Saturday, February 16, 2008

Assam to recruit ESM

Guwahati
The law and order situation in the North Cachar Hills District has become a matter of serious concern with frequent militant strikes severely affecting major development projects and the State Government has decided to take the services of ex-servicemen to provide security to the persons working in the mega projects like the gauge conversion project of the Railways and the East West Corridor Project of the National Highway Authority.

Proposal
the Government has decided to appoint 500 ESM on contract for providing security to the Highway project and one thousand for providing security cover to those engaged in the Railway project. One police officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police would be put in charge of coordinating the activities of the ex-servicemen to be appointed as Special Police Officers (SPO). The SPOs would be provided with sophisticated weapons and the Government has already procured weapons for them. The ex-servicemen to be selected for appointment as SPOs would be given training with the police battalions before being pressed into service, sources added. Concerned with the delay in implementation of the mega projects, the Government of India has also deployed two companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for security of the persons engaged in the Railway Project and two more for the Highway Project.

Army Role
Army personnel belonging to the 4 Corps are deployed all over the State for the counter insurgency operations and the GOC of the 4 Corps is a part of the Unified Command structure. But Army personnel from the 3 Corps based in Dimapur have been posted in the NC Hills district, which has resulted in some operational problems. The Government of Assam has already requested the Centre to bring the NC Hills under the 4 Corps of the Army.

Comment
The need for speedy completion of Infrastructure mega projects in the NE Regions cannot be over emphasised. The law and order situation has to be normalised to ensure safety of all personnel involved in various projects being implemented. Scheme to succeed the ESM need to be adequately equipped and compensated to make a dent on the overall security of the region.
Webpage Assam to recruit ESM

All India ESM Population

ESM Population 1997
A total of 13,95,819 ex-Servicemen and 2,56,382 widows of the Service personnel were registered with various Zila Sainik Boards in the country in June, 1997. The ex-Servicemen population is mainly concentrated in the States of Uttar Pradesh (2,45,195), Punjab (1,78,932), Haryana (1,38,898), Maharashtra (1,20,614), Kerala (1,18,967), Tamil Nadu (96,870), Rajasthan (89,666) and Himachal Pradesh (73,163).
Webpage Armed Forces

ESM Population 2005
State wise population of ESM in the country as on 30 Jun 2005.
Punjab 2,55,952, Uttar Pradesh 2,27,245, Haryana 2,03,673 Maharashtra 1,60,587, Rajasthan 1,32,312, Tamil Nadu 1,16,483, Uttaranchal 1,16,306, Kerala 1,46,259, Himachal Pradesh 92,871, Andhra Pradesh 68,028, J&K 62,222, Karnataka 58798, Bihar 62,056, West Bengal 53,240, Delhi 34,343, Madhya Pradesh 34,260, Assam 26,755, Orissa 23,593, Gujarat 18660, Jharkhand 16,711, Chandigarh 7700, Mizoram 4,424, Manipur 5,435, Chhatisgarh 4,103, Nagaland 2,374, Meghalaya 2,079, Tripura 2001, Goa 1,877, Pondicherry 1,431, Sikkim 1,153, A & Nicobar Islands 597, Arunachal Pradesh 28. Total population registered 19,43,812.
Webpage Parliament Question 2005

Comments
Statistical data on most of the Armed Forces webpages are obviously not updated. Correct ESM statistics are vital for planning and execution of Welfare Projects, to benefit our Jawans (PBOR) who comprise 95 percent of the Armed Forces. What is the total number of ESM as registered in Zilla Boards as on date? Can we plan ahead without basic inputs?

Friday, February 15, 2008

Corps of Signals Anniversary, 15 February 2008

On the Occasion of ninety seventh Corps of Signals Anniversary, we the veteran fraternity, congratulates The Corps of Signals on its operational achievements in the Sub Continent. Today's success is based on the strong foundations laid by each generation of serving signal personnel.
For skill, courage, speed and communications count on the Corps of Signals.
Well done, Keep the spirit going.
We wish all personnel of Corps of Signals a Happy Corps Day.
Teevra Chaukas.

Report My Signal Team

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Lessons from the Indian Army

Economic Times, published this lovely article about the Indian Army and there are a lot of lessons that corporate executives can pick-up from their best management practices. Therefore, employing an Ex Servicemen one has tapped a trained resource pool, that can make an impact in the corporate world.

