NDA: Declining Contribution of Sainik Schools

Sainik schools decline in discipline and contribution to forces
The Tribune Chandigarh, September 30, 2012 by Vijay Mohan.
Set up to serve as feeder institutes to the National Defence Academy (NDA), Sainik Schools are now under the scanner for more than one reason. A general decline in the percentage of its students joining the NDA, increasing dropout rate and a sudden spurt in disciplinary and ragging cases are among the issues that have brought these institutes into focus.
The contribution of Sainik Schools towards the intake into the NDA has gone down from 30.75 per cent in 2008 to 25.18 per cent in 2011. According to figures listed in the report of the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Defence released last month, these figures were 29.23 per cent in 2009 and 26.17 per cent in 2010.
While there has been a consistent improvement in the schools’ academic performance, a comparative analysis also revealed that on an average, only about 20 per cent of Sainik School students join the NDA whereas in the case of the Rashtriya Indian Military College – which has a similar charter to that of Sainik Schools – the figure was 76 per cent.
One reason for the low intake from Sainik Schools put forward by the Defence Ministry is that students leave the school after their class XII examinations. As they are not under the supervision of the schools, they could have less inclination to write the NDA entrance exam or to appear for the selection interview. Candidates need to pass class XII to join the NDA.
Conceived in 1961 and managed by the Sainik Schools Society, whose board of governors is chaired by the Minister of Defence, the objective of Sainik Schools is to motivate and prepare students to join the armed forces as officers by focusing on moulding and developing their overall personality.
There are 24 Sainik Schools located in 21 states across the country and they are funded jointly by the central and respective state governments. Funding is another issue plaguing these schools with many state governments failing to give due budgetary support.
The dropout rate of students in these schools – having a strength of over 12,000 – has also been fluctuating, moving from 885 in 2008-09 to 843 in 2009-10 and 1,009 in 2010-11. The biggest chunk of dropouts is due to parental requests, which has witnessed a consistent increase, with the figures being 544, 564 and 689 for the aforementioned three sessions.
More significantly, the number of dropouts on grounds of indiscipline saw a spurt from seven and six cases to 60 cases for these sessions. In the past three years, 13 students were expelled and 15 were suspended for ragging. -via The Tribune
Sainik schools decline in discipline and contribution to forces

Pension enhancement to beat inflation: OROP made POOR

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2012
Cabinet approval granted to pensionary part of the report of the Committee of Secretaries
The cabinet has today approved the pensionary part of the PM appointed Committee of Secretaries.
What has been accepted and promulgated is the same as was placed on this blog on 09 August 2012. Click here.
An official press release can also be accessed by clicking here.

Service pension for various ranks shall now be the following:
For Junior Commissioned Officers and Other Ranks (JCOs/OR). Add two years in the existing tables which can be accessed by clicking here. For example, to get to know the basic pension now admissible at 15 years, the amount reflected at 17 years will be reckoned now.

For Officers: The admissible basic pension for pre-2006 retirees shall be as below:
Lieut: Rs 13,500
Capt: Rs 15,350
Maj : Rs 18,205
Lt Col: Rs 26,265
Col: Rs 27,795
Brig: Rs 29,145
Maj Gen: Rs 30,350
Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh at 9:50 PM
Click here for Maj Navdeep's Original Post
Related Tribune News
Govt moves closer to one rank, one pension; clears Rs 2,300-cr package

Enhancement of Pension for all Pre 2006 Military Personnel

PIB 25 Sep 2012
Rs.2300 crore approved to meet the demands of Ex-servicemen pensioners
The Union Cabinet has approved the recommendations of the Committee headed by Cabinet Secretary for benefits to ex-servicemen on four issues. The financial implications of the improvements made as per the Cabinet decision on the four items are broadly estimated at Rs.2300 crore per annum. The details are as follows:
I. One Rank One Pension: On One Rank One Pension, the demand of the Defence Forces and Ex-Servicemen Associations is that uniform pension be paid to the Defence Forces personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service irrespective of their date of retirement and any future enhancement in the rates of pension be automatically passed on to the past pensioners.
The difference in the pension of present and past pensioners in the same rank occurs on account of the number of increments earned by the defence personnel in that rank. There is also a difference between the pension of pre 1.1.06 and post 1.1.06 retirees belonging to a particular rank. The UPA Government on two previous occasions has taken decisions to narrow the gap between the present and past pensioners, particularly those belonging to the ranks of JCOs and Other Ranks.
On the issue of One Rank One Pension, the following have been approved by the Cabinet:

Bridging of the gap in the pension of pre 1.1.06 and post 1.1.06 JCO/OR retirees by determining the pension of pre 1.1.06 retirees on the basis of notional maximum for ranks and groups across the three Services as in the case of post 1.1.06 retirees. In addition, the weightage of qualifying service in the ranks of Sepoys, Naik and Havaldar would be increased by two years for both pre and post 1.1.06 retirees.

