Ex- Servicemen Ideally Suited for the Corporate World

Approximately 60,000 army personnel retire every year; 3,000 are officers, most of them in their mid-50s, according to numbers provided by the Indian Ministry of Defence. This means many are in the prime of their working lives, retiring with an abundance of experience that they can ply in the private sector.

Velichati Satyanandam runs his office with military precision. As head of corporate services at business process outsourcer Nipuna Services Ltd., a subsidiary of Satyam Computer Services, he must ensure that 250 cars and drivers carry 3,000 employees from their homes to one of three offices in Hyderabad, India, every day. Every week scores of people quit while new employees are hired to work the nine-hour shifts for the U.K. market (start time: 3:30 p.m. local time) and the U.S. market (start time: 6:30 p.m.). On a recent day in late May, two rows of chairs for potential applicants outside Nipuna’s offices all were filled. Satyanandam is well-equipped to deal with this ongoing logistical crisis because like many executives in India’s new economy, including some human resource executives, he cut his managerial chops in the Indian armed forces. He retired in 1998 as a wing commander after 21 years in the Indian air force. He now brings a can-do attitude to his work running the logistical end of a BPO, which includes managing the company’s facilities. "Running a BPO is more like crisis management," Satyanandam says. "You can’t hide behind bureaucratic rules and say, ‘It can’t be done’. "

With India’s economy on a tear and companies hiring thousands of people a year, the armed forces have become a logical and bountiful place from which to hire employees, from the entry level on up. Approximately 60,000 army personnel retire every year; 3,000 are officers, most of them in their mid-50s, according to numbers provided by the Indian Ministry of Defence. This means many are in the prime of their working lives, retiring with an abundance of experience that they can ply in the private sector.

"In society, all the main management principles are developed by the armed forces," says S. Raja Gopal, a retired army colonel who lives in Hyderabad. That was the case even in ancient times, he adds. Gopal, 48, spent 25 years in the army, beginning with three years of training at the National Defence Academy, the Indian version of West Point. Eventually he became a "Black Cat" commando, part of the army’s special forces. He served in hot spots like Kashmir, where the country has fought a protracted border war with Pakistan. He says the leadership skills he learned during more than 20 live operations, which included the capture of 400 Islamic militants, helped him start a private security company. He now manages more than 500 employees, many of whom are security guards who also got their training in the Indian army. Gopal says his experience helps him know how to motivate employees and develop loyalty secured by more than just receipt of a paycheck. He has been able to retain 99 percent of his employees during the past three years, though he says his is not the highest-paying security company in Hyderabad. A man prone to understatement, Gopal recalled one mission from his army days, when he and his men were airlifted into the Himalayas on an eight-hour mission that stretched into five days. With only enough food for 24 hours, Gopal had to keep his troops motivated as they crossed the rugged terrain. "Have I eaten? No. Am I moving? Yes," he told his men. "So move with me."So how does this translate to the private sector? "It makes you realize, ‘I can do anything,’ " he says. "If the work is there, you don’t go home and go to sleep."

The government has institutions, such as the Directorate General of Resettlement, to help ex-servicemen find training and employment. But one Indian headhunter has found a niche placing retired military personnel in private-sector jobs. Appropriately named Bridgehead Consulting, the year-and-a-half-old company that was started by former military personnel has found upper management jobs for about 40 former officers. Venkat Ramana Rao, a former captain who served under Gopal, helped launch Bridgehead after completing a six-month course in human resources management at the state-run Indian Institute of Management in Lucknow in 2005. Rao says the new economy’s high demand for managers has made it easier for officers to penetrate a company’s upper management. "Earlier, for officers to start above the vice president level, it was not possible," Rao says. That’s because jobs were scarce and promotions were based more strictly on hierarchy, not merit, he explains.

Now that some former officers have reached the management ranks, they say they prefer hiring ex-military personnel like themselves. At his previous employer, Satyanandam hired 10 employees with a military background; seven were senior managers. Since arriving at Nipuna, he’s hired 10 people from the military, five of whom are in senior positions.

C.K. Veeresh, vice president of business operations for Computer Associates in Hyderabad, says he learned discipline during the five years he spent in an artillery regiment. Veeresh, 45, went from the army to the private sector in 1990 and was later hired by the public sector to promote economic development. Now he is in charge of business development and external and government relations for Computer Associates.

Ravi Babu, a retired colonel, has been in the corporate world since he left the army in 1996 after 22 years. During his tenure in the army, Ravi, 53, completed a master’s degree in computer science and taught computer science. While looking for a private-sector job in 1996, his future boss said to him: "We need a guy who can manage things. "Until the recent private-sector tech boom, the army was the center of technological innovation in India, and those who served in the service were the sources of that innovation. Today, Ravi says: "Indian companies want to create wealth, they want to innovate. They don’t just want to provide services". Officers, he says, have the management and people skills to do that. "You get fresh guys from IITs to do programming," Ravi says, referring to the Indian Institutes of Technology. "But you need people who can deal with client relationships. This is more important."

