LIFE OF VETERAN IN INDIA : PART – 1 : BIRTH OF ORPHAN OF STATE

LIFE OF VETERAN IN INDIA : PART – 1 : BIRTH OF “ORPHAN OF STATE”

96% plus Army Soldiers ‘VETERANS’ in India retire at less than 42 yrs. age. Here is how a proud ‘Soldier’ turns into #OrphanOfState and what the nation can do to prevent it.

Veteran, also referred to as ESM (Ex-Service Men) include retired Generals to retired Sepoys. All are ESM. After retirement it is ‘FLAT HIERARCHY’ of ESM but people enjoy to carry their ‘ranks’ in retirement making the life extremely complex.

Writing about issues related to retired young Soldiers, young Short Service Commission Officers, superannuated officers of age 54 years and less does not really excite the people who love to flash their stars.

Truth Always Hits Hard. To me, any Officer of Army, serving or retired, who cheats ‘Chetwode Credo’ was never an officer. Harsh words, deliberately used to hurt. This article is going to be depressing but then truth is always bitter. India thinks that Veterans have an absolute ‘Five Star’ life post-retirement. India has no idea of how pathetic life of a veteran is. This article puts before you the ground facts which to the organisation and establishment will be indigestible. Another fact, private industry ADDS “pension” to ‘CTC’ to decide the salary. Can there be a bigger insult?

People….say… When I decided to write on this topic, I asked opinion on Twitter. Some of the responses were as follows:

“While what you write about #LifeOfVeteranInIndia will be hardcore truth and facts and should be brought out in the open, you may like to keep in mind that it also will be read by aspirants of Armed Forces.”

“You may have to keep the balance between truth and not sounding demotivating…..there may be a very thin line between stating brutal truth and putting your fraternity in a bad light asking you to be mindful of that if you can.”

“I was given this feedback once that if you keep writing on issues, who will want to join then?”

I…. say.

• Is India ‘trapping’ youth to join armed forces?
• Is Government misguiding youth?
• Is Army, Navy and Airforce trapping youth by attractive advertisements and not publishing their ultimate fate?
• My writing may ‘demotivate’ people from joining. What about 60000 who hit streets year on year and lead a miserable life?
• Should we be hiding facts from aspirants of Armed Forces?
• How does stating facts show fraternity in bad light?
• How many people have written about ‘Life of Veteran in India’?

Profile of a Veteran. 60,000 veterans hit streets each year. 40-44 yrs. age. What is the general profile of such people in India? Just an average profile of a normal person? It is:

-15-20 years of work experience.

-15-20 years residual service whether in government or private job.

-Married

-Two children, one in primary and another in secondary classes.

-Has a quarter or affordable rented house

-Yearly promotions, increase in salary, bonus etc.

-Already owns a flat on loan at another place

-Likely that wife works too

-Salary, sufficient for good living, education and entertainment.

-Secure future

–Imagine this person is SACKED and next month is given JUST 1/3^rd of salary and no assurance of job. Nothing else. He has to live on his own hereafter.

Yes, you just witnessed ‘BIRTH OF AN ORPHAN OF STATE’, a veteran.

Veterans are not alone. Forces Widows are a large part of Veteran Community.

Forces Widows.

Does anyone know they exist? I have written three articles on awareness. Since 2003, I have been gaining knowledge on life of  Forces widows and how ‘Veer Naari’ term was getting formalised. ‘Using’ Veer Naari term was creating impression that 100% widows of Army were being looked after. I carried out a knowledge check on Twitter. There is no unanimity in forces ladies regarding term Veer Naari, Battle Casualty, Physical Casualty, Attributability to Military Service, Non-Attributability to Military Service, Family Pension, Enhanced Pension or Liberalised Family Pension. I can assure you 99.9% Officers do not know about it. That sums up our interest.

Please read.

