CHAPTER-I

INTRODUCTION

The world today is experiencing the highly technical cold war,

terrorism and Insurgency, by various outlawed and banned military outfits.
Right from the largest to the smallest of the nations, all are covered under the
cloud of terrorism/insurgency. Media is everyday highlighting some act of
terrorism or the other, which has become the order of the day. By this act of
violence the neighbouring countries are actively resorting to unconventional
warfare which is an improvised method of mass destruction of property and
human life. This type of violence not only causes loss of human life but also is a
drain on a country’s economy. Indian Army has been actively involved to curb
these type of insurgency activities instigated, by Pakistan, in Kashmir, since
Independence.

Indian Army has achieved a vast amount of success in counter

insurgency Operations . However there have been a number of avoidable
aberrations, like suicides and fratricides by soldiers, etc. It is extremely
important to discern the causes leading to these incidents, so that these can be
stopped at the earliest.

In present day situation there is always some part of the country or the
other experiencing violence, be it politically motivated or organised by
insurgents. In such a turmoil the Army is always on the move. The number of
field areas have been increased , while peace stations have been reduced. All
areas under insurgency environment have been classified as modified field
areas which were erstwhile peace stations. Some of these were areas where
previously families were permitted, but not now, under present disturbed
situation in the North-East and J&K.

A soldier is now employed in insurgency environment night and day

without much break from the routine operations. This leads to
accumulation of a lot of steam in his mind , which a number of times finds an
exit in the form of deviant behaviour. The deviant behaviour is due to a
psychological factor called STRESS. It is extremely important to identify the
causes leading to STRESS and their prevention to maintain the combat efficiency
1
of the troops/Armed Forces.

The insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir has taken a colossal toll of Human
lives including insurgents , civilians and Armed Forces personnel. The loss in
lives suffered by the Army has been estimated to be more than that suffered in
1947, 1965 and 1971 conflicts , with Pakistan. The Army has virtually been at
war since 1987, when it was sent to Sri Lanka, as peace keeping force. Since
then the units and troops are being posted to one peace and one field area,
alternatively.

Over and above the normal field area tenure of units of the Army, the
troops have to go to Rashtriya Rifles(RR), which are engaged in Jammu and
Kashmir in Counter Insurgency operations. This further reduces the peace
tenure of the soldiers. All this continuous deployment of troops in highly active
insurgency area has had varying degree of psychological effects on the
personnel, which has extracted its toll 1. The following figures speak for
themselves - Since Independence , Indian Army has Lost 45000 men in various
conflicts, dead or wounded. Out of this 12000 have died /wounded in three
wars with Pakistan and border conflicts with China. Compare this figure to,
over 30000 soldiers either dead or wounded in counter insurgency operations 2.

History reveals that British Government spent over two million pounds
on benefit payments to the shell shocked World War -I victims ; an enormous
rise in the number of out patient clinics in England, after World War I, was a
response to the need to treat an extremely large number of traumatized
servicemen. This led to a highly comprehensive approach towards treating the
traumatized soldiers on the warfront in World War II, which reduced the
psychiatric morbidity to a great extent . However in Vietnam war more than
3,00,000 Americans were wounded, more than half required hospitalization and
approximately one quarter >75,000 became seriously disabled . Thanks to the
efficient evacuation procedures and modern medical technology , many
survived who would not have lived in the previous wars . A price for this
survival was a 300% higher rate of amputations or of crippling wounds to the
lower extremities than what occurred in World War II. However, the emotional
upheaval of the casualties were not fully understood, and the psychological

1
Col DS Goel, Psychological Aspects of Counter Insurgency Operations. Combat journal Apr 1998.
2
Psychological Perspectives of IED Environment , at IED National seminar held at College of Military Engineering
Pune.
2
Trauma / problems that the casualties suffered, continue to persist even today
3
.

Army and the Government have taken a number of measures to manage

stress in the troops, serving in J and K ,in insurgency areas. However there is
still a lot more improvement required in this respect which is evident from the
recent suicide and fratricide cases reported in various magazines and internet,
given below.

