New Delhi. Indian Armed Forces have been losing over 100 soldiers every year due to suicides and fratricides leading to the grim reality of one soldier dying every third day which loss is substantially greater than the operational casualties suffered by the Armed Forces. Soldiers and leaders have been affected by hypertension, heart diseases, psychosis, neurosis and other related ailments, says a report.
According to the report based on a recent webinar “Prevailing Stress Levels in Indian Army due to Prolonged Exposure to Counter Insurgency/ Counter Terrorism Environment” says that maximum incidents of fatalities occur in Indian Army with one of the primary reasons being the prolonged deployment in Counter-Insurgency (CI)/ Counter-Terrorist (CT) environment.
The report prepared by Col Anil Kumar Mor, Senior Research Fellow at The United Service Institution of India (USI) has said that there are broadly five categories of stressors that effect Indian Army personnel.
There has been a significant increase in stress levels among Indian Army personnel during approximately last two decades due to operational and non-operational stressors. Furthermore, presently more than half of Indian Army personnel seem to be under severe stress.
It said prolonged exposure of Indian Army personnel to CI/ CT environment has been one of the contributory factors for increased stress levels.
The study found that Indian Army Officers experience comparatively much higher cumulative stress levels as compared to the JCOs/ OR. Also, the stress causative factors are found to be different for Officers as compared to JCOs/ OR. Therefore, the aspects causing stress among the various categories of Army personnel need to be addressed accordingly.
Moreover, the overall job satisfaction and pride in uniform still remains high among JCOs/ OR. However, at the same time, it seems to be a growing matter of concern among Officers, requiring urgent interventions from the highest levels of Government, the study said.
Despite harsh and challenging service conditions, Indian Army personnel remain highly motivated to serve in CI/ CT areas voluntarily. They possess high confidence in the training, weapons and equipment provided for operating in the CI/ CT environment. However, the Officers lack a similar level of trust, faith and confidence in their leadership that JCOs/OR demonstrate, the study said.
It felt that stress prevention and management should be treated as a leadership role at Unit and Formation level. The issues related to the quality of command and man-management have to be addressed at priority.
The stress that needs to be mitigated is mainly the one arising due to non-combat factors. The organisational climate and administrative support facilities need to be made supportive and motivating for soldiers and officers, the report noted.
It suggested specific stressors which cause stress among the different category of Army personnel (JCOs/ OR & Officers) should be addressed separately and specifically.
The existing organisational stress mitigation measures should be strengthened by removing the current hindrances, with the primary focus being on resolution of aspirational issues and improving administrative support facilities, the report noted.
The report suggested that various Government agencies, departments and society at large, have to be made sensitive to peculiar service conditions and ethos of Indian Army soldiers. Existing statutory provisions need to be strengthened and deficiencies filled up to facilitate institutionalised support to Army personnel, ESM and their families.
An institutionalised system of continuous research, analysis, coordination and monitoring should be established, it said.
Armed Forces personnel can willingly face any hardships and challenges, including threats to their limbs as well as lives, provided they have faith and trust in their leadership, government and the society. The IHQ of MoD (Army) and MoD need to urgently address the issues affecting morale, motivation, honour and dignity of Army personnel.
“The genuine aspirations of our soldiers must be met; their administrative support facilities improved, and their families looked after when they are serving away in operational areas. The issues affecting the quality of military leadership assume overriding importance as it is the leaders who are the real strength of any professional army in the world,” the report observes.