By Jeremy Smerd
Credit: http://www.workforce.com/section/09/feature/25/09/00/index.html

ECHS: What Veterans Say

Cmde BB Mistry writes...
1. Let us look at the ECHS issue from the basics. As I understand this scheme has been instituted to:
(a) provide medical care to ex servicemen both in quality and quantity at an area closest to their residence. This pre supposes that the care would be similar to that which he or she received whilst being on active duty.
(b) to unburden the existing medical institutes of the Armed Forces for care of those in service.
(c) to assist the GOI by providing contributory funds from the pensioners.
2. We observe from the various feed backs that the main objective has not ben fulfilled at all in the mofussil areas. The facilities in the urban areas has also been wanting. In Mumbai there are three centres viz INS Asvini (Colaba). Kanjur Marg Dockyard colony and one at New mumbai. For those of us who stay at suburbs on the western, central and the harbour lines such as Virar, Karjat, Thane etc the crowded connectivity makes it nearly impossible to avail of these centres. Further specialised medical services are provided only at Asvini, which is approx 60Km from Thane and 120 Km from Karjat.
I suppose a senior citizen retired serviceman would probably have to make his final halt at one of the chandanwadis on his way before reaching Colaba notwithstanding the number of stars he had been displaying in service. Even if he does make it he would be a mind boggling challenge for the medics at Asvini. The situation is thus no different from the days when the facilities were free. Please remember Death does not make any concessions to the king or the pauper. It is the one and only leveller. During my visit to the Raigad district the DSSAB officer told me that lack of ECHS facility has been an unfulfilled wish of the gentry in and around.
3. The solution lies in reviewing the system empathatically by those who are responsible for its implementation. We should endeavour to affliate more hospitals into the systems. Neighborhood physicians should be inducted for primary care. There are many doctors who charge a pittance (max Rs. 30 only) in Mumbai for consultations and also make residential visits. We should encourage these gentlehealers.
4. Some neighbourhood laboratories could also be recognised and affliated on recommendations of these doctors.
5. High- end hospitals must be kept as a last resort. Neighbourhood docs must be requested to conduct some sort of modified annual/ six monthly health check up, depending upon the age, to assess the condition of the body and mind.
6. Both the in sevice and Ex servicemen must be encouraged to take up alternative health upkeep excercise such as yoga. If this is institutionalised in active service then the same agencies could continue with the ex servicemen.This would make prevention the by word in health care. It would be economical too.
7. Finally the staff of the agencies at active end should be trained by expert counsellors to be sympathetic listners, respectful, polite and considerate to the ex servicemen without discriminating ranks and positions. It would be an excellent example if the starred retired personnel awaited their turn with patience and dignity. This would make us exemplary and different citizens.
There is more to write if the interest by concerned authorities is forthcoming.
With Best wishes.

BB Mistry
Cmde (Retd)
Vice President, War Veterans Party. A Party with a difference for the veterans from uniform and like minded civilians. Registered with the CEC.
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Cdr Iyer writes...
I visited the AFIDS (Dental Clinic) at Bangalore today for dome dental treatment. Dr Vidya Gupta,who takes care of ECHS patients said that I will have to be referred to a referral clinic. This cannot be done now as the revision is yet to be approved and asked me to report again after a month or TWO. It is obvious that unless we pressurise at some higher levels, some serious patient will land in trouble.

G V Iyer
Cdr (Retd)

Indian Army Harbingers of Peace and Stability

Western Command to hold 'Know Your Army' exhibitions
Chandigarh Tuesday, Jan 1 2008 IST

On the occasion of Army Day 2008, a series of 'Know Your Army' exhibitions have been planned during this month by the different corps of the Western Command at Ambala, Jalandhar and Jammu. The first such exhibition would be held at Ambala, with a number of activities such as equestrian display, dog show, sky diving, band display, motor cycle display and hot air ballooning lined up for the two-day show on January 5 and 6. The show would possibly be the biggest army display that the residents of the city have ever witnessed in the past, a defence spokesman said.

The theme of the exhibition is ''Indian Army: Harbingers of Peace and Stability''. It will trace the saga of valour and sacrifice of the Indian Army over the decades and portray the technological advancement and military might of the world's second largest army over the years. This would be a unique opportunity for people to witness the latest technology and a wide range of military equipment like tanks, infantry combat vehicles, artillery guns, anti-aircraft guns, radars and engineering equipment, the spokesman said. The exhibition would afford a rare opportunity to the students to experience the thrilling of undertaking rides on tanks and infantry combat vehicles. Besides, awareness stalls would be established for information about joining the Indian army as recruit soldiers and as officers.

Terminal benefits of a glowing career in the Indian army such as Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), Ex-Servicemen Recruitment and Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO) would also be projected. The exhibition would be held at Convoy Ground, Ambala Cantonment on Ambala-Jagadhri road.

Credit: http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20080101/860604.html