The pension of pre 1.1.06 Commissioned Officer pensioners would be stepped up with reference to the minimum of fitment table for the ranks instead of the minimum of pay band. These are expected to largely meet the demands of the defence pensioners on one rank one pension.
II. Enhancement of Family Pension:

The pension of pre - 1.1.2006 family pensioners(Commissioned Officers, Honorary Commissioned Officers, JCOs/ORs ) be stepped up based on the minimum of the fitment table instead of the minimum of the Pay Band;

Establishing linkage of the family pension with the pension of JCOs/ORs, in those cases where the death takes place after the retirement of the JCO/OR since such a JCO/OR drew a pension based on the maximum of the pay scales, 60% of the pension applicable to JCO/OR pensioners would be granted to the family pensioner in case of normal family pension calculated a 30% of last pay drawn. Accordingly, based on the rank, group and length of service of the deceased JCO/OR pensioner, his pension would first be determined on notional basis. In cases where death of JCO/OR took place after retirement, the family pensioners in receipt of normal family pension would become entitled to 60% of the said pension determined on notional basis and those in receipt of enhanced family pension will be entitled to 100% of this pension. Similar entitlements would be determined in the case of Special Family Pension; and

The family pensioner of the JCO/OR would be granted pension arrived at on the basis of the family pension worked out as per the formulation indicated above or the pension on the basis of stepping up with reference to the minimum of the fitment table, whichever is beneficial. Further, the linkage of family pension with retiring pension be applied in the case of post 1.1.2006 family pensioners of JCOs/ORs also.
III. Dual Family Pension:
Dual family pension would be allowed in the present and future cases where the pensioner drew, is drawing or may draw pension for military service as well as for civil employment.
IV. Family pension to mentally / physically challenged children of armed forces personnel on marriage:
Grant of family pension to mentally/physically challenged children who drew, are drawing or may draw family pension would continue even after their marriage. The above recommendations made by the Committee on pension issues of Ex-Servicemen may be implemented from a prospective date and payment made accordingly.*** SH/SKS
Rs.2300 crore approved to meet the demands of Ex-servicemen pensioners

Pathribal Fake Encounter: GCM starts against 5 officers

Pathribal Fake Encounter: Court martial starts against 5 officers 22/09/2012
The Army has commenced General Court Martial (GCM) proceedings at Nagrota-based 16 Corps headquarters against its five officers allegedly involved in the Pathribal fake encounter killing of five innocent men in Anantnag district of Kashmir more than 12 years ago.
“On Sept 20, the Army initiated disciplinary proceedings against the accused Army Officers in the alleged Pathribal fake encounter case”, an Army officer said.
Consequent to the Supreme Court’s Order, the Army had taken over the case from Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar, and thereafter attached these officers to its Nagrota-based 16 Corps, he said.
Lt Gen A S Nandal, GOC 16 Corps in the capacity of Commanding Officer, heard the charges preferred by CBI against these officers and directed summary of evidence to be recorded against them, officer said.
Lt Gen Nandal heard the evidence led by Ashok Kalra, the CBI Inspector who had investigated the case, he said adding he also produced the document filed by CBI before a CBI court.
“All witnesses examined by CBI during its investigation will now be summoned to appear before the officer recording summary of evidence. After the summary of evidence is recorded, the final charge-sheet will be prepared for the next stage of proceedings”, he said.
On the aspect of change of location of the Court Martial proceedings, the Army spokesperson stated that GOC 15 Corps had contested the case on behalf of the accused persons right up to the Supreme Court and therefore, it was just and proper as also fair to the victims’ families that the disciplinary proceedings be conducted by another commander.
In the fag end of June month this year, the Army decided to try in GCM its five officers allegedly involved in the Pathribal fake encounter in March, 2000.
The Army moved an application before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar, the designated CBI court, seeking transfer of the case to the GCM.
The CJM directed transferring the records including the charge sheet and other material evidence to the GCM through the Army’s authorised officer.
The Army’s decision came after the Supreme Court on May 1 gave eight weeks’ time to it to decide whether the accused officers will be tried in the GCM or face a trial in the civilian court.
Brig Ajay Saxena, Lt Col Brajendra Pratap Singh, Maj Sourabh Sharma, Maj Amit Saxena and Subedar Idrees Khan were chargesheeted by the CBI in 2006 for killing five civilians and later dubbing them as foreign militants.
As per the CBI investigation, the five civilians were killed and branded as militants days after 35 Sikhs were massacred in the nearby Chattisingpora village.
The CBI had filed the charge sheet against the accused officers in 2006 but the Army contested maintainability of the charge sheet claiming that prior sanction from the Centre was required under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, which provides immunity against prosecution to Army personnel deployed in disturbed areas.
The Army’s plea was rejected by all courts, including the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, till the Apex Court partly agreed with it saying prior sanction was required for prosecution.
Pathribal Fake Encounter: Court martial starts against 5 officers
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China is not an enemy, just a competitor: Lt Gen Bikram Singh

