THE LIFE OF A RETIRED SOLDIER

THE LIFE OF A RETIRED SOLDIER

It is painful to see a large number of middle aged, well disciplined, men discharged from the Armed forces every year are running pillar to post for re-employment. These men have lost their future by serving 15 to 20 years in Defence services. If they had completed college education instead of joining the service, their life would have been different by this time. Yes, Today most of them feel that they have mistaken by joining the service. For most of them, it was poverty which had forced them to join services.

Being disciplined and honest is not fetching job in civil life. Necessary basic educational qualification with social and political background is needed in civil life. The youthful period of learning is lost in the services by polishing the shoes and caps for the various inspections and ceremonial parades. The symbolic presentation of coming to attention position and saluting a VIP with highest military discipline is not at all understood by many civilian dignatories, even welcoming and shaking hands with ordinary sepoys - avoided by many

The main asset of discipline and honesty which the exsm acquired during military services has no value in civil life.

A separated military life from family, friends, civil, social and political environment during an youthful period of a young man’s life affects the entire remaining life. The discontinued higher education before joining the army could not be continued because of the military discipline which had blunted many sharp young brains. Yes, the thinking capacity of an ex-serviceman, especially PBOR gets eroded, because of a slavery life in the service in the name of discipline. More over this state of mind of all the ex-servicemen is not allowed to divert by providing liquor to them even after retirement through exsm canteens.

In civil life a non matriculate, appointed as a sweeper in a medical college retires by making his children as doctors and noble professional nurses. Similarly, a peon even in a private engineering college makes his son at least one engineering graduate, or a software professional. These things are very common nowadays, because their service is guaranteed for 33 years.

They are recognised as a respected staff of the institutions, irrespective of the post they hold. Their social contacts are better established to get any job done, by virtue of their permanent appointment in the institution, where as it is not so in the Defence Services. Even the chief of Army after retirement is not at all identified by any one. Where as can anybody tell that an exsm sepoy can give such a higher education to his children. No, of course it may be possible, if the sepoy after 15 years of service in the Army gets re-employment as Chaprasi in a medical college. The question is, even the Chaprasi job is not given to a disciplined sepoy. This is the real state of affairs. No body cares for the uniformed people including the civil police. The administrative people have every advantage in the system. The Defence personnel including the police, paramilitary personnel are becoming puppets of the politician and body guards to criminals.

Only Contracted security job is available freely. Most of these security agencies run by retired officers of the Army are ruthlessly exploiting the exsm. Even the state owned Ex-servicemen Corporation has no clean administration. A regular re-employment even to the post of Chaprasi in a Govt. Service is denied to the exsm.

The modern trend is that, even the officer’s sons don’t want to become officers in the Defence forces. Therefore there are lots of vacancies for the officers. The officers training centers are running with less than the required strength. There is a lot of gap in the economic status between an officer and Other Ranks, both in service and after retirement.

The Govt must take immediate steps to reduce the gap and provide reasonable pension and re-employment opportunities to these men.