RE-EMPLOYED, RETIRED  EX-SERVICEMEN & THEIR WIDOWS

PLEASE WAKE UP AND FIGHT FOR YOUR 2^ND FAMILY PENSION.

THE WIVES OF RE-EMPLOYED EX-SERVICEMEN HAVE EVERY RIGHT

FOR 2^ND FAMILY PENSION.  THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION TO DENY 2^ND FAMILY PENSION.  UNLESS WE ALL JOIN TOGETHER AND FIGHT WE

WILL NOT GET.

WILL THE ALL INDIA EX-SERVICEMEN ORGANISATIONS DO SOMETHING

ON THIS ISSUE ?

kadali has left a new comment on your post "GRANT OF DUAL FAMILY PENSION":

Employees covered under Employees' Provident Fund Scheme are eligible for 10 / 12% CPF from the emplyer on their wages / salary, as the case may be, and this amount will be on accumulation basis which will be an assured retirement benefit to such employees. Certain amount from this contribution viz. Rs.541/- (Max.) will be diverted to the EPS'95. Hence, Dual Pension to the Re-employed pensioner has been allowed belatedly though such thing should have been allowed from the date of commencement of EPS;95 i.e. 16-11-1995. It is not known where the contributions of re-employed ex-servicemen have gone from 16-11-1995 to date of eligible for second family pension (2001).

Similarly, re-employed ex-servicemen not covered by EPF / EPS, not eligible for recurring CPF benefit but their families supposed to be extended pensionery benefit for second spell of their spouses' re-employed service in Governemnt Departments as it is a distinct service which ought to be eligible for pension on this account alone after fulfilling the minimum required service for pension eligibility.

Is there any justifiable ground to deny second family pension to the re-employed ex-servicemen category retired from Government Departments?

Would like to hear the comments from the members. No one raising any voice about this.

krk rao

Ex-servicemen protest against pay hike. Have a glance of our fight for OROP. Let Govt. reconsider its decision. Our Demand will not end without OROP.

WHY THE BANKS ARE DELAYING THE PAYMENT OF ARREARS ?

WHY THE BANKS ARE DELAYING THE PAYMENT OF

REVISED PENSION & ARREARS ?

The great injustice meted out by the 6^th CPC to the Defence Pensioners was somehow addressed by the Committee of Secretaries recommendations to some extent.  Even that recommendations were kept in darkness until the opposition leader Shri.L.K.Advani questioned to the Prime Minister in the Parliament.  Finally the committee agreed that there is a large gap in the pensions of Pre and Post 01.01.2006 defence pensioners and agreed to reduce the gap little bit and issued orders on 10.03.2010.

The credit goes to the Indian Ex-servicemen Movement (IESM), the only All India Ex-servicemen Organisation which is continuously reminding the Government to honour One Rank One Pension.

Even though the Committee of Secretaries are not up to the expectations of the Ex-servicemen, the defence pensioners accept it with heavy heart.  However, the pension paying banks are not at all bothered about the payment of revised pension and arrears to the low paid poor PBOR pensioners.  Why the banks are delaying so much ?

This small amount of arrears if paid along with the revised pension by the end of this month, it will be of great help to the pensioners to meet the educational expenses in the school admission time.

Will the banks kindly look into the matter and arrange for payment immediately ?

Timely payment of arrears to aged pensioners is very important to avoid legal complications later.

REMEMBER THE SCAR, REMEMBER THE SOLDIER

FLAGS OF HONOUR FOUNDATION

Every year, thousands of soldiers

lose their lives in India,

Every moment, their families

lose confidence to survive

When a war is won, a country cheers,

a high of rhetoric, patriotism and adrenalin.

Overnight we make heroes out of our soldiers

alive, crippled or dead and

overnight we forget them and their families.

No proud nation can forget its brave service personnel.

Remember that we live for ourselves.

But they live for us.

Remember that the world over, the

Soldier commands respect and pride,

Remember that every nation

treasures its soldiers’ feats for ever.

Remember that every country supports its soldiers’

families unconditionally.

Where facilitation ceremonies for the

brave are carried out as a duty.

Where NGOs make sure that no

martyr soldier’s family is ever left alone..

Let’s pledge to not just salute

the soldiers, but support them.