Ref: China is not an enemy, just a competitor
Mahavir (udaipur)
China is not an enemy, just a competitor: Lt Gen Bikram Singh
First COAS who has not participated in any war. He ought to have read post independence India's military history. It is never too late for COAS to study 'Himalayan Blunder' , before blundering to speak in public about China. It is a different ball game in a command HQ and all together a different one, in South Block. Gen Bikram Singh, will serve nation well, if he can follow foot steps of SAM BAHADUR, whose sacred office is now for him to occupy (already occupied) and bring home more glory. Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat follies of past. Saving grace is that, committed Indians know fully well that war is too serious, to be left to Generals alone. Last Sikh Li officer in COAS chair had fully grasped (hard way, as Brig,) the tact to use veteran Regiments to turn tide and rise high. Call upon deeds of past warriers, from chapters of history, to tread uncertain path of future.
China is not an enemy
Comment: Perfect political statement to please PMO and MEA. Ghosh... Let us vacate Himalaya's and start trading in earnest. Indian Army should source all weapons from China as it is cheap reliable and it works (save Billions of $)... no kickbacks and bribes (remember Chinese shoot the corrupt first and then discuss the case in the court of law). Already Indian Traders are buying Chinese Goods and palming it off to Indian Ordnance as India Made... Now let us make it Official. For a start some traders already are facing heat for corruption in China.

Panel Discussion on Gen VK Singh's Tenure

The link for the Panel Discussion on 30 May, 2012 is under:
Is Gen VK Singh a Crusader? Click here for the Video
If you have the time and have not seen it, do see and listen.
Comment
Gen Vijay Oberoi and Brig V Mahalingham tried to put up the Military in the right perspective. Whereas Gen Raj Kadyan and Shankar Prasad tried to beat about the bush and overly tried to please the Panel Anchor and the Directors of NDTV- who are dependent on arms lobbyists to pump in a lot of money to the media by way of ads and sponsorships.
Must read articles by Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi New Chief Takes Over: Click here

Quotas for ex-servicemen in jobs will be ensured

Quotas for ex-servicemen in jobs will be ensured, Gupta tells Sainik body
Tuesday, 07 February 2012 00:12 Staff Reporter | Bhopal
State Home Minister Uma Shankar Gupta chaired the 17th meeting of Rajya Sainik Board here on Monday.

The meeting discussed provision of 10 per cent and 20 per cent reservation to ex-servicemen in Class-III and Class-IV posts, respectively, and applying the carry-forward system in it, extension of reservation benefit to ex-servicemen vis-à-vis reserved post in police recruitment and making available vehicles on hire for the Beti Bachao Abhiyan and officers of the District Ex-Servicemen Welfare Board.

Uma Shankar Gupta said that implementation of provisions for reservation to ex-servicemen in general and police recruitments will be ensured. He said that a meeting of the senior officers of General Administration and Police Departments will be convened in connection with rules.

The Home Minister said that people join defence service for the security of countrymen under a missionary zeal. The entire country holds them in esteem. He said that an honourable place to ex-servicemen and their families will go a long way in inspiring youths to join these services.

The meeting also discussed making available on hire to 21 District Ex-servicemen Welfare Offices. Gupta said all possible assistance will be made available at the administrative level for running welfare programmes of ex-servicemen.