The reported, year wise suicide cases beyond 2002( As per Min of
Defence), are as follows4:-

 2003 - 120 suicide cases.

 2004 - 116 suicide cases.
 2005 - 119 suicide cases.

As reported by IGT by IANS, on Internet , dated 13 Jul 2009; there were a

total of 495 suicide and 25 fratricide cases reported as follows:-

 2006 - 154 suicide and 13 fratricide cases.

 2007 - 142 suicide and 07 fratricide cases.
 2008 - 151 suicide and 04 fratricide cases.
 2009(Till - 48 suicide and 01 fratricide cases.
Jul )
( Out of the above 412 suicide and 24 fratricide cases were from the Army, 76
suicide and 01 fratricide cases from the Air Force and 07 suicide cases were
from the Navy).

According to “The Week” dated 25 Jul 2010, the reported suicide cases
were as follows:-
 2009 - 112 suicide cases.
 2010(till end May)- 43 suicide cases.

The above figures intensify the enormity of the predicament and insist
grave deliberation and discourse on Stress management in the Army, which is
being methodically dealt with, in subsequent sections.

3
Hendin H, Haas AP. Wounds of War: The Psychological aftermath of combat in Vietnam. Basic Books,New York
1984
4
CJ Sharma, 26 Jun 2007- Armed Forces in J&K have a new enemy
3
 CHAPTER-II

METHODOLOGY

DEFINITION OF THE PROBLEM

To study the causes and manifestation of STRESS amongst troops in the

Army, in Insurgency Environment and its management, with special reference to
Jammu and Kashmir.

JUSTIFICATION FOR THE STUDY

There have been a number of cases where middle rung officers have
committed suicide, while a few soldiers have lost their patience and shot their
colleagues and superior officers. These incidents appear to be the preliminary
symptoms of a serious malady that appears to be plaguing the troops engaged
in long drawn counter insurgency operations. The media reports are highlighting
these incidents, which is not only having an adverse affect on the morale of the
soldiers but also maligning the image of the Army. It is therefore a matter which
cannot be ignored by military leadership. Some concrete steps need to be taken to
arrest this trend. Such incidents are mostly as a result of ‘STRESS’, due to prolonged
exposure of troops, to an insurgency environment. Military leaders must analyse
the nature of this problem and find ways and means to create an environment,
which helps in the successful management of STRESS.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The following was carried out: –

 Sample size – 100 {officers/junior commissioned officers (JCOs)/ Non

Commissioned Officers (NCOs)/Other Ranks (ORs)}.

 Data Collection
 Primary - Through Questionnaire and structured interview. Samples were
collected from the officers, JCOs (Junior Commissioned Officers), NCOs

4
 (Non Commissioned Officers) and ORs(Other Ranks). All the respondents
have served in Insurgency Environment in J&K and taken
part in counter insurgency operations. The break-down of samples is as
follows:-

Category Nos. Percentage

 Officers 30 20%
 JCOs 20 30%
 NCOs 15 32%
 ORs 35 18%
Total 100 100%

 Sampling Method - Random sampling.

 Questionnaire
 The questionnaire was prepared in both English(for officers
only) and Roman Hindi (for JCOs , NCOs and ORs). A copy each, of
both the questionnaires are attached as annexure. The questionnaire
has 59 questions and was designed to gain following
information:-
o Question No. 1 to 15. These were designed to gain general
information of the respondent, his family background and his
family status.
o Question No. 16 to 24. These were framed to know about
the existing environment in the place of the person’s
residence. Also to know about the attitude of Police , Local
Administration and neighbors towards the retired Army
personnel and families of the serving soldiers.
o Question No. 25 to 42. These were framed to know the
general information of the environment at the soldier’s work
place, attitude of his seniors, juniors and colleagues, facilities
available in the unit, any changes recommended by the
soldiers, for improving the overall administration of the unit.
o Question No. 43 to 59 . The questions were designed to gain
information about the operations being carried out and the

5
 psychological effect on different ranking personnel i.e.
Officers, JCOs, NCOs and ORs . There was also a requirement
to know about their opinion , why the Army personnel are
resorting to suicide and fratricide, their suggestions to
further reduce/stop the same, etc. . This set of question is
important for the research and has been dealt with question
wise, the rest of the questions have been dealt with as a
group.