Let’s all promise not just to say,

but show that we care.

Let’s provide for them like our brothers and sisters.

Remember the scar

Remember the soldier

Jai Hind, Jai jawan.

LOOK  AT THE VIDEO CLIP BELOW

Salute to our Heroes

IMPORTANT WEBSITES USEFUL FOR EX-SERVICEMEN

IMPORTANT WEBSITES AND EMAIL IDS

www.dgrindia.com

Maintained by the Director General Resettlement and contains valuable information regarding resettlement opportunity, employment assistance provided to ESM, various Forms and News updates from the Kendriya Sainik Board(KSB). Very important website for ex-sailors, widows and their NoKs

www.mod.nic.in 

Official website of Ministry of Defence. Provides all MoD/GoI orders/circulars and publications which are useful to ESM for eg ‘Sainik Samachar’.

www.persmin.nic.in 

The Website of Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.

www.pcdapension.nic.in

Website of the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions),Drupadi Ghat, Allahadad. E-mail id of PDCA is also mentioned below, personnel can directly send e-mail to CDA regarding their grievances.

www.pdcanavy.nic.in 

This site provides information regarding latest orders/circulars of pensioners. They can be contacted for pending claims regarding revision of pension and TA/DA claims etc. E-mail id of CDA(Navy) is mentioned below.

www.csdindia.com   

All important information in respect to Canteen Stores Department like revised monetary limits, authority letter regarding purchase of car by PBOR, CSD bulletin, AFD item list depot wise are available on this site. E-mail is of CSD is mentioned below.

www.armedforces.nic.in

This site provides information regarding tri-services organisations.

www.indianarmy.nic.in/echs

The webpage of Ex-servicemen Contributory Scheme hosted on official website of Indian Army. This site provides information about ECHS policy letter, list of polyclinics, FAQ, guide lines for ECHS members. (Obsolete most of the times!)

www.ieslindia.org   Indian ex-services league  Govt approved largest ex-servicemen body.  

http://indianairforce.nic.in  The Indian Air Force Website is very useful.  Please visit once.

EMail IDs:

    ECHS                    echs_navy@yahoo.com

    CSD                       dgmms@csdindia.com   

    CDA                       cda-albd@nic.in

    KSB                        secretaryksb@gmail.com

    KSB (Policy matter)         jdpolicyksb@gmail.com

    KSB for welfare issues    jdwelfareksb@gmail.com

    KSB for JD Coord            jdadmcordksb@gmail.com

    KSB                                   jdpetitionsksb@gmail.com

    DGR employment            dgrdirentprs@hotmail.com

    IESL                                  iesind@airtelmail.in

Note: The above web site/ e-mails are being updated for any new additions. Some more will be published later.

EXPANSION OF ECHS

Government Approves Massive Expansion of Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme

