Parliament Committee Recommends One Rank One Pension once again

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE RECOMMENDS OROP ONCE AGAIN
Dear Veterans,
1. While the Govt continues to deny our legitimate demand of OROP, we have been relentlessly endeavouring to continue exploring all options to make the Govt see reason and grant us our due demand. To get the All Party Standing Committee on Defence, reiterate its recommendation on OROP in its report, we have been following it up with Shri Satpalji Maharaj, MP, and Chairman Standing Committee on Defence. In this connection please refer to our enclosed letters.
2. The Standing Committee in its report tabled in the Parliament on 24 Mar 2011, has once again recommended OROP. It has also recommended setting up of a National Commission for EX-Servicemen. Sh Satpal Ji Maharaj has very kindly sent the Press Release on the report through email to the undersigned which is enclosed.
3. Friends, echoes have started gaining momentum. What is required now is “A Strong United Movement by Armed Forces Veterans”. We, appeal to all defence fraternity to join hands and demonstrate strength, vibrancy, dynamism, “UNITY” without any frills. Let us all be ONE in our resolve to get OROP and ensure that the Govt listens to us for the fraternity at large.
4. I also appeal to all senior Defence Veterans specially all Lt Gens and Chiefs to come forward and support the Movement for Justice. We have saluted you and gave you our unflinching loyalty to safe guard the sovereignty and integrity of the country even at the peril of our lives. The rank and file was always with you.
5. Now when the Injustice is being done to us, we request you all to strongly take up our case with the Govt unitedly. This is the time to stand up and be counted. You will always remain our senior leaders and we look forward for your support to get our due Justice.
6. After reading this mail, please circulate it to as many veterans as possible for action please.
With Regards,
Jai Hind
Yours Sincerely,
Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM

Shri Satpal Maharaj, Chairman, Standing Committee on Defence, presented the Tenth Report of the Committee on Action Taken Report on `Human Resource Planning, Shortage of Manpower, Infusion of Hi-Tech Training and Infrastructure for the Armed Forces’ today on Thursday, the 24th March, 2011, Click here to read some of the salient observations/ recommendations

Strategy for Ex Servicemen to obtain Speedy Justice

A tactical decision is one based on sound analysis of the situation. The Army has several military appreciation processes (MAP) that cover all levels of staff. These are used to analyze a problem and come up with solid courses of action (COA's) and contingencies. Each filters down to the commander on the ground who has a pre H-hr and post H-hr MAP. Lt Gen Yogi Sharma (Retd) a brilliant tactician has formulated a novel template for ESM strategy. All ESM Advocacy Groups need to study the strategy and evolve its own, appropriate and coordinated responses, to obtain speedy Justice for Veterans.

Strategy Review: IESM– AN APPROACH
Preview
1. Note-form, ‘texting’ mode. Reason:

Economy of effort (‘twitter’ age)

Tests comprehension/ de-cryption skills?

Promotes creative dissonance/ refinement.
2. Aim. To evolve a ‘conceptual construct’ for ‘smart- strat’ option.
Review of Sit
3. Present Goal /Strategy

‘Laser–beam’ Strat to gain a ‘Uni-focal Obj’: OROP.

Frontal and ‘Confrontal’; (Disciplined- but seen as ‘soft’ by some?)

Surcharged and strident-(emotion over reason?); AFT/ Courts less exploited

Not fully ‘calibrated/nuanced’ to cope with dynamics of ‘wily’ power- players’e.g. bureaucracy/ committed media/ politicians.
4. Results

Substantial ‘gains’ but OROP still ‘Over-The-Horizon’?

‘Diminishing returns’ scenario; ‘fatigue factor’- maj threat.
5. IESM-Prospects

‘Non- critical’ mass; Veteran Orgs- fragmented; Synergy elusive.

Limited staying power/ resource base; ‘Lone Ranger’ syndrome.

In ‘attrition- scenario’- Govt can stonewall/ divide/ tire-out.
6. Need to adapt/innovate- SMART STRAT.
Strat Re-orientation- A Perspective Change
7. Re-focus Goal and Objs. Expand ‘bandwidth’, as follows:
(a) Focus on Inclusive Goal of JUSTICE for VETERANS (covers OROP). Benefits:

Injustices are ‘endemic’ and easily identifiable e.g. rank pay fiasco, disability distortions, Majs’ pay scale etc;

Essential steps enroute to full ‘justice’ and destination- OROP;

Multi-lateral grid of incremental/ intermediate Objs (as in a CPM/PERT chart).

Can be integrated into a network of ‘battle plans’ of a ‘campaign’.

Provides leverage (pressure pts) to expose/soften ‘scheming’ bureaucracy and Mil-system’s blind-spots.

