left name tag.
The badge with the De-suung logo shall be worn above the right name tag.

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His Majesty’s De-suung badge shall be worn on the left side at chest level while wearing gho and
kira.

10.3 Formation Sign

The Formation sign approved by the De-suung head office shall be worn on the orange uniform as
detailed below:

• For official orange uniform, the formation sign shall be worn on both sides of the upper
sleeves, three inches below the shoulder stitch.
• For winter jacket, the formation sign shall be worn on both sides of the upper sleeves, three
inches below the shoulder stitch.
• The formation sign shall not be worn on jersey or on any other dress or field gears.

10.4 T- shirts
Preferably White t shirt should be used. De-suung orange t-shirt, dark blue De-suung t-shirt with
De-suung logo or the four different colours of platoon t-shirt may be used inside the orange dress.

10.5 Belt:
All De-suups shall wear the official black belt either issued free or purchased from the De-suung
shop.

10.6 Foot wear:

a) All de-suups shall wear black boots with the orange uniform.
b) While wearing boots, socks should not be visible above the boot calf length.
c) Shoe lace on the field boots shall be tied neatly with one round going around the boot calf
with minimum free length.

10.7 Name Tab:

a. Name tab bearing the official name of the individual de-suup shall be worn above the right
breast pocket by all in uniform.
b. Name tab bearing the word "BHUTAN" shall be worn above the left breast pocket.
c. No rank, designation or other words/symbol shall be added to the name tabs except for the
blood group of the individual.

10.7.1 Design of name tabs for Orange Uniform:

a. Name tabs shall be in cloth with black background and yellow embroidered letters in
English. The blood group shall be mentioned in red embroidered letter, at the side of the
name.
b. The border of the name tab should be embroidered in yellow colour.
c. All alphabets in the name tab should be in capital embroidered letters.
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 d. The dimension of the name tabs shall be as detailed below:
e. Length- 130 mm
f. Width - 27 mm
g. Thickness- 2 mm

10.8 Orange Uniform

a. As approved by the De-suung head office, the uniform for De-suups shall be the orange
uniform issued solely by the De-suup head office or the regional De-suup offices. White t-
shirts shall be worn inside the uniform or the t-shirts approved as per article 10.4 in this
booklet. Other colourful t-shirts / sweaters etc shall not be allowed to be worn inside the
uniform.
b. National flag patches to be worn only during international events (not within the country).
c. No one should reproduce, replicate or distribute any of De-suung uniform or part thereof
without the valid consent. All De-suups are expected to wear the uniform as prescribed by
the Office of De-suung during disaster response, De-suung programmes or only when
asked to do so.

10.9 Service Pins

In recognition of the invaluable services of the De-suups to the Tsa-wa-sum for both in times of
peace and disasters the following service pins shall be awarded. It must be noted that, Service pins
are earned and not demanded.

10.9.1 Types of Service Pins

There are six different types of service pins awarded for different activities as mentioned below;

Security Flood rescue

Earthquake

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 Environmental Public management
activities
Fire fighting

10.9.2 Outstanding Pins

Outstanding pins shall be awarded to De-suups who have accumulated 10, 15, 25 and 35 points.
They are depicted as follows;

10.9.3 Precedence of Service Pins

• The Service Pins should be put right to left in the following sequence;
1. Security
2. Earthquake
3. Flood Rescue
4. Fire – fighting
5. Environmental activities
6. Public management
• If De-suups have earned two or more pins for international events (e.g. a De-suup has gone
to Nepal for earthquake relief work and Rajgir for crowd control), the precedence will be
earthquake since it’s a major incident.
• Service pins are to be put above the left chest pocket.
• Service Medals and other service recognitions received shall be worn on ceremonial
occasions as per the sequence specified below.

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DON’Ts

• No De-suup is allowed to put on embroidered replica of pins.

• De-suup may not borrow pin from others if you have not earned it.
• De-suups are not allowed to put anything additional or fancy on their uniform, no
unauthorized ornament or emblem is to be worn with the uniform unless stated otherwise.
• Any unauthorized pattern of dress, badge or accoutrement or any deviation from the
approved pattern of uniform is forbidden.
• De-suups shall not wear the uniform for personal or leisure purposes unless for its intended
purposes.

11 UNIFORM ISSUANCE

De-suups are initially issued the following list of uniforms during the initial training period.
Hereafter, they are expected to purchase as their uniform and accessories from the official De-
suung shops as per their requirement. However, the De-suung office shall issue the following free
uniform every two years if required which will be subjected to the number of activities carried out
only after verification and inspection by the committee.

