“JOINTMANSHIP” – NAVY DAY IN PUNE : Humor in and “out of” Uniform

Humor in and “out of” Uniform

“JOINTMANSHIP” – NAVY DAY IN PUNE

A Spoof

By

VIKRAM KARVE

“IF ONLY”

Now that I am in my autumn years, I sometimes wistfully say to myself: “If only I had bought a house in South Mumbai?”

(This is probably the sole “if only” regret I have)

You may ask: “How can an honest naval officer afford a house in South Mumbai?”

(In fact, if you are an honest naval officer it will be difficult for you to buy a house in any part of Mumbai)

But I feel that if only I had been “money smart” in my early navy days, in the 1970’s and 1980’s, then maybe a house in Mumbai could have been possible.

Yes – “if only” I had been “money smart” and “invested” wisely instead of blowing up my salary having a good time and “saving” what little remained of it into my Provident Fund.

But, if I had been “money smart” I would not have joined the Navy in the first place.

So this whole “if only” premise is a non sequitur going around in circles.

So, my advice to young Naval Officers is – after retirement, it is best to settle down in Mumbai, which is the premier Navy Station – or at least in a coastal city like Visakhapatnam (Vizag), Kochi, Chennai, Kolkata, Goa etc where there is a naval presence – or even in Delhi/NCR where the mighty “Northern Naval Command” is located.

This is because if you settle down in a landlocked place like Pune after you retire from the Navy, you tend to “burn your bridges” with your erstwhile service.

The only redeeming grace is the Indian Navy Foundation – a purely social organization set up to facilitate fraternal relations between retired naval officers.

Luckily, the Navy Foundation has a “chapter” (aka “charter”) at Pune.

Membership is voluntary – and I am glad I became a member, because the quarterly Navy Foundation Pune Charter (NFPC) meetings are the best occasions for meeting and renewing bonds with my former navy buddies.

Now, after retirement, my only “lifeline” with the Indian Navy is the Navy Foundation Pune Charter (NFPC)  which organizes meets once in a quarter at convenient locations in Pune.

A few months ago, on the 28^th of September 2014 to be precise, NFPC organized a wonderful get-together at Lonavala (thanks to the warm hospitality of CO INS Shivaji and his young naval officers).

On the way back from the picnic, while we were travelling back to Pune by bus, someone suggested National Defence Academy (NDA) as the venue for the next NFPC meet.

“We will have to wait till NDA has a Navy Commandant, or till at least a Navy Deputy Commandant comes to NDA,” the NFPC office-bearers said.

Some navy veterans were quite surprised, but then we understood – maybe the NFPC office-bearers did not want to suffer a repeat of the previous year’s harrowing experience of “jointmanship” when the army “pongos” had put them in a spin and made them run from pillar to post.

Let me tell you about the NFPC navy veterans’ “jointmanship” experience in November/December 2013.

“JOINTMANSHIP” – NAVY WEEK 2013

Customarily, the Navy Foundation Pune Charter (NFPC), has a get-together of retired veteran naval officers and families on the last day of the Navy Week, on the Sunday following Navy Day (4^th December).

In mid-2013, the NFPC officer bearers had discovered a lovely venue for Navy Foundation get-togethers – a resto-cum-lounge bar called Atlantis conveniently located in Wanowrie and the meet held there was appreciated by one and all

Accordingly, a lunch was planned on the 8^th of December 2013 (last day of the Navy Week) at Atlantis, the popular convenient tried-and-tested venue, having amenities like valet parking, affordable, with excellent ambience and providing delicious food – ideal for senior citizen veterans and families.

However, a few “oldie-goldie” naval officers of the “old mould” opined that the function should be held at a “Military” venue.

Though these oldie-goldies were in a miniscule minority, in deference to their wishes, the organizers agreed.

Accordingly, the NFPC office bearers duly approached the army authorities, only to be subjected to a profuse dose of “jointmanship”.

I heard that the army “pongos” put the navy veterans in a spin and made them run from pillar to post, and after having made the hapless navy veterans trudge back-and-forth obtaining so-called “approvals”, they finally agreed to give the RSI venue on 22^nd of December.

(Of course, the office bearers were “warned” that this date could be cancelled anytime subject to “exigencies of service” – a euphemism for “whims and fancies” of the army in the context of this case).

The “pongos” did not seem to understand the sanctity of having a “Navy Week” function during the Navy Week – or maybe they just don’t care – or maybe they wanted to subject the navy veterans to dose of “jointmanship”.

