#ArmyDay: The pros and cons of being in the Indian Armed Forces

2015 was yet another year when our Indian soldiers manned the borders of the country on land, in water and in the air; walked in the line of fire irrespective of personal danger and secured us each day not once fearing for their own lives, that of their wives, children or parents. For the courage, selflessness and determination these bravehearts have displayed for years, it’s time again to hail the service of the Indian Armed Forces, the third biggest military contingent in the world, one which always swears by the unflinching commitment towards the nation as the country goes to sleep safely every night.

They deserve not only the highest honour, but a life of dignity more than anyone else. However, owing to the high demands of this job and certain stark facts on the ground, they often have to face hardships not only in the battlefield but also in their personal lives.

Today, on Army Day 2016, we look at the pros and cons of serving the country while being a part of the Indian Armed Forces:

1) Teaches a disciplined life
Soldiers join the armed forces at a very young age. The first few years are always good because they are taught good values and are made to live a disciplined life.

2) Good till you're a bachelor
As time passes, difficulties start coming in the way. “We used to say if you want to be happy in the Navy, do not get married,” says Vikram Karve, a retired Naval officer. He meant that till the time one is a bachelor, everything from food to accommodation is looked after at the service. However, once married, there is a huge shortage of married accommodation, which often leads to couples having to live separately.

3) Frequent Transfers
“Owing to the nature of the job, frequently being relocated usually leads to leading an extremely disturbed life, as both family life and children's education are adversely affected,” he adds.

4) Early Retirement Age (30's for soldiers and 50's for officers)
Early retirement age creates a sense of insecurity since it is not feasible to complete all familial responsibilities and commitments before retirement.

“At 35, children are usually studying and there are several family responsibilities that have to be taken care of. Unless you are technically qualified, there are no employment avenues outside. Suddenly from leading a dignified life, you are down to a state where you have a family to take care of, but no job in hand. For Navy and Air Force personnel, they are still technically qualified and can manage to get jobs, but for the majority including infantry soldiers, it’s a very difficult situation to deal with,” says Karve.

He also points out that there is disparity in retirement age criteria too. “While BSF personnel may retire at 60 years of age, why are Army personnel being asked to retire so early when the duty of both is almost the same?” he raises a valid point.

5. Modest Salary and Career Prospects
“In 1991, the pay of a defense officer and the ones who joined the industry was almost the same. We got slightly more. Moreover, the pay of civilian officers was lower than that of defence in the 70s. Everything has changed. Industry packages now go up to crores and our pay has gone down compared to the civilian counterparts over the years,” he says.

6. Ultimate sacrifice (Unlimited liability towards the nation)
The concept of unlimited liability offers no such comfort or escapist approval in operational responsibility. A soldier’s behaviour has to be contrary to human instincts. Importantly, no formally signed covenant at the time of joining service spells out any such specific need to face losing life or limb as part of the job – it comes unwritten, unsaid, and largely remains unknown outside of the soldering fraternity.

7. Shortage of modern equipment
Even as Karve points out that Navy has long term planned strategies and therefore decent standard of equipment to work with, the case is not so with the Indian Army and the Air Force.

Retd Army officer Vinay Biala agrees with defence experts when they say that the infantry needs new and more lethal weapons than assault rifles, the carbine, light machine gun (LMG), the sniper rifle and the anti-tank guided missile (ATGM). An Infantry officer himself, Biala is one of those who says, “we are happy to work with what we have”. It’s the generosity and commitment of such officers which often go unappreciated by bureaucrats and the government. Unfortunately, many of the weapons currently used by the troops are of 1960s vintage. The frequent Air Force MIG crashes only add credence to the situation the personnel have to deal with on the ground. There is already danger hanging on them by virtue of the nature of the job, and if there mode of defence turns out to be obsolete, how can we expect them to survive attacks, a question several governments have failed to act on.

(Image credits: indiadefence.com)