Veterans and Social Change

Veterans and Social Change

Major General Mrinal Suman

We, the veterans take pride in the fact that we belong to the noblest profession in the world – the profession of arms that ensures security of our country. ‘Once a soldier always a soldier’ is an old adage. Shedding of uniform does not severe our umbilical links with the military. We continue to act as ambassadors of the services.

When in service, we are admired for our dedication to the cause of national security. Similarly, after retirement we should earn respect of the countrymen by contributing to the betterment of the society. People should look up to the veterans as the conscience-keeper of the values that our nation cherishes. 

Most social scientists consider the military to be a major modernizing force. Soldiers possess necessary education, experience and maturity to be an agent of social change. They do not get carried away by rhetoric; they are doers and achievers.  

Unfortunately, veterans in India have come to be associated with OROP, ECHS and canteen facilities. It is time we step out of our self-interest issues and prove ourselves to be worthy of the nation’s admiration that we yearn for.  

Two areas in which we can contribute effectively are ‘eye donation’ and ‘body donation’. We can kick-start a social revolution and bring about a change in the thinking of our countrymen. 

Eye Donation 

India is home to 1.2 crore blind people and nearly half of them suffer due to corneal disorders. Of them, 26 percent are children and 25 percent live below the poverty line.

India needs at least one lakh donated eyes annually for corneal transplantation to restore vision in people with corneal blindness. Corneal transplantation is an operation that replaces the opaque cornea with a clear cornea obtained from a human donor. The success rate is more than 90 percent. The gift of sight is made anonymously.

Anyone can pledge to donate his eyes after death. There is no age bar. However, as the eyes must be recovered within 4 to 6 hours of the death of the donor, support of the family members is critical. 

Eye removal takes only 10-15 minutes and does not cause any disfigurement. Either the entire eye (called the globe) may be surgically removed, or only the cornea may be excised and placed in storage media. 

The donated corneas are transplanted to the patients on the waiting list. Eyes which cannot be used for corneal transplantation are used for research and education purposes.

There is an acute shortage of donated eyes. Worse, less than 1 percent of the people who pledge their eyes actually donate them finally, primarily due to the indifference of the family members. Whereas states like Tamil Nadu and Gujarat have good collection rates, others fare rather poorly –   Uttaranchal collects only four eyes in one year. 

Lakhs of blind persons remain on the waiting list for years, hoping one day their turn would come to receive cornea donated by some virtuous soul. They suffer their sightless lives in the hope of seeing this beautiful world one day.  

Body Donation

Body donation is not only a very noble gesture but also a big boon for medical research and development as the bodies are used in medical colleges for studying anatomy and various diseases. They are also needed for practicing and developing new surgical techniques.

India has over 140 medical colleges, each having 150 to 200 students.  One cadaver (dead body) is needed for every 10 students for dissection in anatomy classes. All colleges are facing an acute shortage of cadavers. Some are forced to make do by sourcing unclaimed dead bodies from the police. Due to legally mandated time-lag for their disposal, such dead bodies are received in a rotten and decayed state. Resultantly, they are of very limited value.

A person in his life can express his will to donate his body after death. However, he must convince his next of kin to fulfill his wishes. The body, along with the death certificate/declaration of death certificate is required to be transported within three to five hours to the medical institution for preservation.

Although no religion debars body donation, there is a strong mindset against it. Even if a person pledges his body, his family members decline to hand it over. They prefer to waste the body by burying or burning rather than offering it for a noble cause. Therefore, education of the family members is of critical importance. 

Finally

Lest I am accused of hypocrisy, let me state that eye donation is common in our family. My mother expired at the age of 88 in February 2011. As per her wishes, her eyes were donated to the Eye Department of the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune (AFMC). Two blind persons have since got eye-sight. Additionally, my mother had willed that her body be given to AFMC for study and training purposes. Her wishes were duly complied with. 

    

Eye donation is the noblest of all causes. To gift sight to two blind persons is by far the most virtuous act a human being can undertake; that too without any discomfort, sacrifice or cost. Additionally, our eyes can live to see the world even after our death. Why should we burn the eyes of our loved ones when they can be used to impart vision to someone in need? 

For body donation, pledges are of little use unless honored by the family members. Donors must convince and prepare the family members accordingly. Body donation is the ultimate service to the humanity. An inscription on a grave dedicated to body-donors reads – ‘Even in death do we serve life’. 

We the veterans belong to the most progressive segment of the society. It is for us to take up the mantle of ushering in a social revolution in the country. Let us lead by example. Let every veteran pledge his eyes and body for donation. Let us convince our family members to honour our wishes after our death. 

Let no blind person remain deprived of seeing nature’s beauty. Let us, the blessed ones, not be so self-absorbed that we prefer to burn our eyes rather than gift vision to the needy. A true soldier can never be that selfish. *****

WHEN A SOLDIER CRIES

WHEN A SOLDIER CRIES

(http://www.indiandefencereview.com/spotlights/when-a-soldier-cries/)

Major General Mrinal Suman

The profession of arms is all about management of violence, destruction and death. As it is not easy to muster courage and nerve to kill other human beings, soldiers are trained to acquire a streak of raw ruthlessness and brutality. Consequently, according to common perception, soldiers are supposed to be cold-hearted and unsentimental fighters, totally impervious to emotional weaknesses. It is just not ‘soldierly’ to cry and shed tears like other mortals.