Unfortunately, the Navy Veterans could do nothing about it and they had no choice but to “like it or lump it” since here, in Pune, it is the Army that calls the shots.

So, thanks to “jointmanship”, the “Navy Week” get-together of NFPC was held on 22 December 2013.

So, in the year 2013, Navy Veterans of Pune celebrated “Navy Week” two weeks after Navy Week was over.

“JOINTMANSHIP” – NAVY WEEK 2014

As I told you earlier, on the way back from the wonderful Lonavala picnic meet, some ex-NDA navy veterans suggested NDA as the venue for the “Navy Week NFPC Meet”.

The NFPC officer bearers were quite skeptical and remarked: “We will have to wait till NDA has a Navy Commandant, or at least a Navy Deputy Commandant comes to NDA.”

(Maybe they did not want to have a repeat of the similar harrowing “jointmanship” experience (narrated above) when the “pongos” had put them in a spin and made them run from pillar to post).

However, they agreed to pursue the matter with NDA and explore the possibility of having the Navy Week NFPC Meet in NDA.

As they had expected, their efforts were torpedoed by the torpedo of “jointmanship”.

I remembered the Navy Foundation Officer Bearers’ prophetic words (uttered in the bus on the way back from Lonavala): “We will have to wait till NDA has a Navy Commandant, or till at least a Navy Deputy Commandant comes to NDA.”

(At present, NDA has an Air Force Commandant and Army Deputy Commandant).

So, Navy Veterans of Pune who want to celebrate Navy Day in NDA will have to wait till December 2015, when hopefully there will be a Navy Commandant (or Deputy Commandant) in NDA – and we can have the NFPC get-together in style at the picturesque peacock bay, like the unforgettable lunch we had in a few years ago.

Cheers to “jointmanship”.

However, all is not lost – there is a big difference between “organizational jointmanship” and “personal jointmanship”.

You can see glorious examples of genuine jointmanship – albeit at a personal level – in the well-stocked liquor bars of defence services clubs, institutes and officers’ messes, when the “spirits” go in.

Hey, remember this is a spoof, so take it with a pinch of salt, or a gulp of rum, have a laugh, and have good day.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
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2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
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Disclaimer:

1. This blog post is a spoof, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.

2. All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

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A MILITARY VETERAN’S PLEA

A MILITARY VETERAN’S PLEA

Heavy cross-fire is going on at our borders.

There is a wave of jingoism and political posturing.

God Forbid, but there are chances that hostilities may escalate.

Military Men, Officers and Soldiers, may get killed and injured in combat.

Promises will be made to families of martyrs, war widows, and those soldiers disabled and invalided out of service.

But once things die down, and peace returns, will these promises be delivered?

From time to time, media highlights instances of forgotten promises made to martyred soldiers and their families.

We keep reading reports of disabled soldiers struggling to get their dues.

Will the same soldiers, who once served in uniform for the defence of the nation, be remembered and treated with dignity after they retire and become military veterans (ex-servicemen)?

This reminds me of an article I wrote a few months ago after experiencing a demoralizing experience as a military veteran when I visited the municipal office.

In the backdrop of the current situation, I thought it may be apt to share this post with you, in the hope that civilian citizens will treat their soldiers, serving and retired, with a bit more respect and dignity.

( This article was first posted by me on 17 June 2014 in this blog at url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2014/06/ex-servicemen-welfare-please-do-not.html )

PLEASE DO NOT TREAT MILITARY VETERANS LIKE BEGGARS

An Ex-Serviceman’s Earnest Appeal

By

VIKRAM KARVE

As a military veteran who has served his entire life in the armed forces, I make an earnest appeal to the all concerned authorities (“powers-that-be”) and all citizens of India:

“Please do not treat military veterans like beggars”

If you do not want to give any concessions to military veterans and war widows, please do not give them.

But if you do decide to give concessions to military veterans and war widows, please do not make military veterans and widows of martyrs run from pillar to post begging to get what has been promised to them.

For a true soldier who has worn uniform, dignity and respect is more important than concessions and sops.

Recently a leading English News Channel showed reports of how promises of plots of land made to widows of gallantry award winning martyrs were not honoured by the “powers-that-be” and how these hapless war widows were being made to run from pillar to post for many years begging for allotment of land that was promised to them many years ago when their husbands gave the ultimate sacrifice of lives for the nation.