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 Sl. No Particulars Quantity
1. Orange uniform 3 sets
2. Badges (His Majesty’s and De-suung) 2 nos
3. Jap cap 2 nos
4. Beret cap (grey) with badge 1 number
5. Mufti dress 1 set
6. Formation signs 2 piece
7. Belt (black) 1 number
8. Directly Moulded Sole boot (DMS-black) 1 pair
9. Woollen socks 2 pairs
10. White t-shirt 2 nos
11. Platoon shirt 1 nos
12. White shorts 1 nos
13. White socks 2 nos

11.1 De-suung shops

The De-suung shop at the head office in Thimphu and the shops established at the De-suung
regional offices shall cater to the demand beyond the regular free issue, for example the orange
uniform, orange winter coat, waist coat, reflector coat, raincoat, formation signs, badges,
accessories, etc.

11.2 Disposal of worn-out uniform and accessories

Proper disposal of old/worn out uniform is important to prevent misuse and impersonation of De-
suups. Therefore it shall be disposed as detailed below:

a) No uniform in any conditions may be gifted, presented or given for use by any person other
than a De-suup.
b) Uniform shall be discarded after removing formation signs, name tags, badges and service
pins.
c) Service pins shall be surrendered to the concerned head upon receipt of the next higher pin.

11.2.1 Head Quarter Uniform Committee (HQUC)

A De-suup uniform committee shall be constituted at the head quarter level. The ToR for which
shall be as follows:

i. Monitor the approved standard of the uniform

ii. Ensure timely procurement and supply of the uniform and the accessories
iii. Ensure uniform and accessories to be as per the approved design maintained with the De-
suung head office.
iv. Recommend any changes required in the uniform and accessories
v. Review any feedback or suggestions related to this code and uniform.

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11.2.2 Regional / Dzongkhag Uniform Committee (RUC / DUC)
All Regional / Dzongkhag offices shall form a committee, chaired by the Regional Chairperson /
Dzongkhag chairperson respectively. The ToR for which shall be as follows:

a. Ensure timely submission of requisition of uniform and accessories

b. Ensure proper distribution of uniform and accessories with proper record.
c. Deal with cases/issues related to this code
d. Provide feedback to HQUC with regard to uniform.
e. Deal cases specified under administrative actions of this code
f. Coordinate and organize refresher training on drill, weapons handling/uniform code of
conduct and disaster related trainings.

12 REFRESHER TRAINING COURSES

Weapons, drill and disaster related training for De-suups are necessary in order to learn and build
capacity for handling any type of disaster related situations and maintain the uniform discipline.
De-suups shall attend at least one refresher course in a year as arranged by the De-suup head office
or the regional / Dzongkhag offices. For the purpose of keeping abreast with the uniform code and
discipline, regular uniform/salutation drill shall be conducted once in two months at the regional /
Dzongkhag offices.

13 MONITORING:

a) The concerned Regional / Dzongkhag coordinators of all offices at the Regional /

Dzongkhag level shall be fully responsible to monitor the implementation of this code with
support from the Regional / Dzongkhag chairperson.

13.1 Accountability:
a) At the de-suung HQ level, the DG and the CPO shall monitor the implementation of this
code.
b) At the Regional and Dzongkhag level, The Regional chairperson, Dzongkhag chairperson,
the regional coordinators, Dzongkhag coordinators, section coordinators shall monitor the
implementation of this code.

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14 GRIEVANCES AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES

a. An aggrieved member shall channel his/her complaint related to his/her duties or training
firstly to the Unit Leader. If the issue is not resolved, it shall then be referred to the
Commander who shall refer the matter to the De-suung Director if he fails to resolve it.
b. The complaints/disputes shall be informally or amicably resolved or mediated with
appropriate remedies or actions at the lowest level; provided enquiries and investigations
may be launched based on the seriousness of the complaints or issues involved.
c. The complaints/disputes may be resolved or mediated by the panel comprising of the above
officials.
d. The same sequence of grievance redress procedures shall be followed in case of collective
grievances; provided that the group shall not be represented by more than three members
at any time.
e. A member shall follow same sequence of grievance redress procedures in cases of
complaints and disputes related to discrimination, bullying and harassment including that
of sexual nature.

14.1 Disciplinary Procedures

A De-suup may, based on the severity of the misconduct, be subject to one or more of the following
disciplinary measures for breach of the Royal Charter/ Honour Code or part thereof; or any act or
omissions which may disrupt the training, disaster or relief operations or brings the De-suung
organization into disrepute:

a. One or more verbal advice and warnings.

b. One or more warnings, censures and reprimands in writing.
c. Suspension from the De-suung organization for a specified period.
d. Expulsion and de-registration from De-suung organization.
e. Prosecution in a court of law for conducts of grave or criminal nature

14.2 Appeals:
a. A member aggrieved by the decision or actions of the individual or panel of officials may
appeal to the next higher authority or an independent panel.
b. If the appeal is successful his/her membership shall be reinstated (if he/she was
terminated), rights and honour restored and entitlement resituated.

Our Thanks to all the De-suups for your genuine contribution and feedback and De-suup Sonam
Wangchuk (phd), 33rd batch Bumthang for editing

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