To provide equitable treatment to all eligible Ex-Servicemen and their dependents under the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) and to enhance the scheme’s coverage, the Union Cabinet today approved Establishment of 199 new polyclinics including 17 mobile medical facilities and 15 new regional centres at a cost of Rs. 141 crores. With this, the ECHS facility will now be extended to those areas, where Ex-Servicemen population is below 2,500 by setting up polyclinics which are within reasonable distance from Ex-Servicemen concentrations.              The Cabinet also approved reorganization and strengthening the Central Organisation ECHS by suitably increasing the manpower. It has authorized additional manpower – 2263 in number on contractual basis, to man the additional 199 polyclinics. It has also authorized 315 serving personnel – 60 officers and 255 PBORs, for proposed regional centres and seven officers and 15 PBORs for Central Organisation ECHS.              Financial implications towards creation of infrastructure will be about Rs.141 crore. This will entail a capital expenditure of Rs. 118.52 crore towards cost of land, construction and medical equipment. An amount of Rs. 22.25 crore of expenditure will cover purchase of furniture etc, and IT hardware. On the recurring side, an expenditure of Rs.43 crore per annum is envisaged. It may be recalled that the ECHS was introduced on April 01, 2003 to provide comprehensive medical coverage to Ex-Servicemen pensioners, war widows and dependents by establishing 227 polyclinics at stations with Ex-Servicemen population above 2500 throughout the country. 106 polyclinics are at military stations and 121 polyclinics are at non-military stations. Where the Ex-Servicemen population is less than 2,500, the Ex-Servicemen face hardships in reaching polyclinics because of the distance. There are over 30 lakh ECHS beneficiaries now. On an average 60,000 Servicemen retire every year and this results in a further addition of 60,000 Ex-Servicemen and 1,44,000 dependents to the list of beneficiaries each year. Over 7 lakh Ex-Servicemen, who retired prior to April 01, 2003 have not opted for the scheme primarily due to non-availability of polyclinics near their places of residence. There are also insufficient number of regional centres to monitor the polyclinics. Following is the list of additional polyclinics planned to be established:- Jammu & Kashmir Baramulla, Doda, Poonch, Baribrahmna (Jammu), Kargil,  Nagrota (Kathua) Himachal Pradesh Rampur (Shimla), Nahan (Sirmaur), Shahpur (Kangra), Palampur (Kangra), Kullu, Dera Goppipur (Kangra), Jogindernagar (Mandi), Chamba, Ghumarwin (Bilaspur), Sarakaghat (Mandi), Barsar (Hamirpur), Punjab             Mohali, Ajnala (Amritsar), Tarantaran (Amritsar), Beas (Amritsar), Nawansahar, Suranassi (Jalandhar), Uchi Bassi (Hoshiarpur), Abohar (Ferozpur), Jagraon (Ludhiana), Batala (Gurdaspur), Srigovindpur (Gurdaspur), Sultanpur Lodhi (Kapurthala), Phagwara (Kapurthala), Samana (Patiala), Barnala (Sangrur), Nabha (Patiala), Doraha (Ludhiana), Samarala (Ludhiana), Mahalpur (Hoshiarpur), Talwara (Hoshiarpur) Haryana             Gohana (Sonepat), Mehan (Rohtak), Sampla (Rohtak), Loharu (Bhiwani), Kosli (Jhajjar), Bahadurgarh (Jhajjar), Gurgaon, Nuh (Gurgaon), Charki Dadri (Bhiwani), Mahendragarh, Narwana (Jind), Palwal (Faridabad), Hansi (Hissar), Dharuhera (Rewari), Narayangarh (Ambala), Kharkhauda (Sonepat) National Capital Territory of Delhi             Shakurbasti, Timarpur, Khanpur, Preetvihar Rajasthan             Neem Ka Thana (Sikar), Shergarh (Jodhpur), Dausa, Sanganer (Jaipur), Bhuwana (Jhunjhunu), Bhilwara, Suratgarh (Hanumangarh), Dungarpur, Rajsamand, Rajgarh (Churu), Chirawa (Jhunjhunu), Behror (Alwar) Uttar Pradesh Bagpat, Gonda, Basti, Jaunpur, Greater Noida (GB Nagar), Lakhimpur, Moradabad, Bijnaur, Rampur, Hardoi, Banda, Roberts Ganj (Mirzapur), Barabanki, Unnao, Hathras Uttarakhand             Joshimath (Chamoli), Dehradun, Vikas Nagar (Dehradun), Tehri, Rudraprayag, Ranikhet, Almora, Bageshwar, Banbasa (Champavat), Rudrapur (Udham Singh nagar), Dharchula (Pithoragarh), Lansdowne (Paurigarhwal), Uttarkashi, Ramnagar (Nainital) Bihar             Bhagalpur, Kathiar, Motihari, Siwan, Samastipur, Madhubani, Buxar, Vaishali, Sasaram (Rohtas) Khagaria, Munger, Sitamarhi Jharkhand             Deoghar, Gumla, Chaibasa (West Singhbhoom), Daltonganj (Palamu), Dhanbad Madhya Pradesh             Satna, Ujjain, Amla (East Nimar), Pachmarhi (Hoshangabad) Chhattisgarh             Jagdalpur (Bastar), Bilaspur, Raigarh West Bengal             Berhampore (Murshidabad), Baruipur (South 24 Pargana), Bankura, Howrah, Raiganj (North Dinajpur), Cooch Behar, Kalimpong (Darjeeling), Binaguri (Jalpaiguri) Assam             Lanka (Naugaon), Bongaigaon, Tinsukia, Tezpur (Sonitpur), Misamari (Darrang), Dibrugarh, Goalpara, Dhubri, Lakhimpur Manipur             Chura Chandpur Nagaland             Mokokchung Mizoram Lunglei Arunachal Pradesh             Tezu (Lohit), Along (West Siang) Orissa             Puri, Sambalpur, Koraput, Angul, Bhawanipatna (Kalahandi), Dhenkanal Andhra Pradesh             Srikakulam, Anantapur, Karnool, Cuddapah, Nellore, Karimnagar, Eluru (West Godavari), Secunderabad (Rangareddy), Khammam, Mehbubnagar Tamil Nadu Erode, Sivagangai (Sivaganga), Kumbhkonum (Tiruvallur), Chennai, Ramanathapuram, Tambram (Kanchipuram) Kerala             Mavelikara (Alleppey), Kanhangad (Kasargode), Kalpetta (Wayanad), Thodupuzha (Idukki), Thiruvananthapuram, Changanacherry (Kottayam), Moovattupuzha (Ernakulum), Iritti (Kannur), Kunnamkulum (Trichur), Kottarakara (Kollam), Ranni (Pathanamthitta), Killimanur (Thiruvananthapuram) Karnataka             Kolar, Tumkur, Hassan, Shimoga, Bangalore, Gulbarga, Bidar, Virarajendrapet (Kodagu) Maharastra             Beed, Nanded, Karad (Satara), Wardha, Navi Mumbai (Mumbai), Pune, Khadki (Pune), Yavatmal, Dhule. Goa             Vasco – Da – Gama Gujarat             Gandhidham, Surat, Rajkot Pudduchery             Pudduchery             In addition to these polyclinics 15 regional centres will also be set up at Shimla, Jalandhar, Dehradun, Ambala, Hissar, Meerut, Allahabad, Ranchi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Nagpur, Vizag, Bangalore, Coimbatore & Trivandrum.

