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The former feel it vindicates their stance that the forces are just as fallible as other organisations, and thus deserve no special consideration. And when that happens, it degenerates into fisticuffs between the two extreme factions mentioned above – one using it to tar the organisation-wide a wide brush, while the other defending it with all their might. Since there is ample transparency in the handling of such cases, it’s not surprising that sometimes they do end up being talked about in social media as well. These exceptions by no means represent the forces in general, and all such transgressions are dealt with swiftly and strictly. While the forces have a rigorous selection process and strict value system, there are always a few bad sheep who manage to slip through the former and avoid imbibing and practising the latter. In an organisation as large as the forces, its massive strength spread over the length and breadth of the country, employed in a plethora of peacetime and operational assignments, it is difficult to imagine that there would be no wrongdoings, mistakes – deliberate or unintentional. If those dismissive of the armed forces and its role are wrong, so are the ones who consider any criticism directed towards the forces as treason. Service in the armed forces, therefore, is definitely not just another job – even if those joining it do so thinking it is. And to the argument that there is a certain amount of risk involved in every job – in all others its a possibility through accident, not part of your JD (Job Description). So what starts out as being ‘just another job’, actually turns into a commitment to do your duty, even unto death. This, of course, automatically leads to not letting the nation down. When he goes into battle, his major concern is not to lose face before his comrades, and not to let his unit down. And while the nation, patriotism and the tricolour are distant concepts, comrades in arms and the unit are more tangible to the soldier in the trench. Namak – the salt he eats, or the salary that he is receiving. Naam – his own personal honour, the honour of his comrades and unit. The value of being true to ‘Naam, Namak, Nishaan’ is ingrained in every individual to the extent that each would choose to die rather than disgrace or betray either of these. What happens to them AFTER they join marks the difference between the forces and other careers. The value system and training of the armed forces create the ‘X’ factor that distinguishes them from other vocations. Of course, there are those for whom it’s a family tradition, and they do look upon it as more of a calling than a job. Majority of people who join the forces – whether as officers or as jawans – do primarily think about it as a career option while joining.
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Those who think that only staunch patriots join the armed forces are actually further off the mark than those who feel its just another job in this regard. These people are no different from any other citizen when they join the forces.
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Both these extremes, of course, are way off the mark.įirstly, the armed forces are large organisations – totalling about 1.3 million people. Soldiers, sailors and air warriors are paid like any other professional, and there is a degree of risk involved in every profession. On the other, we have those who feel that serving in the armed forces is just another job. On one end we have those who consider even a single negative utterance against any aspect of the services as blasphemy, even treason. The largest number, however, is of those who have but a hazy idea about the forces, and the views of this vocal majority lie on extreme ends of the spectrum. Serving officers and soldiers, constrained by service rules, do not openly participate, and the official handles of the Army, Navy and Air Force restrict themselves largely to the dissemination of information without getting into discussions of any kind. Amongst the participants, there is a section, comprising of veterans and families of those who are serving or have served in the past, whose views are based on personal experiences and obvious knowledge about the subject being discussed. Discussions around the armed forces on social media generally follow predictable lines.