Offers a ‘moral high-ground’ to IESM (as distinct from ‘politics’ of others). May enable common-cause synergy with like-minded gps.
(b) Intermediate Objs (IOs). To be derived from ‘Stakeholder Analysis’. These incl mil and non-mil domains like AFT/courts, media, civ society/NGOs, MOD etc. Each has distinct characteristics, power/ pay-off profiles- to be ‘exploited’, suitably.
(c) Plans. Will flow from the above. Need to be integrated into a ‘dynamic model’.
8. Emp suitable ‘soft skills’ e.g. lobby, negotiate, networks (blogging incl); more ‘Reason over Emotion’: CHANAKYA-neeti.
9. Institutionalise Structure and Systems, for the long haul.
Stake-holder Analysis.
10. Incls three main gps- Mil, Non-Mil & Veterans- as intersecting Power players/ Stakeholders:

11. Influence Potential. Each of the above has unique Power/ Pay-off and Resistance potential vis a vis IESM objs. Their Influence Potential (IP) is derived from various intrinsic and environmental factors e.g. statutory powers of AFT/ courts, hostile bureaucracy, vibrant NGOs/ silent majority etc. To assess, prioritise and leverage this ‘dynamic value’ is a ‘judgment call’ for IESM Ldrs.
12.Illustration. An illustrative rank- ordering of IPs, showing sample reasons only, is given below:

13. Implications. Strat implications of the above analysis are:
(a) Facilitates ‘Application of Effort’ and ‘Resource Allocation’ choices. In the above example, max effort/attn should obviously go to top end of IP Spectrum i.e. fire max cases of identifiable injustices in AFT/Courts. Also, suitably ‘neutralise’ (expose/pressure/coerce) lower end/hostile elements.
(b) Sample analysis, as in Coln 3 & 5 indicates the ‘direction’ of thrust/objs (IOs). For example to expose/ coerce bureaucracy in MOD/ Service HQ, load them with RTI applications to fix accountability for bad/unjust past decisions/policies (like Rank pay); Co-opt NGOs and Media. Specific objs and plans would be the logical sequel of this process.
(c) A litany of policy/ implementation ‘injustices’’ is available, on net/ record, to pursue this process. Systematically ‘data bank’ it, analyse and file RTI cases. For example, ‘who is accountable for denial of rank pay? Who/ why Service HQ delinked from pensioners problems (part of overall compensation package)/ Disability delays/ distortions- hold acct-able/ punish?
Process.
14. The ‘broad-front/ multi-thrust/ problem-solving’ concept- model, outlined above, aims to use the existing strs and tools, more coherently. The brand/ emotional value of OROP is not surrendered but made more inclusive.
15. Validation. It would be ‘vain’ of me to assume that the suggested conceptual ‘tweaking’ can lead to a SMART STRAT? This needs validation, and refinement, through brainstorming. The process/ SD ‘nuts and bolts’ can, thereafter, be pursued by more fertile minds. Till then, dig deep to find sense.
Conclusion.
16. Strategizing is an ‘art’. Its ‘craft’ lies in working well the right ‘model’.
Lt Gen YN Sharma, Former Army Commander

Pragmatic to retain our ingrained 'apolitical ethos'

Ref: Political Action should be central to ESM Agenda
Dear Bhimmy,
Delighted to reconnect after so long. Am impressed with your cerebral 'cut & thrust' and scholarly contributions. Nostalgic indeed of the ancient 'spirited' sessions that perhaps 'seeded' the creative faculties!
Since you have discerned a spark of 'strategy' in my earlier post and advanced a refreshing conceptual matrix for developing it, I am tempted to share the Att brief, arrogantly headed Smart Strategy.
The essential congruence between the two 'thought-processes' should be loudly visible to your sharp mind.
Had 'lightly' shared it with many of the Core Gp of the IESM, last year. Few comprehended/ agreed with it or saw any relevant 'value' in it. That is not surprising as the WIP is/ has been visibly (sometimes illusive!) riding a high wave? Besides, strong leaders have to be somewhat 'fixated'(so that revolutions can follow to get rid of them - in Service, we retire the B's).
I also believe that everything in life happens when its time comes- bet you never knew of my real 'spiritual' side!
Should you see any merit in the 'concept model' thread, as an extension of your inclinations, feel free to refine and sell- won't claim any IPR (only share of profits)!
Have just seen (this morning's) RMS. Your conceptually- cogent salvo on desirable 'politicisation' for greater effect is impressive.
In the given context, I would consider it a 'dangerous' direction to follow, literally. There is a 'political' and a 'Political' arena? The latter is a dirty quagmire (unlike your adopted land, where it is a part of citizens ideological identity). And the former-political- is a 'universal' reality; in as much as all human- activity is power- based i.e. fundamentally political.
Veterans' cause, I believe would be better served by aligning 'selectively' (issue-based); yet retaining our ingrained 'apolitical ethos'- may be opportunistic but is pragmatic. Most Veterans' DNA abhors Politics and many will roll off the Wagon at seeing an overt alignment. And that should explain my (majority view, hopefully) 'fetish' for the Indian Military's (includes Veterans) ethos of disciplined, orderly, mature democratic dissent vis a vis a aggressive/ abusive revolutionary character of discourse. Anything gross or crude is repugnant, not only to retired Generals, but to most Indians sensibility. A few of the mails/ views have tended to transcend the red-line: hence the 'cautionary'; which you perceived as castrating the IESM?
I would forsake the Mov if it lost this element of its essential character and so would most right thinking members. And a movement without 'momentum of followers' would be a joke?? Though it could still exist as a political entity eg Maoists/ extremists/ terrorists of some hue or the other.
Lots of love to you both.
Warmest regards,
Lt Gen YN Sharma, Former Army Commander