At the very outset I would like to thank Mr. Amarnath Mishra reposing trust in me for writing an article
to be included in the current edition. Since I happen to belong to the security forces fraternity, I thought what
could be a better topic of interest for civilians other than my organisation itself. In the succeeding part of the
article I will be highlighting different facets of Armed forces as a career opportunity.
The genesis of armed forces dates back to the time when the societal structure came into existence for
the first time. There was a need to protect the fabric of a society from external transgressions and hence came
the primeval skeleton consisting of highly motivated and fit individuals who had a high sense of pride in their
culture which later came to be known as Army. Numerous valiant examples of exceptional heroism were
exhibited by stalwarts of this fraternity. Who doesn’t know about Hercules, Achilles, Spartans, Alexander-thegreat, Mughals, MaharanaPratap, Lakshmi Bai, MangalPandey and most recently Captain VikramThapar, Captain
Manoj Pandey, Major Unnikrishnan etc. These are some who have been a role model and continue to inspire
generations to come in believing in their cause and standing tall to protect it.
In today’s scenario the only professional organisation left among various government agencies is of
course the Armed Forces. A service in armed forces demands exceptional courage and motivation to fight
against various elements that are determined to dent the fabric of the country. That’s why it is rightly said
“Armyis not a career; it is a way of life”. Before choosing a noble profession such as army one has to make up his
mind that he is determined to serve the country whatever the circumstances may be and once this fact is
accepted, life becomes very exhilarating. ”Be an Armyman Be a winner for life” is the tagline for Army
Recruitment Campaign which exhibits the underlying adventure associated with army life. One gets an
opportunity to serve in those virgin territories where no one else will get an opportunity to go. Siachen and
Antarctica are to name a few.
After the advent of sixth pay commission the pay, perks and privileges have raised many folds. Besides
money, there are many things that one gets only in Army. A unit in army is like a family. Your basic needs as well
as emotional needs are looked after by the family. A paltan is a home away from home. It is one of the few
organisations where one is paid to remain physically and mentally fit throughout life. The medals and awards
and rank that one earns are for lifetime. There are so many advantages of joining this elite organisation that
they can’t be elucidated within the scope of this article but in a nutshell, it can be summarised that “If you have
it in you then you must give it a try!!”
Jai Hind!
--Major Upendra Kumar Pandey
Assam Rifles,Indian Army
Res.:Kazakpur,Gorakhpur
Divya Shakdwipiya Brahman Samiti‘s “Divya Prakash”
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