In Kashmir, our Security Forces personnel have been martyred (numbers in double digits) in 2017 alone, over several encounters with militants. It is very easy for us civilians to read random news articles on the internet, tweet our minds, form opinions, judge the Indian armed forces, and indulge in armchair politics. 

But have we ever wondered how a soldier posted in such a troubled environment feels? Let’s hear it in an Indian Soldier’s own words who, for obvious reasons, prefers to be anonymous.

For all my countrymen,

Few words from this Psycho Paratrooper.

Soldier Life

War is a cruel business, and warfighters need to be tough – psychologically more than physically. A weak person will desert the combat zone or even kill himself to escape hardship. Training is similarly challenging, even inhuman at times to prepare for war.

During the 40 Km endurance march with a 25 kg load at commando training school in Belgaum, my soldier course-mate fractured his shin. He was found crawling the route, refusing to give up & get in the ambulance. He was forcibly evacuated to the hospital.

Another soldier was shot in North Kashmir, lost his AK 47. He still killed the militant with his pistol, ran 5 km to the military hospital with two jawans accompanying him & collapsed at the gate. He is alive & still serving today.

The armed forces provide you with the freedom to browse the net, question our methods, demand Jallikattu on the marina. The bombs are going off in the remote border. Our methods have kept this nation safe, enabled freedom & development. That same freedom & development is now being used to vitiate us. 

It is like demolishing the first floor because one has reached the 10th floor. Our work is dirty, ugly, bloody & painful.

A sane man, in his senses, will never rush a machine gun post. Our world is wrong- so that your world, where our family also lives, may prosper. Let us run our world as required because your world has no one to RUN it; they will only RUIN it.

We can join you anytime; you can’t join us here. There is a concerted effort by foreign-owned media to weaken the Indian armed forces. Do not play into their hands. Pakistan is waging the 5th war against India through social media & winning due to our unsuspecting countrymen. Their army is incapable of facing us. So, like Arjun in Mahabharata, they are using our countrymen like Shikhandi to harm us.

It is not against you. Personally, this is the pain & frustration. I feel like a soldier—a lot of misinformation campaigns by them. Our discipline & redressal system is the best. Take any scam – Tehalka to Adarsh to VVIP helicopter deal. Only the military personnel have been punished. Can you name any civ/ politician? Was the IAF chief alone so capable of initiating the scam?

We have never failed you even once – from 1948 to 1999, from NE to J&K. From tsunami to floods to earthquake. We have held up the pants of every govt & every govt dept. Tell me one dept. that can replace us even for an hour? I rest my case with the following quote:

“A soldier doesn’t fight because he hates the enemy in front. He fights because he loves the countrymen behind him”

Ask yourself, my countrymen – are you behind us? Or after us?

Do you have an interesting incident or experience to share with the world? Write to us, and together we can discuss how to weave your story and present it to the world. Would you mind sending us your story?.