Winner Every Time
The army believes in the doctrine of the “Warrior and a Winner”. In the battlefield, the “Winner Takes it All” and there’s no space for the second-best. Leaders instill the courage to swim against the tide and take risks. Leaders need to possess ingenuity and creativity to improve operating processes and procedures.

Flexibility
The army believes that no plan survives the first engagement, howsoever brilliant it is. Changes have to be incorporated after the enemy faces the first offensive and counters it. It’s important to be dynamic and flexible in decision-making.

Pay Packet
The army believes that money can’t bind an individual to an organization. The ethos, work culture and scope to achieve satisfaction are more important.

Command
The army follows the “directive style of command” where junior leaders don’t have to look over their shoulders at every stage of the battle. Flexibility and individual empowerment are important and bureaucracy does not work in the battlefield.

Motivation
The army doesn’t quantify productivity on monetary considerations. Esprit de corps, camaraderie, regimental pride, are some of the key motivators.

Intake
The army recruits through Screening Boards and Services selection Boards, the best and fittest are enrolled or commissioned. Many officers leave the Army mid-way as promotional chances are tunneled through a pyramid barrier. None the less the best are chosen for the Higher Command. Jawans mostly retire after an average stint of about 20 years.

Decision Making
In the battlefield, speed and boldness is more important than perfection. Indecisiveness can be a fatal flaw. An average decision taken on time can carry the day while a brilliant decision that came late can result in defeat.

Knowledge upgrade
The army believes sending its officers back to school to keep them updated. A high flying officer goes to top notch defence colleges every two to three years.

Know the way
Army leaders follow the dictum, “Know the way, show the way and go the way”

Monday, February 11, 2008

Strengthening Ethics and Values

Measure of success
Our lives are filled with everyday questions of fact and factors contributing to our career success. Success can be attributed to our measure of comfort zone we wish to live in. Therefore, success depends on our upbringing, education, acquiring skills , hard work, determination or just our good luck. Well truly it is our overdrive to maintain the steam of life under full pressure. Success in life is integration of many factors, which is generally gauged in one's financial ability or his overall material assets.

Human values
However, the fundamental questions of our lives is neither question of fact nor career graph nor financial strength. The fundamental issues of life are those questions which affect every aspect of our life. What is that gives genuine meaning to human values? What things are really worth striving for? What is that makes life worth living for? Are there values that transcend cultural differences or nationalities? Can we have ethical values that can imbibe a more humane society defraught of hate and violence? Can we accommodate and integrate values which are time honoured, rational and behoving our traditions?

Do we have a choice?
Where does one find strength? Can we take comfort and follow our heroes and leaders? If humans operate in terms of deterministic laws, does one have a real choice or we just move with the general flow?

National security
To defend the nation, the Jawans of our Armed Forces embellish and cherish the values of Honour, Patriotism and Supreme Sacrifice. This value system comes automatically and no one instills these values. The soldiers look to the leader- Commanding Officers, and the Leaders in turn lead men to battle field victories. One shudders to think of the results when the Jawans value system gets eroded or ripped. The Jawans welfare is of paramount importance. His career and financial strength will be the measure which will consolidate his inherent value system. Anyone tampering with the time honoured and fine tuned value systems of the Armed Forces will be causing an irreversible damage to the well balanced and cohesive force. Welfare of our Jawans, therefore, must be the prime concern and priority of the Nation at large. In the same manner welfare of Ex Servicemen is as important, if his instilled value system is to be preserved and services utilised for the Nation Building.

Perception
Questions of Value is of course for everyone, who has felt the urge to address it in real terms or who wants to fine tune one's ability to perceive how deeper questions of ethics and values apply to the choices that make up one's life.

Daring Display of skills by Information Warriors

To mark the 97th anniversary of the Corps of Signals, the “Information Warriors” of the Indian Army, presented a colourful daring display of martial arts (Taekwondo, Kalaripayattu), and motorcycle stunts and their latest communication equipment, here today.

Corps of Signals is responsible for planning, establishing and managing entire Information and Communication Technology (ICT) set up for the Indian Army. The ICT infrastructure apart from catering for the communication requirements for conventional operations also provides communication support to our forces involved in Counter Insurgency operations, United Nation Missions and for emergency communications during natural calamities.

