Ex-Servicemen Blogs & Positive Role of EXWEL TRUST Veterans

I can not restrain myself from showering praises on the role of the some of the most revered among the Ex-servicemen like Hon.Fg.Officer C ChandraSekar, who have been contributing a lot by their exemplary/ exceptional service for the cause/ welfare of Ex servicemen .
More so in the light of mushrooming of so many blogs of specially ex servicemen who claim to represent the interest of our so called under-privileged class of Ex servicemen by exploiting their condition, such acts of individuals like him need to be highlighted by your Blog.Even the educated class of such Ex-servicemen belonging to Army, IAF & navy are becoming easy bait by some of these Pseudo leaders who are claiming to represent such group. There is absolutely NO doubt that our men in/out of uniform have NOT been given their DUES ,in terms of monetary benefits as well RECOGNITION of very important role played by the Defense personnel of all ranks ,in preserving the freedom of our country who have sacrificed their lives /privileges in the service of their mother land.
I wish to convey my concern at the attitude of such Pseudo Leaders who are hell bent on dividing our Ex Services community on the lines of different ranks that are part of every Military in the world ,being an in-escapable necessity in an organization of hierarchical nature
We do not live in a Utopian society devoid of class.We do not have equal compensation for the work done by us in any society & to curse those placed above us is not right approach since some where down the line we are placed above & below others.
Let us NOT allow others to exploit us to their own advantage to carve out their own higher status of being our leaders.We must assert our own views based on our personal assessments without being influenced by others who seem to influence our minds for their own personal gains/reputation.
In this regard,I can say without any personal bias ,that your blog is held in high esteem by all Ex-servicemen of all ranks.
KUDOS to your contribution for the service to the Ex servicemen & their families irrespective of their ranks.
With warm regards,
Wg Cdr (Retd) Sushil K Sudan

November 16, 2009 8:00 AM

Special Family Pension/Enhanced Family Pension

While there may be some reason to rejoice for the retired Lt.Col & Eqvt but one would feel quite dismayed at the plight of the widows of those who died while serving .The pension of this category are classified under differnt names such as special family pension ,enhanced pension etc.Unfortunately this category of pensioners were completely forgotten by NO mention in the report of 6th Pay commission.Their pension was last reviewed by the 5th pay commission which had revised their pension to 60% of the minimum of the revised Pay scale in the case of Special Family Pension . I am not aware of how the other special categories were revised."Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches." Unless one is personally affected ,we some how do not relate to a problem of such cases who have been left in the lurch & completely left out to suffer due to the negligence on the part of those responsible to look after the interest of these WIDOWS of once our colleages in uniform.What is the REDRESSAL of these VICTIMS of INJUSTICE ?May I request Major Navdeep to look into this ANOMALY to find ways to provide relief to these Ladies ?

May 29, 2009 8:19 AM

PBORs Demands

gentle said...
The PBORs are highly qualified skilled personnel who deserve to be assured career progression with the advancement of technology & the weaponary handled by them ,besides the risks involved in the type of situations handled by them.The hardships faced by them while serving as well as post early retirement deserve recognition by not only the Government but the society at large who are assured secured living by these dedicated men in uniform.The demands are genuinely well desereved & it is high time for the Govt to accept them at the earliest.
This should also remind the Govt to look into the promised raise in the pension to 70 % of their last salary since the Govt has failed for lateral transfer to Para military services of these young trained , highly dedicated & discplined force who are ever ready to face all perils to their lives for the preservation of freedom of their motherland unlike the politicians who place self interest above All .
It also calls for faster career progrssion in their career profile to assure their status raise to Warrant/ JCO rank after 15 years of service like the level of Colonel after 15 years of commissioned service.

FLOATING OF COMMITTEES TO REVIEW DEFENCE PENSIONS

At the very outset I would like to submit that I would not like to be labeled as a pessimist or having a negative approach on the subject of sudden emergence of three different committees on similar / interconnected subject of defence pensioners.
The announcement of these committees in the thick of election process would be looked down with suspicion by not only the affected parties ,both the opposition as well as the defence community, as motivated to gain electrol advantage but as reported ,even the election commission has sought comments from the Cabinet secretary.
It is rather unethical to keep such matters pending all the while when the present Govt had all means at its disposal to make a decision since it had all along known the issues involved .I just wonder what would further delibrations bring out!This is apparently danglig a carrot to the defence community as a bait for gaining their vote when the political startegist of the political party came out with the suggestion of floating out these committees.
What is the dateline for the findings to be finalised is NOT KNOWN to an ordinary affected individual.One is rather constrained to view the whole exercise with sceptism/suspician. It has perhapes been successful in generating HOPE against HOPE since "a drowning man catches at a straw".
SKS
Wg Cdr(Retd)