The meeting also discussed the phenomenon of less average of youths joining the army from Madhya Pradesh that other States. It also discussed a proposal to urge army, military and other educational institutions in the State to encourage students to join defence forces and imparting training to them accordingly.

Gupta instructed that the initiative of such training of youth should be taken by Ex-servicemen Welfare Department in coordination and consultation with the Education Department.

Those who attended the meeting included Commander Bhopal Sub-Area Suresh Gupta, Secretary Home Seema Sharma, Director Ex-servicemen Welfare Brigadier George Mathai, Joint Director Ex-Servicemen Welfare Col VK Chaubey and officers of General Administration, Police, Home departments etc.
click here: Quotas for ex-servicemen in jobs will be ensured
ESM Welfare

Ex Servicemen News: Rajasthan and Hyderabad

Raj floats ex-servicemen Corporation; expands state planning body
Jaipur | Wednesday, Jan 4 2012 IST
The Rajasthan Government will soon float State Ex-Servicemen Corporation (REXCO) Limited for the welfare and help of retired servicemen. The proposal for formation of the corporation was approved by the state cabinet at its meeting held here today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. The proposed corporation would be a Public Enterprise with the absolute ownership of the state government and it would work to help more than two lakh ex-servicemen of the state in providing employment on contract basis to them and/or their dependents and in their other post retirement life related matters. The cabinet also gave its nod to the proposal of expanding the eight-member state planning board for accommodating two more members. Now the board would have 10 members, an official spokesman said. UNI SS SY 2316
Raj floats ex-servicemen Corporation

Retired police personnels, ex servicemen to be recruited as SPO's in Hyderabad City Police
Hyderabad January 05/2012 (Hyderabad Deccan News)
The Hyderabad city police will recruit ex-servicemen, retired police personnel and ex-central para military force personnel as special police officers (SPO's) on temporary basis. The SPOs will be deployed till reqular recruitment of police personnel takes place.
Ex-servicemen upto (50) years of age with a pass in 7th class or any army equivalent qualification and physically fit can apply. Retired police personnel and CPMF personnel who have not retired earlier that 31-03-2010 and below 60 years of age and physically fit can apply. Applicant can attend the selections at the CAR. Headquarters, Petla Burj Hyderabad on 10-01-2012 by 10.00 hrs. Ex-servicemen who are interested to apply are requested to bring their original discharge book, Ex-servicemen Identity card, Education certificate and three passport size colour photographs. Retired police personnel and Ex-CPMF personnel are requested to bring their retired DO copy, service certificate and pension papers alongwith three passport size colour photographs. For further enquiry please contact 9490616300. CAR Headqarters Petla Burj, Hyderabad and Zila Sainik Welfare officers and Employment is only on contract basis and Rs.7500/- honorarium will be paid.
Retired police personnels, ex servicemen to be recruited as SPO's in Hyderabad City Police

Armed Forces Covenant Bill to help unemployed veterans

Published: Wednesday, Dec 7, 2011, 10:00 IST
By DNA Correspondent | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA
The Armed Forces Covenant Bill, 2011, will be introduced during the on-going winter session of Parliament to boost employment opportunities for our Armed Forces veterans.
The bill to be introduced by the Rajya Sabha MP, Rajeev Chandrashekar, comes in the backdrop of the US Senate recently passing a bill to help reduce veterans’ unemployment and grant tax incentives to companies who agree to hire them.
“The government should seriously consider passing alegislation similar to the US to boost employment opportunities for our Armed Forces veterans, “said Chandrashekar.
Recently, the US Senate had passed a bill through a unanimous vote. It will shortly be signed into law by President Barack Obama.
The provisions of the bill also include providing specialised job training and counselling to veterans leaving the service.
Chandrashekar has also written to defence minister AK Antony asking the government to seriously consider supporting the bill with suitable amendments
Read more: Armed Forces Covenant Bill to help unemployed veterans

50,000 Navy sailors to get faster promotions

Press Trust of India, Updated: June 05, 2011 21:07 IST
New Delhi: The government has approved an assured career progression scheme for over 50,000 sailors of the Navy, which will help them to get faster promotions and increased salaries.

"As per the recommendations made by the Sixth Pay Commission, the government has approved the ACP for sailors recruited under the non-metric entry and also carried out the review of their career profile. The move will benefit over 50,000 sailors," Navy officials said.