But then as Voltaire said, “Tears are the silent language of grief”. Grief is a fundamental sentiment and spares no one. However, soldiers do not grieve through wailing, howling, weeping and even sobbing. Their grief finds expression not through tears but through their silent anguish. Here are five triggers that overwhelm soldiers’ hearts and make them cringe with pain. 

When he loses in battle

Soldiering is not a profession. It is a commitment that every soldier undertakes with missionary zeal to defend his country. It is a matter of honour for a soldier to fight and win, whatever be the challenges and cost. It is a trait that becomes an inalienable part of every soldier’s character and provides motivational sustenance. Soldiers see themselves as the sole guardians of national security.

Memories of reverses suffered during the Chinese aggression of 1962 still cause immense pain. Despite the fact that ill-equipped and ill-clothed soldiers were not to blame for the failure, scars of retreat in the face of the Chinese onslaught continue to haunt to date. Inability to dominate and crush forces inimical to national interests makes soldiers miserable. They become restless for an opportunity to redeem their lost honour. 

When he loses a mate

Self preservation is a strong natural instinct and subordination of personal interests to organisational interests is against normal human psyche. However, military life is all about camaraderie and group cohesion. Indian military’s shared commitment flows from cohesion developed through rigorous training, caring and emotional bonding. It is not uncommon to see soldiers risk their lives for their colleagues. Soldiers are neither reckless nor impulsive. Their inexplicable behavior is purely due to intense attachment and loyalty to their colleagues and the group.

The worst thing for a soldier is to lose a ‘buddy’. Poignant notes of the ‘Last Post’ send shivers down the toughest of soldiers’ backs. Tears shed in the memory of a fallen comrade are invariably accompanied by a sense of guilt and helplessness. Many tend to blame themselves for their failure to save their colleague’s life. This is the reasons why arms are reversed while bidding final farewell to a friend.

When his leaders let him down

Military as an institution sustains itself on the trust-loyalty equation existing between the leadership and the rank and file. Trust is the expectancy that the followers can rely on a leader’s immaculate personal conduct and professional competence. It flourishes on the credibility that a leader enjoys in his command. Soldiers willingly repose faith in a leader in the belief that he would remain incorruptible and morally upright.

When military leaders indulge in decadent activities, soldiers start wondering whether such leaders deserve their trust and confidence. They get disillusioned and feel let down by the leadership that they had trusted unquestioningly. They cry out in anguish as they find that their icons of morality are unworthy of their trust.

When countrymen fail to understand him

Soldiers’ dedication to duty, loyalty to the nation and willingness for the supreme sacrifice are driven less by material considerations and more by an overwhelming urge to earn love and respect of their countrymen. Therefore, they tend to be very sensitive to adverse publicity and feel betrayed when the national media ignores their contribution and highlights a few aberrations. Worse, Army’s prompt action against transgressing officers is never recognized.

Soldiers do not question subjecting the military to public scrutiny. However, they want it to be done in an objective and balanced manner. Soldiers doing duty in remote and uncongenial areas feel terribly pained when a few acts of misdemeanor and indiscretion are cited to paint a negative picture of the services as a whole. They wonder if the countrymen understand their trials and tribulations. They cry for the nation’s empathy and recognition.

When the government shows apathy

A supportive government’s compassion acts as a major motivator for the soldiers. It is not a question of financial remunerations alone. It is the way a government treats and values its soldiers that matter. The Government has singularly failed to appreciate the intensity of sense of hurt of the soldiers at their continued neglect. Frequent degradation of their status through manipulated pay commission awards has made them skeptical about government’s intent. 

In the recent past, India was witness to the most unfortunate sight of numerous military veterans returning their medals to the President to register their protest against Government’s indifference to their pleas. This episode will certainly go down as a dark chapter in the history of Independent India.

When the government expresses its inability to spare a small piece of suitable land for a war memorial in the capital to honour independent India’s martyrs, it hurts every soldier. They consider it to be an affront to the memory of those who made the supreme sacrifice. The government’s negative attitude and neglect of their genuine grievances leaves the soldiers a disillusioned lot with no one to provide solace.  

Finally

Military is a social organization, albeit highly structured and disciplined. It consists of living human beings with their normal share of sentiments and idiosyncrasies. Soldiers also emote and go through phases of elation and sorrow. It is just that they are trained to keep their emotions under control lest it affects their performance in crisis situations. Their anguish remains muted due to their strong sense of loyalty to the country and to uphold military honour. For that reason, soldiers need to be handled with sensitivity and empathy.*****

Of Matters Military: We, the Veterans

Of Matters Military: We, the Veterans

Major General Mrinal Suman

We, the ex-servicemen are a distinct segment of the society and we take pride in the fact that we belong to the noblest profession in the world – the profession of arms that ensures security of our country. Some of us prefer to call ourselves veterans or senior-soldiers or retired-servicemen. However, nomenclature and taxonomy are irrelevant. What really matters are issues related to our identity, entity and conduct.   