May 8, 2009 9:25 PM

PB4

The MISSION is partially accomplished for the OFFICERS cadre ,both serving as well as veterans .But ,let us remember our PBORs who were also promised higher PENSION @ 70% of last pay drawn ,in the absence of lateral absorption in para-military services.It is time for the Govt to solve their problems at the earliest .
There are MORE ANOMALIES in the pension fixation of PBORS which need to be fixed at the earliest by our efforts to show our solidarity with our men who deserve it the most.

When it comes to ethics ,we the defense services are expected to set the example for others to follow.But having said so ,one would tend to ask the other professionals including Mr Thapar,how honest they are in paying their share of IT to the Govt.I wonder ,how would the amount attributable to exemption of IT to the services stand in comparison to the amount evaded in IT revenue by the rest of the country including the politicians.There are the so called creamy layers among the reservation classes ,who have made hay under the so called suppressed class category, which we all have lumped ,yet when it comes to such offer to services which wont be unbearable loss to the exchequer ,we are reminded to set an example by turning down such offer by a political party calling it as an exterior motive to gain votes from the services!I would rather call it HYPOCRISY by the likes of Mr Thapar.

Posted on Pay commission report, staff corner Forum:

@ God,s son & Sree Kumar
I wonder as much as I doubt your true identity!
You are out to spread malice out of rancor against the services.R U indeed an airman ?
There is a way to express opinion about any matter.But you are merely anti officers cadre as if they are responsible for your present status/plight.
Please remember this is an open forum where undesirable elements having access can influence the minds to the detriment of our national interest by demoralizing the services.
Your comments merely convey your ill feelings against a particular group than a sound concern relating to the issues involved in the subject matter.
Remember it is quite easy to establish your identity down to the source from where you are expressing your opinion.
Please observe certain NORMs in case you are indeed part of the services.
I have tried to explain in a sympathetic manner by using simple rationale 3 times as an elderly person although it does not affect me personally but as an EX serviceman , I do feel strongly on the matter. Not that I am against the genuine aspirations of PBORs since as I said earlier ,the needs of all mankind are universal but all our needs can not be completely fulfilled given the constraints of the system.This applies to all the cadres of services of course.
May God bestow HIS kindness & blessings on all ,especially those in uniform.
With malice for none & BEST WISHES for all the blogers.

March 16, 2009 1:08 AM

Posted on Staff corner Forum under New year cheers for armed forces increase of pay:

Dear Brothers,

Let me assert to begin with that:
1)I bear NO COMPLEX since I had been PBOR as well non PBOR during 50s & late 60s & presently aged around 72.
2)Since we are all sons of God ,thereby we are related to be brothers.
3)We are NOT born EQUAL although the CREATOR is same.EQUALITY in misery/Happiness is not uniform.
4) Even though born in the same family ,yet the suffering is different.Some suffer happiness ,others misery.So,What should this suffering be attributed to ?
The KARMAS ,the FATE ,both within the divine power of the CREATOR ,OUR FATHER.
5) who are WE? Why are we here & why do we suffer / enjoy life differently ?
6) Why is life so different for each one of us ,the creatures of this world ,be it human or other living being ?
7) I can go on BLABBING ,without any answers?
So how do I reconcile ?
There are infinite problems around us & the WORKING CONDITION is just one part of it.Is there a solution to the vast/infinite problems around us ? The answer is YES & NO.
EVERY ONE WOULD LIKE TO PREFER YES.
But yes for one would be NO for other.
So where do we go from here ?
Learn to live with your PRESENT & HOPE for BETTER FUTURE .IF you are destined like every one is ,you may have a better future if so destined ,OTHERWISE there is NO REMEDY/SOLUTION to our MISERY/SUFFERING.
PLEASE STOP BLAMING OTHERS FOR ALL YOUR SUFFERING .The so called OTHERS would similarly blame OTHERS.
WE ARE BOUND BY OUR KARMAS TO SUFFER/ ENJOY.
Just take a deep breath, RELAX & PONDER OVER what I have stated. To some it would give SOLACE but some would call me INSANE OLD MAN wasting your time.
I wish I had a MAGICAL WAND to rid your Problem & make YOU happy ,BUT OUR FATHER ,GOD is even HELPLESSl
Y watching some of HIS children SUFFER while some ENJOY simultaneously!

BETTER LUCK to all the readers of this blog!!

