Bridging the veteran and serving gap Samman Magazine Jan 2020
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Bridging the veteran and serving gap Samman Magazine Jan 2020
The advent of social media in the last few years changed the methodology of protesting and displaying anger against institutions and organizations. It has also given a sense of anonymity to the protestor alongside a platform for spreading their opposing views and comments. Social media has become a tool for the fastest finger first, with users forwarding and endorsing messages, without verifying facts, to other users or groups. This has led to spreading of adverse comments and negative views, at times based on wrong or partially correct information. These in turn get more than desired publicity. It is presently being exploited by armed forces veterans in multiple ways, many of which are negative.
The army functions on brotherhood, trust and faith. A soldier operates because he believes that the orders given by his superior are legal and well thought through. He remains aware that in case, during the conduct of his duties, there is a calamity to him, the army fraternity would care for his family. His participation in operations is based on faith on his brother soldier, who would be alongside him when he encounters the unexpected.
Post retirement, the bonding between units and veterans continues to exist. The serving always look upto their veterans for advice and guidance. Many remain in same social media groups, sharing the same discussions. Thus, whatever negative is projected by veterans in such groups impact the serving.
There are issues in the current environment which have been irking veterans. These include the proposed code of conduct for veterans, disability pensions, OROP, functioning of ECHS, restrictions on purchase of cars from CSD etc. In all these cases veterans have expressed their anger on social media by conveying their own views, right or wrong being immaterial, and in almost every case blaming the serving hierarchy for their ills. The impression being conveyed is that these actions are being deliberately being done to target the veterans. Many veterans have also taken up issues which concern the serving on the pretext that service conditions debar the serving from airing their views in public domain.
As these negative comments gather steam, the blame begins to shift to accusations, with the veteran community always feeling it is right and those serving in the organization wrong, uncaring and selfish. Further, the top hierarchy is accused of being anti-system and anti-veteran. The accusations do not end there. The messages which floats across social media accuse those who have risen to higher ranks of adopting means which are against the norm of the system and dumping the famous Chetwood Motto. Most seniors are accused of currying favour of the government for post-retirement benefits and employment.
Without realizing that there are serving members in most groups, who also receive the same accusation, the approach adopted creates more harm than good. It seeks to convey to the younger serving generation that in case they desire to rise, then they need to consider only themselves, rather than the system or the organization. It also indicates that as an individual rises in service he begins to ignore the Chetwood Motto, which was the promise we all made when we were commissioned.
Another message being conveyed is that the organization does not support professionalism nor capability but other means, including the lanyard which an individual wears. These thoughts being sent to young impressionable minds are damaging.
The current nature of criticism, flowing more from personal frustration and anger of veterans may break the bonding and trust within the armed forces and is detrimental to the health of the organization. It makes the younger generation consider their seniors as having risen in service by means other than professionalism and possibly working at cross-purposes to organizational interest. With passage of time the gap between the leader and the led could rise to an extent where orders by a superior are questioned because of lacking trust.
The impact also falls on those seeking to join the armed forces. Negative comments on open social media sites lead to many contemplating that they are making a wrong career choice.
Veterans fail to realize that those who have risen in service have done so based on assessment by their seniors, who are presently veterans. There has never been a case when a veteran has stated that he never recommended an individual for promotion, who still managed to rise in service. Thus, while veterans refuse to accept their faults in judgement, they are more than willing to find fault with those who have worked in the service to rise.
Most social media sites are open, and the negative criticism is also read by nations inimical to Indian interests. They begin floating negative messages to impact the common soldiers’ morale. On many occasions there is a thin line between reality and fake messages projected by enemy agents.
Every decision taken by the hierarchy has a reason and background. In many cases there is never a desire by the critics to obtain or assess the causes for the decision and the fact that the decision was taken based on inputs and after evaluating all options. Further, there is no system by which the reason for the decision or action being undertaken to address concerns is conveyed to the veteran community, enhancing the gap between the military hierarchy and the veteran community. Most decisions have been impacted by financial constraints, but veterans remain unimpressed. They are only concerned with the decision and the manner it has impacted them and hence their criticism.
Every government service has thousands of veterans on social media. In every service there are issues which irk veterans. However, the level of criticism and anti-senior comments are the highest from military veterans. This displays that either the service has failed to care for its veterans or that veterans are unwilling to accept any changes to their current status.
Is there a solution or a midway point which can ease the criticism or reduce the gap? It is possible for service HQs to activate their veteran cell and Public Information branch to convey on social media the reasons behind taking of decisions which impact the veteran community. It should also convey reasons why some facilities like the ECHS have shortfalls and actions being undertaken to overcome them. The correct conveying of reasons would reduce the distance between the veteran and serving hierarchy. The intention should not be to defend actions but project the causes for the decision. Such an action would reduce negative criticism to possible solutions.
Veterans are the pride of the serving and the nation. There are occasions when decisions of the serving hierarchy have hurt veteran sentiments, but these are being taken for the betterment of the organization and due to constraints, which are unknown to the veteran community. For the veterans is easy to criticise and accuse those presently in the hierarchy of being anti-them and ignoring their welfare. It is difficult at times to understand the reasons for the decision. Unless both sides take effort to bridge the gap, wrong criticism would continue to flow, harming the organization. The responsibility for bridging the gap is that of service HQs and they should adopt a means of doing so.
About the Author
Maj Gen Harsha Kakkar
Retired Major General Indian Army