The scheme will also result in prolonging the service tenure of these soldiers who now retire after putting in 20 years of service.

"After the implementation of the scheme, the sailors will get promoted upto the rank of Petty Officer (equivalent to Sargent in Air Force and Havaldar in Army) and retire after 26 years of service," they said.

This will also help in increasing their grade pay from Rs. 2,400 to Rs. 2,800 and would also result in an enhanced pension after retirement, the officials said. The approval was accorded to the Navy by the Defence Ministry on May 19, they said.
50,000 Navy sailors to get faster promotions

Book on Army's achievements

Defence Minister A.K. Antony, along with Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshall P.V. Naik and other officers, at the Air Force Commanders Conference in New Delhi on Monday. Photo: S. Subramanium of The Hindu
Friday, Apr 29, 2011 Special Correspondent The Hindu
NEW DELHI: Chief of Army Staff General V.K. Singh has released a book “Footprints — On the Sands of Time; Indian Army's Unique Achievements,” at a ceremony during the ongoing Army Commanders Conference here.

The book, compiled by a team of officers at the office of Additional Directorate General of Public Information, comprises more than 200 entries, most of which are historic or unique in their own way and pertain to the military environment and ethos.

The Army Chief also presented medals for essay competition. Colonel Manish Bhave and Lieutenant Colonel B.S. Rai won gold medals in their respective categories — on subjects, “Future Shape, Size and Structure of the Indian Army” and “Man Management and Stress Management in LIC [Low Intensity Conflict] Situation.” respectively. Havildar Anand Prakash was awarded the top medal for his essay “Army as a Profession” in the Junior Commission Officers and Other Ranks group, a Defence Ministry release said.

Captain Rochak Tyagi, Major A.K. Mishra and Subedar Anant Ram bagged silver medals, followed by Lieutenant Colonel K. Ravichandran, Lieutenant Amit Semwal and Naib Subedar Puran Chandra who won bronze medals.
Book on Army's achievemnts
Related reading
Guard against corrupt practices, Antony tells Army, Air Force

Fauji Bicycle- words of wisdom

Fauji Bicycle- words of wisdom
You may have heard the story of the young officer 50 yrs ago, when he got a cycle loan and purchased one from the unit canteen.
The cycle was a beauty (the way mobikes/cars are today) but did not have a carrier at the back.
So he sent his orderly to get one fixed.
When the cycle came back with the carrier fitted, the Y.O. noted that the stand was missing.
He went to the CSD authorised cycle dealer and asked him why the stand had been removed.
He was told, "Sahibji, Fauj me ek hi cheeze mil sakti hai- Career ya Stand.
Agar stand loge to Career khatam or agar career banana hai to stand kabhi mat lena."

सैन्य साइकिल
आप 50 साल पहले युवा अधिकारी की कहानी सुना हो सकता है, जब वह एक चक्र ऋण मिल गया और एक इकाई कैंटीन से खरीदा है.
चक्र एक सौंदर्य (वैसे मोटर बाइक और कारें हैं आज) था लेकिन पीठ पर एक वाहक नहीं है.
तो वह अपने अर्दली भेजा करने के लिए एक तय हो.
जब चक्र सज्जित वाहक के साथ वापस आया, युवा अधिकारी ने कहा कि खड़े याद कर रही थी.
वह सीएसडी अधिकृत चक्र डीलर के पास गया और उससे पूछा कि क्यों खड़े हटा दिया गया था.
उन्होंने कहा, सर था, "में सेना एक बात शानदार सफलता कैरियर है या खड़े रहो.
अगर आपको एक स्टैंड से अपने कैरियर समाप्त हो गया है, लेकिन आप अपने कैरियर से कभी कभी अपनी साइकिल के लिए एक स्टैंड ठीक करना चाहते हैं चाहिए के लिए चुनते हैं.

Career in the Armed Forces a dream come true

Abhishek Mande
In our special year-end section, Rediff.com looks at people -- who for better or worse -- wrote the India story this year.
Krishnant Gholap is an autorickshaw driver's son. After two failed attempts, he made it to the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasala, which he saw as the only way out into a better life.

He graduated from the NDA last month.

Abhishek Mande spent time with Krishnant on his last day at the Academy and met the Gholaps at their humble home in Pune. He tells the story of the hardships faced by the family to realise a long-cherished dream.

Sometime in the last semester at the NDA, Cadet Krishnant Gholap was struggling.

