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Marching on...
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For the retired defence personnel in the city, retirement has not been the end of the road. It has been a march to a new life.
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A career in the armed forces is challenging. It gives honour, dignity, and above all, a podium to prove one's mettle in times of both war and peace. But how does an ex-soldier cope with life after retirement? The reverse metamorphosis, from being a man in uniform to being just another individual donning civilian garbs, is a disquieting and emotionally wrenching proposition. One has to exercise a great deal of adaptability to fit into the shoes of a civilian.
In order to bring the retired defence fraternity under one umbrella, various groups, such as the Ex-service Officers' Association (EOA), Ex-servicemen's League and the Ex-servicemen Welfare Association, have been floated. These forums do everything possible towards the welfare of its members. They also interact closely with military and civilian authorities.
Retired Brigadier V. K. Nair, Patron of the Ex-Service Officers' Association (EOA), who retired in the early 70's, reminisces: "When the association got on track in 1984, there were six members and our total funds amounted to a paltry Rs. 30. The idea to start such an organisation was rooted in the fact that most of the retired officers had nothing much to do after retirement. In 1985, an advertisement was placed, inviting retired personnel in the city to participate in the gathering. The result was amazing. Today, our institute has most of the retired officers in the city as its members. Our funds amount to over Rs. 5 lakh."
What does the word `retirement' mean to the ex-soldier?
"I seldom employ the word, `retired', because I believe that a soldier never retires emotionally from the services," says V. K. Nair.
"Our association has instilled confidence in the minds of our members. They have started realising that there is life after retirement. The Army and Air Force units in the station help us with vehicles and manpower," says Nair.
The psychological trauma that retirement gives to an ex-soldier is great. Opines retired Commodore Ravindra Nath, president of the EOA, "A phenomenon that is common to all retired officers is that they tend to feel dejected after retirement. They withdraw into a shell. In order to prevent this, we organise get-togethers every month."
The life of a soldier is so different from that of a civilian that after retirement every ex-soldier finds it difficult to adjust to the ways of the world. "The longer one stays in the army, the harder it is to get attuned to the civilian lifestyle," says retired Wing Commander K. Kurien. Retirement is akin to being uprooted and planted on alien soil.
"When I get to meet and mingle with my compatriots, I am able to cope better. I still feel that I am a part of the Air Force," says Kurien. "Most of us still keep ourselves updated on the latest developments in our parent regiment or service. Our parent regiments too keep track of their retired soldiers. They even invite us for interactions. Our opinions and views are given due importance," he adds.
Every ex-soldier sees it as a privilege to uphold the ethos of his regiment or service till his last breath. Says retired Lt. Colonel Balachandran, secretary of the EOA, "Our aim is not only to connect retired officers, but also to find new avenues where we can work together. Retirement tends to stagnate the psyche of a person. The EOA is an outlet for such frustrations. Meeting our old buddies and catching up on old times have a therapeutic outcome."
Life in the armed forces is not for happy-go-lucky file pushers and comfort seekers. Serving the nation is far from being such a trifling thing. Says retired Colonel Solomon, "Life in the Army was splendid. There is an aura that is exclusive to life in the services. We are trying to recreate that ambience, that mood. We go on picnics and trips quite often. In the twilight of our lives, these jaunts are something we look forward to."
"Retirement is a bitter pill for any soldier," says retired Major B. K. Nair. "After leaving the service, I did not feel like taking up a new job because I felt it would be the first step towards renouncing my old way of life, the one that I am so contented with. The EOA has more or less helped in overcoming this tendency. Now I feel that a new job and an old way of life can go hand in hand."
The complaint of many an ex-soldier is that private establishments are somewhat reluctant to hire retired Defence personnel. "We have bundles of experience, creativity and above all, unparalleled leadership traits, which is valuable in playing a meaningful role in shaping the younger generation into responsible citizens," says B. K. Nair.
For the retired defence personnel in the city, retirement has not been the end of the road as it is commonly made out to be. It is only the beginning. A march to a new life.
Graphics: Sasikumar
ROOPA NAIR
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