On the eve of the Republic Day 2012, an interactive session was organised by Headquarters Southern Command wherein veterans of the three services were invited. It was an unprecedented initiative to establish rapport with veterans, apprise them of various developments and obtain their inputs. After a highly informative talk by the Army Commander, senior staff officers briefed the gathering. Disappointingly, the interactive session took the shape of a unit Sainik Sammelan. Veterans took it as an opportunity to vent their grievances about the inadequacies of various welfare schemes, especially ECHS. It was sad to see that such a distinguished galaxy had nothing to contribute towards the general betterment of the services. They were concerned only with their own interests. 

For decades, a Command Headquarters has been inviting all veterans and their wives once a year for dinner to maintain rapport with them. It is a big affair with the strength of guests invariably exceeding 2000. A few years ago, an Army Commander directed that the dinner be replaced by a high-tea in the evening to save veterans the trouble of driving back late at night. Invitations were sent accordingly. A total of 20 guests turned up for the party. A senior officer was heard remarking that veterans come only when pegs and legs (chicken) are offered to them.

All arms and services start celebrations of their raising days by paying homage to their martyrs by laying wreaths at the war memorials. Though invited, only a handful of veterans attend such solemn ceremonies whereas they are present in hundreds at evening social functions for drinks and dinner.

Visit any services welfare housing society and see the infighting, petty bickering and squabbles amongst the resident officers. All the sheen of their gentlemanly behaviour disappears the day they hang their uniforms. Some go to the extent of complaining against each other to municipal and state authorities on trivial matters, much to the embarrassment of the civic authorities who are reluctant to intervene. 

Petty jealousies make some veterans conduct themselves in an appalling manner. Their behaviour reveals a psyche of intolerance and unconcern for others. Strangely, many veterans seem to suffer from the syndrome – ‘I am unhappy because my neighbour is happy’.  

It is shameful to see some veterans indulging in parochial behaviour by forming religion/region based groupings. Apparently, the veneer of secular thinking and nationalist outlook that they displayed in service was only skin deep. Retirement exposes their true colours as communal and narrow-minded individuals. 

Many veterans do not find it necessary to bother about their appearance. They are quick to point out that they are no more under the Army Act. At the same time, they do not forget their rank and are quick to demand courtesies due to an army officer. Shabbily dressed and unshaven veterans bring a bad name to the services and project a poor image of the officer cadre amongst the civilian.

Many veterans find it difficult to forego service privileges. Unabashedly, they hang on to their helpers (Sahayaks) for years together by pressurising the officers who had served under them. They brazenly invoke regimental spirit for selfish gains. Such blatant misuse of soldiers is an obnoxious sight that does immense damage to the standing of the services.

Even a casual glance at email exchanges amongst members of various veterans’ associations will show that the veterans are obsessed with their self-interest issues. It is OROP, ACHS, canteen facilities and so on. Not a single issue of concern to the health of the services is ever discussed. 

A highly dedicated and spirited veteran made valiant efforts to create a platform for the veterans to engage in intelligent and informed debate on matters of concern to the health of the military. The response was pathetic. Veterans have countless complaints and suggestions as regards their own welfare but show total apathy towards the welfare of the services.  

Leaving aside a handful of veterans who take pains to study, raise and debate serious issues, most believe in boasting of our past escapades and exploits during social interactions. They are terribly reluctant to put their experiences down in writing for the benefit of posterity. The common excuse is shortage of time and inability to get into the ‘correct mood’. 

The Way Forward

It is a mystery as to why retirement negates all the gentlemanly traits imbibed during long military service, causing a major change in attitude, behaviour and conduct.

Most veterans feel that having rendered long service they owe nothing more to the armed forces and that it is now for the armed forces to reciprocate by looking after them.  There may be some justification for such an expectation but it cannot become a one-way traffic. 

It should never be forgotten that veterans are an inalienable part of the history of their respective arm/service/regiment. They act as conscience-keepers of their units. Serving troops look up to them for inspiration. Nothing should be done to breach their faith.  

   

Respect cannot be demanded. It has to be earned. If veterans want to be treated with due deference by the society at large, they must behave like gentlemen-officers. Alternatively, they should live in anonymity without disclosing their military rank and be treated accordingly. 

Public has little contact with the serving soldiers who are mostly deployed on the borders. They form their impression and opinion about the services after watching the conduct of veterans and judging their value-system. In other words, veterans act as ambassadors of  the services. Therefore, their conduct has to be above board and worthy of military officers. 

In the ancient scripture Sukraniti, the relation of the military to the state has been compared with that of the mind of the man. And, we the veterans represent the military. As we never tire ourselves of declaring ‘once a soldier always a soldier’, we cannot let the services down.*****