Do the “powers-that-be” feel that they are doing personal charity to military veterans by giving them concessions and that is why they are entitled to make military veterans or their widows run from pillar to post and beg for getting what is their due?

Why make promises that you cannot deliver?

Why announce sops and then make the delivery mechanism so cumbersome that it makes things difficult for the retired soldier to get his due?

For those soldiers, sailors and airmen in uniform, who may be living under the false impression that they will get some special treatment once they retire, let me make it very clear that military veterans are treated just like any other citizen.

Let me share my personal experience which happened today morning.

Just before I retired from the Indian Navy, I bought a flat in the PCMC area of Pune as my retirement home.

I saw a news item and an advertisement that PCMC had decided to give 50% rebate in property tax to military veteran ex-servicemen.

I went to the PCMC Office to get the form.

As usual, the forms were not available, so I was asked to request a certain clerk to take a printout.

The clerk did this most reluctantly and made some sarcastic comments about why such concessions were being given to military veterans, as if she bore a grudge against soldiers and the military.

After running around to complete all the paperwork, which involved going to a lawyer to make an affidavit, getting a “life certificate” from my bank, attaching attested copies of PPO etc, I submitted the application.

As usual, there was plenty of red tape, as my file went up and down, with some clerk even questioning my eligibility, and I had to make three trips to follow up.

Someone suggested that a bit of “speed money” or mamool may help expedite matters.

But I decided to wait – I was in no mood to pay bribes for what was my rightful due.

After a couple of months, the sanction letter was finally issued, giving me 50% rebate on property tax.

The municipal officer who gave me the sanction letter told me that the 50% property tax rebate sanction letter was valid as long as I was the owner of the property.

He advised me to get at least 10 photocopies of the letter made since one copy would be required to be submitted every time I paid my annual property tax.

Later, I realized that the rebate actually worked out to be roughly only 20% of the total amount, since the 50% rebate was only on the basic property tax element which was half of the total amount comprising various levies and charges which were not exempted, and everyone who paid on time was anyway entitled a 10% rebate, and rebates could not be combined.

I decided to pay my property tax online.

But there was a hitch.

The property tax bill was for the full amount and the ex-servicemen’s 50% rebate was not given in the bill.

If I paid online, then I would not get any rebate.

If I wanted to avail the 50% ex-servicemen’s rebate, then I was required to personally go to the ward office, stand in the queue, submit a copy of my rebate sanction letter along with the bill to the cashier, who would then calculate the rebate, and I would have to pay accordingly.

I did this for three years.

It seemed to be working fine, except for the inconvenience that I was not able to pay my property tax online.

Today morning, when I went to pay my annual property tax at the Thergaon Ward Office of PCMC, I was in for an unpleasant surprise.

When my turn came, the cashier told me that the procedure had changed, and now I had to get a new rebate sanction every year, and there was a new form to be filled for ex-servicemen’s rebate and he asked me to meet a certain clerk.

I showed the cashier my sanction letter and previous 3 years property tax receipts in which the 50% ex-servicemen’s concession was given.

But the cashier was not impressed and asked me to meet the clerk.

The clerk told me I would have to go through the entire procedure once again as the “powers-that-be” had decreed that property tax rebate sanction letter was to be issued every year.

In addition, I was required to get a letter from the local municipal corporator who would certify my identity. 

(the Armed Forces Retired Officers Identity Card has no value as far as these municipal authorities are concerned).

I had to get a certificate from my bank that I was alive as on date.

(The fact that I was standing in front of the municipal clerk and showing him my retired armed forces identity card did not matter).

I was also required to make an affidavit that I owned only the one house in PCMC area for which I was claiming ex-servicemen’s rebate.

I had done all this running around and paperwork before.

Yes, I had undergone this entire harrowing experience 3 years ago when applying for the 50% rebate in Property Tax for the first time, and I was told that the sanction letter would be valid for my lifetime.

I did a quick mental calculation.

Was it worth disturbing my peace of mind by going through all the hassle, paperwork, red tape, the running around, petrol costs and waste of time for the modest amount of money I was saving by way of the 50% (in effect 20%) rebate?

Besides, what was the guarantee that even if I went through all this trouble, the “powers-that-be” would issue the rebate sanction letter before the deadline for availing rebate 30 June 2014?

Worst of all, I felt bad at the rude way in which I was being treated, despite identifying myself as a military veteran.

There may be a lot of rhetoric eulogizing military veterans.