 Flags of Honour Foundation

(A Charitable Trust registered with Sub-Registrar  Bangalore  on 02 Jul 2009 at Book IV Regn. No 36/2009-10)

      Flags of Foundation was launched on the 10^th Anniversary of ‘Kargil Diwas’ in July 2009 at Bangalore. The objective of this Foundation is to offer financial and material support to families of Martyrs/War Widows/War Wounded Veterans of the Defence and Para Military Forces who gave their lives for the nation. The Foundation’s main focus is to ensure that the families of Martyrs never endure alone and provide financial and material support in terms of cash grant when in they are distress.

     Family members of Martyrs or War Wounded veterans desirous of seeking assistance from the Foundation can write to the following address or contact the office bearers through the website www.flagsofhonours.org  or telephone.

Address:

   Flags of Honours Foundation,

   NAChambers, No. 3J, 7th C Main,

    3^rd Cross, III Block, Koramangala,

    Bangalore-560034.

    Telephone: (080)40933141

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Best regards,
Brig (Retd) B Chandra Shelkar,
Tele: (080)40933141, Mob: o9845208700,
Email: shekarbc@flagsofhonour.org

PENSION CASES CANNOT BE DELAYED

PENSION CASES CAN NOT BE DELAYED ‘If delayed, pay compensation for it, pay for the mental agony and stress…….’ Orders Consumer Forum. Udupi District (Karnataka) Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum [Case Nos. CC 134/2009 and CC 138/2009.] Judgement  delivered on 22-3-2010.  Case history:  BSNL Corporate office issued orders on 29-5-2008 for merger of DA in pay of employees with effect from 1-1-2007. Those who retired on or after 1-1-2007 should get its benefit in pension also. BSNL authorities at Udupi and Mangalore as well as the CCA office at Bangalore took their own time to merge DA and revise the pension.  Udupi District P&T Pensioners’ Association took up the matter, wrote many letters. But authorities did not care.  Finally, 13 BSNL pensioners and 6 family pensioners approached the Consumer Forum on 2-11-2009 against the delay and seeking compensation.  Shri George Samuel, Secretary of Udupi District P&T Pensioners’ Association is the first complainant in both the cases.  When the authorities came to know about the cases they woke up and merged the DA in pay of the complainants and revised their pension accordingly. But the case continued.   The Consumers’ Disputes Redressal Forum considered the following aspects: 1.  Whether the pensioners are consumers?    The Forum decided Yes. 2.   Whether the delay in merging DA in the cases amounts to deficiency in service?  Forum declared Yes. The delay can not be condoned. 3.    Whether the complainants are entitled to reliefs?  Forum said Yes.               After hearing the arguments of complainants and the Opposite Parties (CGMT Karnataka, CCA Karnataka Circle, PGMT Mangalore and Area Manager at Udupi) the Forum passed the following order:      “The complaints are allowed. The Opposite Parties are directed to pay to the Complainants in both complaints, interest @ 9% since and after 1-7-2008 till date of payment of the claim amounts (since paid) alongwith Rs 2000/- each Complainant in both the cases as compensation (except the complainant No. 1 in both cases) for mental agony and a consolidated amount of Rs 10000 each towards cost of proceedings in each complaint.  The Opposite Parties shall pay the above amounts within a month from the date of this order.   The OPs shall pay the above amounts to the Complainants and may recover the same from the employees who are responsible for delay in releasing the revised Pensionary benefits…”