He had to pass a run test -- complete a stretch of 5 km in 26 minutes. This was his fourth and final attempt.

The first three times the cadet missed the target by a little over 20 seconds. If he couldn't meet it this time, he would have to stay back for another six months and graduate one batch behind his peers.

There were other things to consider too. His sister Rohini was to get married. The family had been saving up for the wedding for a long time.

Another six months would mean the family would also have to keep aside Rs 1,500 each month for his pocket money according to NDA rules.

For a family that lives in an apartment slightly larger than the cadets's rooms in the Academy, this was a lot of money.

Plus the fact that he could not make it with the rest of the batch would be a blot on his career.

"There were too many things tied in with my passing out (from the NDA). I couldn't afford to lose," Krishnant recalls.

And so he ran.

With a 20-odd kilo bag on his back, a gun on his shoulder and a pair of boots as heavy as lead, Krishnant Gholap ran because his life depended on it.

On November 29, 2010 a little past nine in the morning, Cadet Gholap marched with the rest of his batch and stepped on the 'Antim Pag' or the 'Final Step'.

Somewhat poetically, as the last of the cadets marched out of the parade ground, the sun -- that was hidden behind the clouds all morning -- began to shine brightly.

Image: Krishnant Gholap, right, with a friend in the white uniform worn in the NDA cadet's mess. Photographs: Abhishek Mande/Rediff.com
I was desperate. I wanted to get into the army
Army chief appeals to techies to join the forces by Akhilesh Kumar Singh, TNN, Dec 5, 2010, 02.50am IST

Indian Generals of Character

After getting freedom, a meeting was organized to select the first General of the Indian Army. Jawahar Lal Nehru was heading that meeting. Leaders and Army officers were discussing to whom this responsibility should be given. In between the discussion Nehru said, "I think we should appoint a British officer as a General of Indian Army as we don't have enough experience to lead the same."
Everybody supported Nehru because if the PM was suggesting something, how could they not agree.
But one of the army officers abruptly said, "I have a point, sir."
Nehru said, "Yes, gentleman. You are free to speak."
He said, "You see, sir, we don't have enough experience to lead a nation too, so shouldn't we appoint a British person as first PM of India?"
The meeting hall suddenly went quiet.
Then, Nehru said, "Are you ready to be the first General of the Indian Army." He got a golden chance to accept the offer but he refused the same and said, "Sir, we have a very talented army officer, my senior, Lt Gen Cariappa, who is the most deserving among us".
The army officer who raised his voice against the PM was Lt Gen Nathu Singh Rathore, the 1st Lt Gen of the Indian Army.
... That is the professionalism and character the Indian Military is made of...
Field Marshall Kodandera Madappa Cariappa

ESM delegates from Dehra Dun meet Chief Minister

ESM Delegation met CM, UK on 26 Aug 2010 for resolving pending welfare issues of ESM, organised by MLA Shri Ganesh Joshi.

Dear friends,
Today our delegation with many Generals, Brigs, Cols met CM, UK for implementation of pending welfare issues of ESM. Details will follow. Photo taken by Lt Col BM Thapa, Veteran, Gen Secy, DESL.
Brij

Military officers who write well spend less time fighting the crazy Bureaucracy

The Regimental Rogue
The Young Officer and Staff Duties By Michael M. O'Leary, Captain, The RCR

Time, time, and the saving of it, should be the soul of every order and instruction, of every report and of every message. - J.F.C. Fuller, 1943

The line officer despises the lowly "staff officer," and rues the day he might become one himself. But every officer, regardless of rank, position, or responsibilities requires the fundamental skills on which the capable staff officer depends. These skills are best acquired when opportunity presents at the most junior levels, for they are much more difficult to master (or fake) if early years of commissioned rank are spent avoiding putting pen to paper, for this, when dealing with the bureaucracy on behalf of one's troops, is where the rubber meets the road.

Even the most enthusiastic platoon commander, between assaulting enemy objectives and leading troops to hell and back, must be ready to write a brief, comprehensive and clear memorandum ensuring one of those troops for which he is responsible receives an entitled benefit or is identified for an opportunity. Whether writing Performance Evaluation Reports, letters of recommendation, Summary Investigations, or requests for adventure training funds, young officers are never far from occasions requiring the development of their personal military writing skills. As painful as it may seem at the time, each time a Company 2IC, OC or Adjutant, bleeds red ink over a carefully crafted memo it should be seen not as a condemnation of effort, but as a chance to refine one's abilities. No less important than indications of MPI and individual hits on a rifle range are to an infantry rifleman.

