Steady decline of Military status will erode morale and combat effectiveness

Respected Sir/Madam,
The following report -- released by the United News of India news agency on December 17, 2010 -- is for your kind perusal.
With regards,
Abhi

Anti-India strategy part of Pak mindset: IESM Chairman
By Abhijit C Chandra
Bhopal, Dec 17 (UNI) An anti-India strategy is an indelible part of the Pakistani mindset and generations of that country's military officers and civilians alike have been raised with it, opines Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement Chairman Lieutenant-General (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, Param Vishisht Seva Medal, AVSM, VSM.
"At any point in the future, Pakistan will never stop short of exploiting any chink in the Indian armour to stage a Kargil-type offensive," the veteran told UNI on the sidelines of yesterday's celebrations commemorating Vijay Diwas, the anniversary of the 1971 Bangladesh War.
Regretting the lack of enthusiasm among youngsters to enlist in the Indian Armed Forces, Lt-Gen Kadyan pointed out that society is becoming increasingly consumerist.
"At the juncture when I joined the Army, opportunities were limited and chiefly comprised the engineering profession, the medical stream and the military. Today, the Government and the Armed Forces simply cannot match the private sector mainly in terms of financial returns," he explained.
Soldiers are being increasingly deployed in insurgency-affected areas but that is not the Army's 'primary' role -- defending the nation against external aggression.
"Earlier, the general public simply had no idea of the hardships of a military existence but now television journalists have given them more than a peek into what it takes to be an officer or even a jawan," the veteran said.
Limited avenues for promotion also form a key factor that keep youth away from the olive green uniform.
"Respect is what one can earn even in society by being an ideal citizen but status is something that the Government accords. Unfortunately, the status of the military hierarchy has been constantly declining. In 1947, the Chief of Army Staff was the third position in the country but has now been relegated to 12th place," he lamented.
The spectre of leading a life of separation from families and in isolation from the social mainstream also haunts those shying away from a military career.