CLARIFICATION REGARDING ACP-I & ACP-II

CLARIFICATION REGARDING ACP-I & ACP-II

ASSURED CAREER PROGRESSION - I AND II

The benefit of ACP-I and ACP-II is admissible to those who is granted ACP-I and ACP-II during their service period and same is reflected in PPOs. Payment of higher rank of pension is admissible in cases where ACP is indicated in the PPO.

For example if in a PPO the rank is indicated as Sep ACP-I then he is eligible for revision of his pension for the rank of NK for the same Group and similarly, if in a PPO it is indicated as Sep ACP-II then he is eligible for revision of his pension for the rank of Hav for the same Group.

No benefit of ACP is admissible if ACP is not indicated in the PPO.

This clarification was given by Dy. C.D.A. (P), O/O PCDA(P) Allahabad.

Affected pensioners, please note and get your pension revised as per this clarification.

ENDORSEMENT OF FAMILY PENSION FOR PRE-86 PENSIONERS.

ENDORSEMENT OF FAMILY PENSION FOR THE 
PRE-86

ARMED FORCES PENSIONERS.

Present day pensioners are fortunate to have the notification about family pension done in their PPO.  It is only the Pre-86 defence pensioners, who are now reaching the last stage of their life are finding very difficult to get the endorsement of family pension done during their life time.

The parent record offices are putting lot of restrictions on the re-employed ex-servicemen’s cases.  There are cases of widows having PPOs for Two family pensions in their hand,  but unable to get sanctioned even one pension because of some inhumane restrictions on sanctioning Second family pension.

A large number of applications for endorsement of family pension are kept pending with the CDA(P) due to these restrictions.  Even the parent record offices are unable to help the pensioners.  There is no forum to present this problem.  There is no mechanism for redressal.

In case of re-employed ex-servicemen, the situation is worse. The parent record offices are demanding an undertaking from the re-employer that they will not sanction family pension.  Even after surrendering one family pension, the endorsement is delayed.

One well educated Master Warrant Officer of the Indian Air Force is struggling for the past 5 years to get endorsement of family pension.  Now he is seriously ill.  His only worry is that who will help his wife to get the pension after his death.  Unfortunately his wife is also bedridden.  The pre-86 pensioners are the most sufferers in this respect.

The Air Force Record office is managed by an Air Officer.  It is a pity that an MWO is struggling to get the endorsement of family pension.

The re-employed ex-servicemen are allowed to draw two pensions separately.  After their death, when the widows approach the Bank for family pension, they are given only one pension, that too after lot of delay.  The Bank pays only one family pension on obtaining an undertaking that “No family pension” from other source.

There is no justification for denying second family pension.  Since the widows have no proper forum to take up the case the injustice continues.  The re-employed ex-servicemen are also not coming forward under one umbrella to fight for justice.  Lack of unity and understanding among the PBOR are the main cases for such injustice.

The thinking capacity of the ex-servicemen is suppressed by providing liquor through canteens.  The attitude of the bureaucrats will change only when all the 17 lac ex-servicemen and their families refuse liquor and demand better pension and other benefits instead.

THE EX-SERVICEMEN WELFARE DEPARTMENT

The so called “Ex Servicemen Welfare Department” does not have a single ex-serviceman.