Officers who write well spend less time fighting the bureaucracy and more time training with resources they managed to convince the staff to provide them. Those who see staff duties as a dead or unneeded art spend a lot of time running in circles and finding things unobtainable when the good old boy net fails them. Easy to set the blame on those others when one's own staffwork is non-existent, even if it means you've set aside one's own commitment to doing the best for the troops.

In this age of e-mail and instantaneous passage of information and queries, it is hard to develop a concrete understanding that good staff duties are as important as ever. Let me set forth one example:

In the days of hand-written drafts, and clerk-typed correspondence, a staff officer might take a day or two to mull over the perfect wording for a set of four or five questions to another unit or headquarters. Passing this to a clerk, it might be a day or two before the typed version of the draft was returned. By then, the staff officer had time to consider the issue, and then to view the content, structure and tone of the letter with fresh eyes. Amendments might be in order, to either remove or insert points, or even to completely alter the tone or format of the letter. Extra work for the clerk perhaps, but it did ensure that the final product was as good as the staff officer could produce - in this case the staff officer's contribution was the intellectual effort to create and revise the document, the clerk's was to prepare it in the requested format. Must read: click here to continue reading...

Career Transition Workshop

Dear Kamboj sir,
Need your help to post the appended details on "Report My Signals" as also pass the link http://cts.doattend.com to anyone who could be interested in knowing more about post retirement options. This is an initiative to help our serving bretheren in the fauj, who are contemplatring either PMR or retiring after having completed their full service.
Best Rgds
Mahesh

Hi Everybody,
The Indian Purple Foundation (TIPF) is a group of military officers who took premature retirement a few years ago and have made a successful transition into civilian life. The Foundation aims to provide a platform for serving and retired military officers to share experiences and exchange views on various aspects of a switch from uniform to civilian life.
The TIPF has organised a "Career Transition Seminar" on 13th Jun 2010 at USI Delhi. The seminar is aimed at an audience of those who are close to retirement, have opted for, or are considering, a premature retirement, and for others who may be plain curious to know more about the eventuality of such a transition. The seminar will have an impressive group of speakers, who have volunteered to share their experiences and ideas with those who wish to hear about the many options and nuances of such a career shift.
This will be a not-for-profit, paid seminar @ Rs 500 per head, which will basically cover the expenses related to organising the seminar. Your support is required to spread the word around to defence officers, both serving and retired, who you think may find value in the seminar.
The seminar is being managed through the online event management service DoAttend.com. Please visit the seminar website at click here, where you will find more information about the event as well as links to register for the event and make online/ offline payment of registration fees. Please also visit the TIPF blog at click here, where you will get the latest updates about the seminar and can also post your comments and suggestions.
The TIPF Team (Gopal Karunakaran, Pradeep Bhat, R Mahesh)

NCC a solution to manpower shortage in forces: Parliamentary panel

Thursday, April 15, 2010, 17:57 IST
New Delhi: With the Army, Navy and Air Force hard-pressed over shortage of officers, a Parliamentary panel today suggested increasing the intake of NCC cadets in the three defence services as a plausible solution to their manpower problem.

While the Army faces a shortage of 11,456 officers, the Navy and the Air Force suffer a gap of 1,439 and 1,343 officers, respectively.

"The Committee finds that there is an urgent need to give more attention to the National Cadet Corps (NCC), whose main objective is to groom the youth into disciplined and patriotic citizens...NCC training would definitely help the three services in solving the problem of shortage of officers," the Parliamentary Committee on Defence said in its latest reported tabled in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

The Army has a sanctioned strength of 46,614 in the officer cadre, while the existing strength is 35,158 officers. The Navy's sanctioned strength of officers is 9,293 and existing strength 7,854. In the IAF, the sanctioned officer cadre strength is 12,183 and borne strength is 10,840.

The Defence Ministry had informed the committee that it took steps to address the manpower shortage in the three services which included sustained image projection and publicity campaign, participation in career fairs, advertisements in print and electronic media, counselling and motivational talks in schools, colleges and NCC camps.

The panel felt these steps were in the right direction, but a desired focus on the NCC cadets was not being given.

"The committee is of the firm view that there is an urgent need to enrol more schools and colleges, both government and private, for NCC," it said, recommending that the Ministry undertake a survey to know the percentage of NCC students who have actually joined the three services.

