Are Generals compromising quality of weapons, equipment and food supplies?

'Five-star culture of senior officers is bad for Army'
Saira Kurup, Nov 7, 2010, 05.01am IST

He was the first head of the UN peacekeeping force in the former Yugoslavia. That was 1992. Two years later, Lieutenant General Satish Nambiar, 74, retired as deputy Chief of Army Staff. But this highly decorated officer still remains intensely engaged with military affairs. He talked Army pride, probity and the disturbing rise of a "five-star culture" with Saira Kurup. Excerpts:

As a distinguished retired officer of the Indian Army, how do you react to the alleged involvement of top serving and retired Army officers in the Adarsh building scam?
Without being unfair to the people concerned or to the establishment that I had the great privilege of serving for many years, I must say that it is an issue that causes all of us a great deal of anguish. One accepts that moral values have taken a beating in society in general. But it is disturbing to find that this degeneration has found its way into the armed forces too. Particularly because the armed forces are a unique institution in many ways; in which, quite often as leaders in battle, we ask of our subordinates the ultimate sacrifice in terms of their lives. Hence their trust and faith in us is something you cannot quantify or compromise. While on the one hand, young officers and men of the Indian Army have literally sacrificed their lives in ensuring the security of the country, on the other hand, we have sections of the senior leadership indulging in actions that bring shame on the organization.

Your son is a lieutenant-colonel. Might this scam affect the morale of relatively young officers like him?
The morale of the young officers and the men is not so easily affected because there is a great deal of resilience in the armed forces as an institution. But that is not to suggest there is no impact. Unfortunately in recent years there is already a disturbing five-star culture among the senior officers to which they have already been exposed and to that extent, I presume they are not too surprised. My advice to the current leadership in the armed forces would be to refocus on and promote the basic character qualities of integrity, loyalty to subordinates and courage. Moral values that sustain you in battle. This issue assumes wider ramifications when we hear of senior leaders falling prey to compromises on the quality of weapons, equipment and food supplies for the men in the Army.

Read more: 'Five-star culture of senior officers is bad for Army' - The Times of India Click here

Soldiers ate expiry dated food- Sliding Standards of ASC

Two soldiers preparing their food.
The Comptroller and Auditor general (CAG) has exposed a rampant scam in the rationing management of the Indian Army. According to CAG, soldiers consume rice, atta, tea, sugar, dal, oil etc 6 to 28 months after the expiry date of ESL (Estimated Storage Life). The main villains behind the scams are Army Service Corps and Army Purchase Organisation, reported CAG officials. They also suggested that the Army HQ and Ministry of Defence need to act together to supply good quality rations to the soldiers.
Big scam in Indian Army- soldiers ate expiry dated food!

Rakhsa Mantri's response
A week after government auditors exposed Army supplying stale food to jawans, Union Defence Minister A K Antony on Saturday gave an assurance that efforts were in progress to improve quality of rations given to them.

In his message to the armed forces personnel on the eve of 64th Independence Day broadcast over radio, Antony said necessary provisions had also been made for supplying special rations for jawans deployed in counter-insurgency operations and high-altitude areas.

"The government has taken several welfare measures for the defence personnel. We are making efforts to improve the quality of atta, rice, vegetables, tea, pulses and other items. Similarly, we have made a provision for special rations to troops deployed in counter-insurgency operations. Special rations have also been authorised for additional troops serving in high-altitude areas above 12,000 feet," he said in his address.

The Comptroller and Auditor General had in its report last week slammed the defence ministry for supplying rotting food items that were unfit for human consumption to jawans, particularly those in Jammu and Kashmir and North East.
After CAG rap, Antony promises quality rations to jawans- August 14, 2010 20:56 IST

Citizens Voice
It is his duty.
by skumar rudr on Aug 15, 2010 03:48 PM
Dear Anthony sir,
Let us remind you that it is your duty as a minister to provide good quality food. You sound as if you are making a favour by promising quality rations. I think the same ration which was supplied to the armed forces should be provided to your and your corrupt ministers. Mr Prime minister, it is a shame on your government that several scandals like Telecom, Common wealth games etc have emerged and you congratulate yourself for being the third longest serving prime minister.

Army Headquarters Transport Company celebrates 67th Raising Day

Friday, June 05, 2009 14:51 IST

The Army Headquarters Transport Company of the Army Service Corps celebrated the 67th Raising Day with great zeal and enthusiasm in the unit, today here. The celebrations commenced with Special Sainik Sammelan in the unit. While presiding over the Special Sainik Sammelan, Col Mukaesh Chadha, Commanding Officer Transport Company commended his men including the civilians for their dedication to duty. He applauded the way all men had worked with great perseverance in keeping with the high traditions of their Corps motto “Seva Ashmakam Dharm”. He also expressed confidence that they would continue to strive hard to achieve higher levels of excellence. The Commanding Officer presented excellence awards to the outstanding performers and the sammelan culminated with ASC Corps song. A barakhana was organized at Arvind Stadium where unit personnel along with their families were present. A variety entertainment programme was also organized.

Since its inception on Jun 05, 1942, the Army Headquarters Transport Company ASC has welded itself into a fine and efficient organization. The unit played a vital role in evacuation of refugees during partition and is popularly known as “The Company that Never Sleeps”. Army Headquarters Transport Company ASC is engaged in providing transport support to IHQ of MoD (Army), ISO and MoD and is amongst the first that has been certified to the highest level of management standard ISO-9001:2000 and the only unit which received Hon’ble Raksha Mantri Trophy in Dec 2008.
Veerendra/Rajendra
Army Headquarters Transport Company celebrates 67th Raising Day

Comment:
The Transportation & Logistics sector of Indian Army comprises a wide range of service providers, covering all modes of transport – air, road, rail, sea – as well as related services such as warehousing, handling, stevedoring, and finally services like packaging, labelling, distribution etc. In addition to these 'physical' services, T&L includes all sorts of planning, organisational and management services in the area of transportation and logistics of Ammunition and POL. It is in this field that ASC can modernise and with innovative and cost reducing technologies. There is a greater need to reduce corruption while entering into contracts with Civilian and Politically connected big wigs who are forever trying to cheat the Armed Forces of quality products which the Soldiers truly deserve. Modernisation and elimination of corruption can save the National exchequer of hundreds of crores of Rupees annually.

Indian Army Sexual Harassment

Chandigarh July 15, 2008
A captain in the Indian Army Tuesday alleged that she was being sexually harassed by three senior officers and was being illegally confined in her unit in Haryana's Kalka town near here. However, the army authorities said she had a history of "mental weakness" and was not under house arrest.

Captain Poonam Kaur, who is serving in an army supply and transport unit located at Kalka, alleged that she was being sexually harassed by her commanding officer Col RK Sharma, his second-in-command Lt Col Ajay Chawla and Major Suraj Bhan.

Army officer says she was tortured
Army officer alleges sexual harassment, authorities deny charge
Sexual harassment rampant in Army
Credentials of Army Supply Corps Video

Question: How an Officer of history of "Mental Weakness" has been commissioned into the Armed Forces? Does mental weakness constitute mental illness? Does history mean one or two years or decades? Have the selection standards been so adversely diluted? Or is the Mental Illness/ weakness attributable to Service conditions. If so the mute question is what compensation she be paid for her honourable discharge, now that Officer's whole life has been ruined due to Mental Illness and Scandal. Why is this news hitting the national Headlines tarnishing the image of the Armed Forces? The IAS Officers are not too far behind, read: Harassment charge against IAS officer