March 15, 2009 7:34 PM

Posted on Staff corner Forum of 6th Pay commission Report under New year cheers for armed forces increased pay:

Dear Friends,
It has pained me a lot while reading the comments of PBORs who have found an easy outlet to give vent to their wrath against their superiors.No one likes to be inferior to another person ,be it be at work or even at home.Probably our children /spouses too feel the same way.We live in a society that has framed certain rules of management at various venues/organization.It is rather unfortunate that we do not live in a utopian world that gives equal position to all.Even in an exam the results are awarded according to performance & there by graded.We have had opportunity to prepare for competing with others & those who performed well were obviously selected to occupy higher positions based on merit.So let us not grudge those placed above us.Some where down the line we are all placed above/below others.
All of us are not compensated equally even though our needs are universal.Therefore please let us reconcile to our present state & of course strive/aspire for higher status by virtue of our own efforts to improve our present.Please stop cribbing & start working harder.
I can tell you from my personal example that I too started at the lowest level& rose to become an officer in Air force.Today at 72+ ,I am contended because contentment is a state of mind & sooner we realize it ,the better it is for our peace of mind.
While making comparison with others ,remember there are many placed below you as are those above you.It is a human nature to demand more ,be it money ,food or even sex.There are other living beings sharing this planet with us.
We are special creatures of Creator ,let us live with compassion for others without undue jealousy.
I just wrote so to comfort you all my fellow beings without any ill will towards any person.

March 12, 2009 4:58 AM

I feel anguish at the mindset of some of our writers like Abhinavs & so called "pragmatic blogger" who have misused the press/blog forum to spread hatred/malice against our military on the name of freedom of expression .One such proponent of freedom denied me the same by expunging my comments detailed below thus exposing his hypocrisy:
"I find that this blog is mainly used by you to encourage expression of anti military feelings by bloggers who have rancor for the military services. I am sure you would expunge my opinion like in the past under the garb of edit due to reason of NOT to your liking.
Whose interest do you serve by letting some bloggers to emit venom/poison against the military? You seem to be sowing the seeds of discontentment & division between military & non-military services by allowing prejudiced minds to ventilate their views just to gain monetary benefits at the cost of unity of the nation at large.
I feel dismayed at 72 & pray that sanity should prevail over passions generated while writing their comments against each other to prove oneself while down grading the wisdom of the opposing opinion of a well acknowledged/resputed lawyer like Navdeep Singh ,who has refuted so convincingly the absurd points raised in your blog."
I have restrained in directly naming the so called "pragmatic blogger" but hope it would still be identified by the readers who I imply.

Dear Navdeep,
I would ,rather, begin by complimenting you for doing a thorough presentation of material which I find very comprehensive ,very competently illustrated to cover the historical background of the main issues involved.
But unfortunately, still ,there is element of indecision left in the minds of the decision makers who have been faltering till date to set the parity demanded by the aggrieved services.There is certainly no conjecture to support the facts brought out so lucidly & candidly in your presentation.Yet ,the Group of ministers/PMO have failed to act & have half heartedly accepted the just demand of raising the Pay band 4 with Grade pay of Rs 8000/- instead of Rs 8700 with the rider of so called restricion placed on about 30 odd deputationists on the flimsy clause of "combat readiness".
I fail to understand the reason for the delay in issue of further instructions.
What kind of delibrations are under consideration by forming another committee to contemplate afresh on deciding the remaining core issues ,which have been postponed indefinitely ?
God help the sensibility of those responsible to sort out the matter which is merely kept pending due to sheer indecisiveness of the authorities both political & other functionaries of the Govt.
With regards,

Here are my thoughts on spc report published in Live fist BLOG on 22 Dec 2008 at 1040 AM under the title of 6th PC finish line under the ID of anonymous:
The summary rejection of grant of uniform grade pay to the military at par with their civil services counterparts is fraught with grave consequences as it creates an everlasting rift/disparity between the civil serices & the military. As it stands today ,there prevails a hostile attitudes even between para military & military services due to bungling by the Pay commission . It is glaringly evident that the civil/Admin services have reaped maximum benefits from 6th Pay commision report while the Govt finds it difficult to fulfill the genuine aspirations of the military personnel.
It is time for the service Chiefs to take a firm stand on the just demands & be prepared to resign their posts . I wonder if any succesive chiefs would be prepared to face the wrath of middle rank officers who make up 70 % of the Officers corps in all the three services.
It is time for ESM / veterans to unite for OROP demand .Remember today's serving are tomorrow's Veterans.