But the fact of the matter is that civilians do not care for military veterans; especially civilian government servants and municipal employees who seem have a dislike for ex-servicemen.

I did not want to be treated like a beggar and made to run around from pillar to post just to suit the whims and fancies of the “powers-that-be”, despite the fact that I had a proper sanction letter.

I decided not to avail the 50% ex-servicemen’s rebate and I paid the full amount.

Since I will not be availing the ex-servicemen’s concession, from next year onwards I will save myself the trouble of personally going to the ward office and I am going to pay my property tax online like all civilians do.

I was angry at the attitude of the municipal employees which seemed to suggest:

“If you retired military veterans want a concession, then we will harass you and make you run around from pillar to post – we will humiliate you and make you beg for it”.

If PCMC wants to give a property tax concession to ex-servicemen, why not give it gracefully?

Is “ex-servicemen’s welfare” a myth?

Why does every organization which is supposed to help ex-servicemen and look after their welfare, be it CSD, ECHS etc, make military veterans run around from pillar to post for what is their rightful due?

By making procedures difficult, isn’t it tantamount to denying facilities to ex-servicemen?

Why not simplify things for military veterans?

Most military veterans are senior citizens, many in advanced age and poor health.

Instead of having multiple identity cards for each entitlement/facility, why not have just one biometric ex-servicemen’s card (like Aadhaar) which is applicable for all entitlements of military veterans?

India has recently elected a new government under the leadership of a dynamic Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, from whom everyone has high expectations.

Military veterans have high expectations from the new Prime Minister and his Government.

We military veterans and ex-servicemen hope that procedures will be simplified, corruption will be eliminated, efficiency of the government machinery will be improved and a message will be passed down to civilian government employees to treat military veterans and war widows with dignity and respect and give them their due in a helpful manner.

We trust that “ex-servicemen’s welfare” will become a reality.

Once again I appeal to the “powers-that-be” and all citizens:

Please do not treat military veterans like beggars.

If you do not want to give any concessions to military veterans and war widows, please do not give them.

But if you do decide to give concessions to military veterans and war widows, please deliver the promised benefits to military veterans seamlessly, with grace, efficiency and dignity.

Please do not humiliate military veterans and widows of martyrs by making them run from pillar to post begging for what has been promised to them.

JAI HIND

EX-SERVICEMEN’S WELFARE

EX-SERVICEMEN’S WELFARE

LOOKING AFTER MILITARY VETERANS

Ramblings of a Retired Veteran

By

VIKRAM KARVE

It has become a fashion for Military Officers to blame Civilian Bureaucrats for the problems faced by ex-servicemen (Retired Military Veterans).

Why can’t the Military look after its own Veterans?

Why can’t each Defence Service Chief take on the responsibility to look after the welfare of Veterans of his own service?

(The Army Chief can look after his retired armymen, the Navy Chief can care for his retired navymen and the Air Chief can do likewise in respect of retired air-warriors)

Why have Senior Military Officers in Service Headquarters “passed the buck” of ex-servicemen’s welfare to Civilian Bureaucrats in the Ministry of Defence?

Instead of assuming responsibility for the care and welfare of their own veterans, why has the military “outsourced” ex-servicemen’s welfare to the civilian bureaucracy?

Metaphorically, it is like modern day children who “pass the buck” of looking after their parents to “old age homes”.

In the same way, are serving military officers (“children”) passing the buck of looking after their own retired veterans (“parents”) to civilian bureaucrats (“old age homes”)?

If you want to evade responsibility of looking after your own veterans and if you “outsource” this task to someone else, then you have no choice but to accept how that someone else (to whom you have passed the buck) treats your veterans.

Instead of constantly carping about the neglect of military veterans (ex-servicemen), would it not be better if the military accepts total responsibility of ex-servicemen’s welfare and looks after the welfare of its own veterans?

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
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THE SOLDIER - Forgotten After Retirement - THE MYTH OF EX SERVICEMEN WELFARE

THE MYTH OF EX SERVICEMEN WELFARE

RETIRED MILITARY VETERANS ARE A FORGOTTEN AND NEGLECTED LOT

Musings

By

VIKRAM KARVE

When you are in active service, in the army, navy or air force, you are expected to carry out all orders promptly and execute all actions with speed and despatch and do your work in an efficient and proficient manner with initiative and ingenuity.

However the same reciprocity is not shown to you by those meant to serve you, especially after you retire.

One of the biggest myths being propagated is that ex-servicemen are well “looked after”.

