Deletedid1 Posted February 28, 2011 Report Posted February 28, 2011 Occasionally, I venture back to visit my coursemates and friends in army cantonments, where I’m greeted by an imposing security guard who looks carefully at my identification card, hands it back and says, "Jai Hind Sahab".Every time I go back to some defence establishment, it feels good to be called by my previous rank, but odd to be in civilian clothes, walking among the servicemen and servicewomen going about their duties as I once did, a couple of years ago. The military is a comfort zone for anyone who has ever worn the uniform. It’s a sacred place where you know the rules and know they are enforced -- a place where everybody is busy but not too busy to take care of business, unlike the fast corporate world (pun intended). Because there exists behind the gates of every military facility an institutional understanding of respect, order, uniformity, secularism, accountability and dedication that becomes part of your marrow and never, ever leaves you. Personally, I miss the fact that you always knew where you stood in the military, and who you were dealing with. That’s because you could read somebody’s uniform from 20 feet away and know the score. Service personnel wear their careers on their sleeves, so to speak. When you approach each other, you can read their name tag, examine their rank and, if they are in uniform, read their ribbons and know where they’ve served. Such a connection can only be made in the Armed Forces. I miss all those little things you take for granted when you’re in service, like breaking starch on a set of fatigues fresh from the laundry and standing in a perfectly straight line military formation that looks like a mirror as it stretches to the endless horizon. I miss the sight of troops marching in the early morning mist, the sound of boot heels thumping in unison on the tarmac, the bark of horrifying drill ustaads, wearing a red sash around their shoulder. And the sing-song answers from the squads as they pass by in review. To romanticize military service is to be far removed from its reality, because it’s very serious business-especially in times of war. But I miss the salutes I’d throw at my senior officers and the crisp returns as we crisscrossed each other in uniform. And of course receiving the smart and chatak, "josh type" salutes from the men. I even miss the hurry-up-and-wait mentality that enlisted men gripe about constantly, a masterful invention that bonded people more than they’ll ever know or admit. I miss people taking off their hats when they enter a building, speaking directly and clearly to others and never showing disrespect for rank, race, religion or gender.Mostly I miss being a small cog in a machine so complex it constantly circumnavigates the earth and so simple it feeds everyone on time. Three times a day, on the ground, in the air or at sea. I can never get the same feeling as I got on 26th January 2008, while saluting the President of our country while leading the " Assam Rifles" marching contingent. I clearly recollect the feeling of goose bumps while citations were read out for Gallantry. The feeling, when a commendation card was put on my chest, which swelled with pride. I deeply miss everything about a fine organisation like the " Indian Armed Forces". I take pride in the fact that its only here, where at the raw age of 21, you command 100 men, much older than you, who live and die by your word. This speaks great volumes of the responsibilities of an officer. I don’t know anyone who has served who regrets it, and doesn’t feel a sense of pride when they pass through those gates and re-enter the world they left behind with their youth. Since atleast if not now, they once were a part of the proud community of "a few good men". I feel proud to live up to the "Chet-wood Credo: The safety, honor and welfare of your country comes first always and every time. The honor, welfare and comfort of the men you command, comes next. Your own ease comfort and safety comes last always and every time". I miss seeing the golden words marked on a tomb stone in the Kohima war cemetry, during my deputation with the Assam Rifles saying: "When you go home, tell them of us and say for your tomorrow, we gave our today". To tell you the truth I think I definitely would have missed out on something great in life, had I not followed the foot steps of my father, Lt. Gen Z.U. Shah, PVSM, SM , VSM – former Deputy Chief of the Army Staff now imparting justice to defense personnel as a member of the Armed Forces Tribunal. And I take pride in keeping the proud martial tradition of my family alive. Doing 5 years in the army, made me a gentleman for life. And more so ever, of proving the fact that yes I had it in me, and would continue having it in me till the day I am buried. Once a soldier – always a soldier.I think it should be made compulsory for every citizen of our country to do a minimum three year stint in the army, as part of their education curriculum. It will only make better human beings out of them. What do you as readers say about that?
robo Posted February 28, 2011 Report Posted February 28, 2011 tadu peru adirindhi ^^" ^^" ^^" ^^" ^^"
kiraaaak Posted February 28, 2011 Report Posted February 28, 2011 *=: *=: *=: *=: *=: *=: you rock you rock you rock you rock you rock
Alfred pichikaaki Posted February 28, 2011 Report Posted February 28, 2011 *=: *=: *=: *=: you rock you rock
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