Under the able guidance of Lieutenant General S P Sree Kumar, Signal Officer-in-Chief, Corps of Signals has taken active measures for stabilizing, fine tuning and consolidating the architecture and performance of various communication networks fielded in the recent past. The process of consolidation is aimed at effectively providing secure, reliable, real time communications, round the clock by creating a pan Indian consolidated Army network of networks, which ensured that the aim of transforming Indian Army into a Network Centric Force in near future is fulfilled.

Successful implementations of Project Mercury Connect, an OFC project in rugged North Eastern Sector and Project Mobile Cellular Communication System (MCCS) for extending mobile services to our soldiers in Counter Insurgency Operations in Northern Sector are a few major steps taken by the Corps in achieving the aim.

The Corps of Signals with its responsibility to provide Cyber Security for the Indian Army has ensured Information assurance to the field formations with its trained personnel and resources to thwart any cyber threats. Electronic Warfare and Signal Intelligence units are force multipliers and valuable assets for all future wars. The Corps has also enhanced the technology savvy image of our Army internationally by establishing Computer Training Laboratories in friendly foreign countries.

Signals have always been at the forefront of sports and adventure activities. Sportsmen of the Corps have achieved distinction in Hockey, Wrestling, and Athletics at various national and international level competitions. Motorcycle display team of the Corps famously known as “Dare Devils” hold the distinction of having their feat mentioned in Guinness Book of World records. In the recently concluded 4th Military World Games conducted at Hyderabad and Mumbai the responsibility of Communication, Information Technology and Accreditation was entrusted to Corps of Signals and was executed to perfection.

Credit: PIB press release

Sunday, February 10, 2008

A tribute to Report My Signal

Report My Signal, the voice of command. Hear me.
I will defend my country in the face of any danger.
Nothing can deter me; I will get the job done, and I will win.
I believe in my training, my equipment, my signalmen and my leaders.
I depend on them, and they depend on me.
I am Report My Signal. Hear me.

I am the nerve system of the Armed Forces.
I connect companies, brigades,corps, comn zones and entire commands,
I speak from forward bunkers and from the seat of centre at Raisna Hill.
Through me, the commanders will is complied everywhere in India and beyond.
I am Report My Signal. Hear me.

I am proud of my heritage, of my achievements, and of the triumphs of my Corps.
I am honoured to walk in the hallowed footprints of those who served before me,
From Siachen, Leh, Imphal, Punjab, Bengal and to the deserts of Rajastan.
I send voice, data and video, digitally secure with great speed
I am Report My Signal. Hear me.

For many years, I have spoken freedom and my voice has never faltered.
This is the way it will always be, for I am Report My Signal and I will never fail the corps, the Army or my country.
I am ready, I am willing and I am strong,
I will shoot, move and communicate.
I will always get the message through.
I am Report My Signal. Hear me.

I am now, retired and a veteran, yet yearn to communicate,
The spirit "Report my Signal" endures and always resides in me,
I communicate, spread the message of yesteryears to colleagues far and near,
I share my knowledge through Report My Signal forums
I am delighted in this new found internet medium to be messenger,
I am Report My Signal. I am here. Hear me.

We thank Lt Gen Harbhajan Singh, PVSM and Brig CS Kamboj, VSM for Report My Signal forums.

Disclaimer

The contents posted on these Blogs are personal reflections of the Bloggers and do not reflect the views of the "Report My Signal- Blog" Team.
Neither the "Report my Signal -Blogs" nor the individual authors of any material on these Blogs accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused (including through negligence), which anyone may directly or indirectly suffer arising out of use of or reliance on information contained in or accessed through these Blogs.
This is not an official Blog site. This forum is run by team of ex- Corps of Signals, Indian Army, Veterans for social networking of Indian Defence Veterans. It is not affiliated to or officially recognized by the MoD or the AHQ, Director General of Signals or Government/ State.
The Report My Signal Forum will endeavor to edit/ delete any material which is considered offensive, undesirable and or impinging on national security. The Blog Team is very conscious of potentially questionable content. However, where a content is posted and between posting and removal from the blog in such cases, the act does not reflect either the condoning or endorsing of said material by the Team.
Blog Moderator: Lt Col James Kanagaraj (Retd)

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