We should demand the following for the “Ex Servicemen Welfare Department” of the Ministry of Defence  –

1.     The Departmental Head should be a serving or retired Defence Officer of appropriate rank.

2.    At the next level there should be an officer each from Army, Navy and Airforce (serving or retired).

3.    The remaining staff of the Department should have 50% retired or serving Defence personnel of appropriate rank and the remaining 50% should be civilians to provide longer continuity in the department.

4.    The entire clerical staff should be retired Defence personnel only, which should be from all three services.

I also take this opportunity to appeal to all our military writers that for next six months to year they should concentrate on writing on the burning issues related to ex-servicemen. For next one year or so, our military writers should forget problems related to Pakistan, China, Bangladesh and USA or other general issues. Just concentrate on ESM issues.

Fifteen to twenty more articles in quick succession, like the one below (and few such written in the past), in various national dailies and major regional papers can help us in winning the public opinion and may wake up our sleeping political leaders. Let the tone of such articles be stronger and stronger gradually – it will then force the bureaucracy also to think sensibly.

For consideration of all ESM to persuade our military writers – who all are very well known to you.

bY Gen. Kadyan.

In service of Indian Military Veterans

Chander Kamboj.

-------------

EXWEL TRUST DOES WONDERFUL JOB

THE EXWEL TRUST DOES WONDERS.

YET ANOTHER OCTOGENERIAN (90YEARS ) 

TRACED OUT AND HELPED BY EXWEL TRUST

                Sgt.S.Kanthiah (Retd) , Chief Liaison Officer is seated along with Hony.Captain
                Arthur Paul Francis and his daughter -in -law and grand son at his residence .

Our Chief Admin.Officer Hony.Lt.MP.Natarajan(Retd) conversing with Hony.Captain Arthur Paul Francis recollecting his olden days military lservice.

In their continuous  efforts to visits  various Bank branches and interactions with pensioners,
The  Chief Liaison officer S.Kanthiah noticed one Hony.Captain receiving un-revised pension and
Also not getting Additional pension. When approached the PDA, they were not aware of this. After obtaining the address of the pensioner, Chief Admin.Officer Hony.Lt. MP.Natarajan (Retd) and Chief Liaison Officer Sgt.S.Kanthiah ( Retd) made an extensive search of the address. As the address given was old,  it took a few days to trace out the correct location.
They contacted the aged Captain, bedridden, but happy to receive them with joy . On scrutinizing his pension papers, they  observed that his pension was not revised as per MOD letter dated 11-11-2008 , Annexure-III. And his date of birth as per Discharge book was 18 years on enrolment in 1938. They called for any other document for confirming as per CDA Cir.417. He produced the Election Commission Voters ID card where his age as on 1-1-95 is noted as 75 years. Hence he has completed his 80 years on 1-1-2000 itself and 85 yrs on 1-1-2005. So he is eligible for an additional pension of 30% w.e.f 1-1-2006 and 40% from 1-1-2010.
The aged Captain was delighted to hear all this benefits and particularly his Daughter-in-Law who is looking after him was happy as her father-in Law is getting a hand sum amount during his life time. The  Trust members were chatting with him for more than an hour recalling his Military life . His particulars :
Name : HONY.Capt. ARTHUR PAUL FRANCIS -JC 46412 Record office- MEG Bangalore.
PPO.No. PDA: Indian Bank, Tirunelveli-Junction, Tirunelveli-Dist, TN.
Existing Basic pension- 12262/- Revised Basic Pension-13850
-
Additional pension 30%...4155/- w.e.f 1-1-2006
40 %..7540/- w.e.f 1-1-2010
Arrears worked out w.e.f 1-1-2006 ..Rs. 95920.00
This is a great achievement for  EXWEL TRUST and we march forward in search of such veterans/ family pensioners.
But for the  efforts of the Exwel Trust members, the aged Captain would not have received these benefits.


Once again we appeal to all veteran brethren to find out such aged pensioners/ family pensioners not knowing their entitlement and getting short payment and try to help them or direct them to approach the Exwel Trust  for guidance.

THE "INDIANEXWERVICEMAN BLOG" FEELS VERY PROUD OF THE EXWEL TRUST. 

MAY GOD BLESS THE MEMBERS WITH HEALTHY & LONG LIFE.