AWARENESS SERIES : ARMED FORCES WIDOWS – PART 1 : WIDOW NOT BY CHOICE – https://colsanjaypande.com/awareness-series-armed-forces-widows-part-1-widow-not-by-choice/

AWARENESS SERIES : ARMED FORCES WIDOWS – PART 2 –WIDOWS – GO DIE A THIRD DEATH https://colsanjaypande.com/awareness-series-armed-forces-widows-part-2-widows-go-die-a-third-death/

AWARENESS SERIES – ARMED FORCES WIDOWS – PART 3 – DISCRIMINATION IN  DEATH https://colsanjaypande.com/awareness-series-armed-forces-widows-part-3-discrimination-in-death/

Soldiers in Retirement

What happens to soldiers on ‘retiring’ at 36 yrs. of age. Where exactly are they on timeline of life? The 36 yrs. old has two kids of 6-10 yrs. age, the 54 yrs. old has 18-24 yrs. old kids. I am pained by the complete absence of empathy in law makers, bureaucrats and by extension better part of ‘uninformed’ population.

Age and Retirement. Jawans at 36 yrs. age, Short Service Commission Officers at 31-35 yrs. age, JCOs at 40-44 yrs. age walk our streets feeling as ‘Orphan of State’. To everyone in Government or Private sector, “Post-Retirement” strikes as something that starts at 61 yrs. age. In armed forces ‘post retirement’ commences at 32-35 yrs. and by 46 yrs. age, 98% Armed Force Jawans retire. 95% plus officers retire at rank of Colonel and with 54-55 yrs. age clocked, all are on streets.

Jawan. Service of a jawan, recruited at 19 yrs. of age starts from the day he steps in a recruiting centre. He MUST become a Naik by 17 yrs. service, if he doesn’t, he gets two yrs. extension and retires. Retirement age? 36-38 yrs..

Naik. A Naik retires at 22 yrs.. Retirement age? 40 -42 yrs..

Havaldar. A Havaldar retires at 24 yrs. service. Retirement age? 43-44 yrs..

Nb Subedar / Subedar. Nb Subedar / Subedar retires at 28 yrs.. Age? 45 yrs..

Question is HOW many reach these ranks? Assume 50,000 recruits joined in year 2000.

One Sepoy out of seven becomes Naik, SIX Jawans retire, a whopping 86% retire at 36-38 yrs. Age.. 42,850 WILL RETIRE in sepoy’s rank at 36-38 yrs. age.

Out of 50000 recruited, only 7150 are left.

Of the 7150 Naiks one in 4 will reach Havaldars rank and three will retire, 75% of 7150 or 5360 will retire as Naiks at 40-42 yrs. age.

Out of 50,000 recruited, only 1790 are left.  

Of the 1790 Havaldars,  only 40% will become JCO’s. 60% of 1790 or 725 will retire at age 44-46 yrs.

Out of 50,000 recruited, only 725 are left.

98.5% were ORPHANS at less than 46 years age.

Repeated Year on Year. These figures are repeated each year, year on year. Each year 50,000 to 60,000 soldiers hit civil streets. Analyse the Recruitment to Retirement figures. Which Central Govt Service hires 50,000 to 60,000 people each year and retires approx 50,000 to 59,500 when between 36 yrs. to 46 yrs. age? The finest human resource in terms of capability, commitment and integrity is released on streets to keep army young.

These are the finest Soldiers, Gunners, Tank men, Engineers, Air Defenders, Electrical and Mech Technicians, Medical people and more. These people win Kargil, get PVCs, Ashok Chakras and entire range of awards. These soldiers are in flood relief, counter insurgency Republic Day Para de in fact everywhere. Each year 96-98% of a batch RETIRE while being less than 48 yrs. age. What exactly is their state? Most are from rural areas or small towns. They have no house of their own. They fall back to parents homes and build couple of rooms. Children are in primary school to college. Salary stops overnight and are on pension of 18-25K per month. Responsibilities of life have just begun. Lumpsum payments during retirement are the only reserves. They become ORPHANS OF THE STATE overnight.  

I will love your feedback on the website.

LIFE OF VETERAN IN INDIA : PART – 2 : PRIDE OF UNIFORM – SHAME FOR LIFE

 where I will cover life of the Jawans, the Short Service Officers and the Lt Cols and Cols separately. Each suffers miserably but hides in shame.

(C) Copyright Col Sanjay Pande