They have fought, lived and worked in a true spirit of the armed forces keeping intact the nation’s integrity and unity. Our army is truly secular, having its men from different religions but performing their duties with unflinching loyalty.

The Sixth Pay Commission’s recommendations are highly damaging and have demoralised the defence fraternity. The Centre should restore their dignity and status and look after their interests properly. When confronted with a similar situation, Second World War veteran Gen Omer Bradley of the US Army aptly said: “Inferior inducements bring second rate men. Second rate men bring second security. In war, there is no prize for a runner up.”

Our politicians and civil officials sitting and working in air-conditioned rooms are unable to visualise the service conditions of the armed forces. A quick flying visit by a minister or a civil official for an hour or so to difficult terrains like Siachin does not give the true picture of the terribly inhospitable conditions.

Troops face acute loneliness, difficulty in breathing, cases of pulmonary edema and snow blindness, not to forget that there are no fresh vegetables and greens, delayed mail and emotional vacuum.

It is not easy to serve in the Army. Almost two-thirds of the soldier’s service life is spent in non-family field areas.

The element of risk and danger is perpetual in most of their operational deployment scenarios. The work schedule is round the clock for days on end. When one unit gets a peace tenure, it is usually in a remote station, which offers no job for spouses and where educational facilities are primitive. A few lucky ones get posted in metros and have to wait for nearly 12 to 18 months before being allotted the entitled accommodation.

Lack of monetary benefits, difficult service conditions, separation from family, attitude of civil officials towards the armed forces are the main factors, which force young men not to join the forces.

They go for lucrative jobs in private sectors with more pay and perks, less risk to life, hardly any separation and cosy family life.

As a result, there is a shortage of 14,264 officers in the armed forces.

In the Army alone, 11,238 officers slots are vacant, while the Air Force is short of 1,565 officers and Navy needs 1,461 more officers. Not only this, a large number of officers have applied for pre-retirement.

It is high time that pay, perks, status and service conditions were improved to make the armed forces attractive and worthy of service with dignity and honour.

Three to five years service should be mandatory for all IAS, IPS and other Class I government officers.

It will enable then to understand the problems of the armed forces and develop respect for those who servethe nation and defend its borders.