Many a times I have come across some impressions that the citizens of my country hold of the Army or of the soldiers.
I have heard people talk about the 'free drinks that soldiers get'. Or for that matter, 'So your father is in the Army, alchohol must be really cheap'.
'Hey you get really great things in you canteens at great prices, isnt it so?'.
'The government provides you with a house and furnitures, right?'
It pains me to see that this is the only thing that comes to people's mind when they think of a person in uniform.
Another conversation totally left me spellbound. A group of us were discussing about the number of soldiers dying in insurgencies, when a lady said, 'So what? Its their job to die for the country. They get paid for it.'. At that moment,I was too repulsed by that person to make anything clear to her, but to all those poeple who carry this impression, all Ihave to say is, a soldier has as much right to live as any one of us.They definitely are not paid to die. They are paid to fight and just have a hazardous job like a fireman,policeman or an iron-smith.
I was talking to a senile veteran soldier, about the Army and the life it provides when with a distant gaze he remarked, 'Everything is all right...but the service that we provide is not acknowledged by the people and that makes everythingfutile.'. Very true Sir.
In a certain train journey while talking with my co-passengers, one said,'You army kids have a lot of attitude.You guys are too proud.'. Before I could defend myself, another one remarked, 'They have all the reasons to be...'.
On a lighter note, a humourous song heard in the army circles..:)
Hey I dont want to join the army now,
Captain, I want to go
Major I want to go
Show me the way to go home
The tents in the army, they say are waterproof,
You get up the next morning, you are floating on the roof.
The boots in the army, they say are mighty fine,
You ask for number seven, they give you number nine.
The ration in the army, they say is mighty fine,
They give you some gunpowder, mixed with turpentine.
..... And some desi versions of the paragraphs....
The breakfast in the army, they say is mighty fine,
They give you sukhi-puri and aloo all the time.
The doctors in the army they say are mighty fine,
They run after the nurses and leave the patients dying.
ps:- apologies to all army doctors for the last para. To be taken with a pinch of salt.
6 comments:
That last line will have to be taken with more than a pinch of salt......&%^%^##. wait till dipsi and me meet you buddy. grrrr.
But right you are about the impressions of people.Ive come across similar voices by so many.Some of the statements are funny and yet some like you pointed out are so painfully disgusting.
@ chaos - er buddy, I just did not mean Army doctors, I also meant their children and wife and relatives and blah blah...all are supposed to take it with a pinch of salt.
you're spot-on about what civvies say about the faujis and fauji kids. especially about the alcohol. i've been asked about my drinking habits after i finished school, and it still continues till today.
And the civvies can never understand how important the fauji is, and the fauji can never comprehend how a civvie doesn't understand their sacrifices.
I know what you mean....have faced that many times myself..and yes...i still am extremely proud(bordering on arrogant) of my army background!!
Very true....Even though I am no where related to an army background but have seen people commenting like whatever you said...first thing that people speak about is the cheap canteen that army men can make use of.. the people commenting never even think about the hardships that a soldier has to go through..personally always wanted to be in the armed forces but couldn't make it after the final round..Army people should be proud of what they do for the mother land and as long as there are a few people who appreciate what they do..I don't think they should ever look down..I am proud of them and will always be..after all they represent Indis's strength and I salute the Men in Olive Green
@ Kanchu dada- very true
@ avanti - join the club :))
@ Rohit - Thank you Rohit - Will pass on ur msg to the men in olive :))
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