It has been my personal experience that this is not so.

The bitter fact is that once you retire you are forgotten by the service.

No one cares about you.

You are left to fend for yourself, all on your own.

Let me give you an example.

This happened a few months ago.

One afternoon I received a call from a lady.

She is a civilian employee who works in the Navy Office in Mumbai. 

She had worked with me around 10 years ago in Mumbai when I was in the Navy.

She told me that there was a Supreme Court Judgement recently and, maybe, I was entitled to some arrears of pension (she had heard about this on the office grapevine when her friends from the Naval Pay Office were discussing this). 

She told me that they were saying that all officers who were in service in 1986 were entitled to these arrears.

She said that everyone was applying to Naval Pay Office and that I should also apply.

I was totally clueless.

I had received no communication from the Naval Pay Office regarding this.

My Bank (the Pension Disbursing Authority) had not informed me anything in this matter. 

I had not received any communication from Directorate of Ex Servicemen Welfare.

The Navy Foundation or any other ex servicemen welfare agency had not intimated anything in this connection either.

I have retired just a few years ago and all my current contact details are available with the Naval Pay Office and all Ex Servicemen Welfare Agencies.

I have given more than 33 years of my life for the Navy.

Don’t you think that I deserve the courtesy of a letter?

Why could the powers-that-be not send me at least a simple email or give me a telephone call?

Why do the “authorities” want to make me run from pillar to post, obtaining and filling multiple forms, getting signatures, submitting them and then endlessly wait for my due?

These days the Government is encouraging Direct Cash Transfers.

Yes, DIRECT CASH TRANSFER is the new mantra of the Government and I do not know why the Navy is not implementing this.

All my service records and bank details are available with the Naval Pay Office and concerned account offices.

Why could they not directly transfer the money due to me be directly my bank account?

I just don’t understand why the navy is sticking to archaic paperwork procedures when the whole world has moved on to Information Technology and Electronic Cash Transactions?

Why can’t the navy make efficient and proper use of Information Technology to make life easier for ex-servicemen?

It looks like the powers-that-be suffer from prosophobia (fear of progress) and are reluctant to modernize.

THE PLIGHT OF EX SERVICEMEN

I was an officer in the navy.

I am well educated and I live in a big city with reasonable resources.

Despite this, I feel neglected, clueless and hapless due to lack of information and difficult access to benefits and facilities meant for ex-servicemen.

So just try to imagine the state of a veteran soldier, sailor or airman living in a remote village.

It is terrible that hapless veteran ex-servicemen are being made to run from pillar to post to get their dues and benefits.

Most ex-servicemen are senior citizens.

Many veterans are in advanced old age suffering from various ailments.

Soldiers have given the best years of their lives to the nation performing their tough duties with loyalty, sincerity and alacrity.

When you are in active service you always have a comforting feeling that the service is there to look after you and the welfare of your family. 

The moment you retire you feel abandoned and lonely.

You are left to fend for yourself and your family.

You are left all on your own without anyone to hold your hands in times of need.

You realize that all the tall claims about ex-servicemen welfare are just a myth.

Gratitude demands that veteran ex-servicemen be treated in a better manner.

Whether it is Pension Problems, ECHS Medical Treatment, CSD Canteen Facilities or other Ex-Servicemen Benefits, I think there is a vast scope for improvement in delivery.

I trust the powers-that-be will reflect on this and we will see some positive action.

One solution is to implement DIRECT CASH TRANSFER in lieu of various benefits like ECHS, CSD Canteen and other ex-servicemen benefits which are cumbersome to avail for most ex servicemen. 

AFTERTHOUGHT

It has become a fashion to blame “civilian babus” for all ills of ex-servicemen.

I would like to point out that the lady who took the trouble of finding out my phone number and calling me up to inform me about this pension issue is a “civilian babu”.

No one in uniform showed the courtesy to communicate with me or inform me by letter, email or phone.

They say that “charity begins at home”.

First, the uniformed services must look after their own ex-servicemen and demonstrate genuine care for the veterans.

Each defence establishment and military unit must be tasked to look after the ex servicemen living in the geographical vicinity, irrespective of the service they belong too.

Instead of “washing off their hands” and transferring the task to bureaucratic ex servicemen welfare agencies run by civilian babus; the army, navy and air force must themselves look after the welfare of their veterans.

Only then is it justified to have expectations from civilian babus.

All serving officers and personnel must remember that they too will be ex servicemen one day!