Karnataka - Mysore   

A helping hand for ex-servicemen

Special Correspondent

MYSORE: A Mysore-based organisation has taken the initiative to address a significant issue pertaining to ex-servicemen, of which there is little awareness among the public. Not many may be aware of the early retirement of people in the Armed Forces, especially those who join at the age of 18 as personnel below the rank of officer and retire by they reach 40 as it is a matter of policy to keep the army young and fit.

Around 70,000 Armed Forces personnel retire each year and add up to the existing strength of 35 lakh such persons in the country today. After retirement, they face various problems despite acquiring good education and experience in different fields while serving in the armed forces. The VeKare Ex-servicemen Trust of Mysore has joined hands with Rotary Royal Mysore and conceived the concept of installing an exclusive Ex-Servicemen Rotary Community Corps (Ex-servicemen RCC) to deal with the problems of ex-servicemen.

M.N. Subramani, president of VeKET and an ex-serviceman himself, is the chairman of the Ex-servicemen RCC. The most pressing problem of ex-servicemen pertained to suitable re-employment in the civilian sector as at 40, they were considered too old to start a new vocation. Hence a majority of them were taking up sundry jobs as security guards for a pittance, he said. The new organisation would help guide ex-servicemen find re-employment and provide them career counselling. Efforts would be made to help their children get monetary help directly from the Armed Forces headquarters and through NGOs, Mr. Subramani said.

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