The training institutions of the three armed forces -- the National Defence Academy, the Indian Military Academy, the Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy -- have a percentage of seats reserved for NCC 'C' certificate holders and the allotted seats are usually super-subscribed, as NCC cadets join the academies from the general quota also.

Noting that the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations has had a positive impact by making the armed forces as an attractive career option for the youth, the panel also recommended that the Ministry should consider recruiting retired officers for supervisory jobs, an area where the three services were finding it difficult to get the requisite manpower. PTI
NCC a solution to manpower shortage in forces: Par panel

The Soldiers' 2nd Innings

Dear friends,
A review of the captioned book "The Soldiers’ 2nd Innings": click here
The reviewer has made a very valid point: the book does not contain any thing for our personnel below officer ranks. This lacuna has also been pointed out by some of my friends.

The book is,indeed, officer oriented. The reason for this is not far to seek. I have no first hand knowledge or experience of the problems which our men experience, and so I thought it better to leave that task to some one more qualified to do so. It is my belief that a RCO or a SL Commissioned officer should be motivated to produce such a book. It has been rightly pointed out by several persons that the soldier these days is quite different from the man who served in the army when we were in the units. He is well educated and has access to creature comforts like a fridge, TV set, washing machine and a motor cycle. Officers of my vintage did not have any of these luxuries at the start of our careers fifty years ago. An NCO retiring after about 20 or24 years service gets well over ten lacs of rupees as his terminal benefits and many of them do not know how to handle that kind of money. They need guidance.

If our soldiers can be given the necessary inputs and guidance, they can convert their military experience into civilian success. And when that happens, we will have lacs of ESM contributing to the economy of the nation. Improvements in pension and rationalization of terminal benefits are inecessary, and we must press for that twenty five year old demand. But what is even more necessary is the need to prepare our soldier for a second job or alternative vocation.

Lt Gen Chandele has summed it up very well in his Prelude to the book, He says, "Retired life can be enjoyed fully, if you have two essentials: "Enough to live on and enough to live for"
Now here is an offer
In case some one come forward to write a book for the JCOs and the NCOs I shall provide all the assistance which he may need to publish the work, including financial suuport.
Regards,
Maj Gen Surjit Singh (Retd)

Comments and suggestions from Brig Sukhwindar Singh click here

The Soldiers’ 2nd Innings by Maj Gen Surjit Singh (retd) & Lt Col Kanwal Dev Singh (retd) MacMillan. Reviewed by Randeep Wadehra

A majority of the soldiers in our Armed Forces, especially in the Indian Army, retire young. This is as true of the commissioned officers as it is of the personnel belonging to the Other Ranks (ORs). While a significant number of ORs — aka jawans — retire while in their thirties, officers generally retire in their forties and fifties. The latter, as this book admits, are economically secure while the former have to struggle in Civvy Street for their survival.

Written partially in anecdotal style, this book’s chapters, Angry Old Soldiers and In Search of a Solution to the Problem, deal with one-rank-one-pension-related issues. Another chapter, SWOT Analysis and Classification of Jobs, gives details of the careers that officers can take up post-retirement. There are separate chapters on career opportunities in the corporate sector in India as well as abroad. The book also outlines various pros and cons of writing wills. It also describes their different types, like joint wills, mutual wills etc, with their respective advantages and disadvantages.

How one wishes there was a separate chapter on career prospects for ORs whose educational profile has improved vastly over the years. There are impressive numbers of law, engineering and management graduates among these personnel who do not have the advantage of possessing "brass credentials" to impress recruiters in the civil sector and thus need guidance as well as inputs.

General problem in Army

If the land scam was not trouble enough for Army Chief Gen Deepak Kapoor, it seems he is facing problems from among the top brass itself. At the heart of the matter is a crucial promotion board that will decide which officers would make it to the highest rank of Lt Gen. Besides the fact that the member secretary of the board is Lt Gen Avadhesh Prakash, who is under the scanner in the land scam case, it is learnt that as many as three army commanders have sent their objections to the board in writing. The argument being that the board should be held after the January 26 gallantry awards are announced as that may alter career profiles. However with the board expected to kick off on December 7, it seems sparks will fly when the top brass meets.
General problem in Army
Is upgradation of ranks leading to degradation of Command and Control?
Ajai Vikram Singh Committee Recomendations Implemented