 Secondary Data - This information was collected through various

books, periodicals, articles and internet.

 Limitations Of the Study : -

 It was an endeavor to get information from maximum No. of Officers,

however due to non availability, only 20% of samples could be procured from
them.
 Interview of a few respondents, from local units only could be taken, due to
exigencies of service and non availability.
 Maximum No. of officers, JCOs , NCOs and ORs have not given their views
freely, for fear of being singled out, hence clear cut picture of Unit environment
existing in the Insurgency areas has not come out.
 Very few JCO/NCO/OR respondents have given any information concerning
operational environment. The officers have been selective and restrictive while
giving their views due to the classified nature of information.
 Latest information regarding the suicides, fratricide cases, casualties of Army
personnel, civilians and militants, etc was not made available by any concerned
official source, due to its effect on the morale of troops. Information available from
books, magazines and internet has been utilised.
 Due to the constraints mentioned above, casual interviews with
experienced, senior Army officers and personal experience has also
been utilized, to analyse the missing links, in the data collected, and
recommendations.
 Since no new and substantial information has been given by the
NCOs, over and above that given by ORs, the respondents of both

6
 these categories are being considered as one and will be addressed
as NCOs. This will also cater for a clear concise and comprehensive
compilation and analysis of information.
 At places the respondents (specially JCOs and NCOs) seem to have
given wrong answers fearing adverse consequences.

CHAPTER-III

OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT IN COUNTER

INSURGENCY OPERATIONS

7
 In conventional operations of war the battle lines are clearly drawn , the
enemy is clearly identifiable and aggression can unequivocally be channelised in
his direction . Organizational as well as national goals are clear and
unambiguous , public support is ensured and the soldier comes to regard
himself as a living symbol of patriotic pride . The unit operates from a firm base
where relaxation in a relatively secure environment is readily accessible.

The situation in COUNTER INSURGENCY OPRATIONS is diametrically

opposite . Prolonged spells of stress, punctuated by quantitatively and
qualitatively inadequate opportunities for relaxation /recovery, impose
immense and often unbearable demands on even otherwise robust subjects .

It must be realized that prolonged exposure to an insurgency

environment makes everyone , whether officers or soldiers susceptible to stress
because they not only live but also work at a faster pace, to deal with
uncertainty and change . From the military point of view , insurgency places a
psychological weight on the military mind . COUNTER INSURGENCY
OPRATIONS , whether winning or losing ,are uphill and heart breaking . The
battlefield appears frozen in time . One is running all the time ,yet it appears that
one is standing at the same place. The levels of friction, particularly of the mind,
can at times be intolerable . The operations are continuous; there are no pauses
and no time -outs or half-times. Frustration mounts when there is no
breakthrough while the expectations to perform and produce results are high.
The soldiers are caught in a crossfire of moral Vs immoral -and the dividing
lines are blurred. In sum total , insurgency imposes severe stress and strain on
those engaged in it 5.

The operational environment in Such Operations is an ideal cauldron for

providing a psychologically weakened soldier to act and behave in a delinquent
manner and for manifestation of psychosomatic disorders . These Operations
involve unconventional politico -military operations , overt as well as covert
( including subversion , psychological tactics such as the use of terror to
destroy morale , economic sabotage ), carried out by vicious ,highly motivated

5
Maj Gen Samay Ram, UYSM, AVSM, VSM ( Retd) :Management of Stress in Counter Insurgency
Environment: Journal of the United Service Institution of India, Jul-Sep, 1998.
8
and well funded militant groups . Troops are thus exposed to far greater
stresses as compared to conventional warfare .

Intense combat conditions with heavy losses, in killed or wounded,

cannot be tolerated for more than brief periods of time by most persons. The
demoralizing effects of battle fear are surprisingly enhanced by the realistic
evidence of nearby casualties. It is not surprising, therefore, that the incidence
of psychiatric breakdown in combat rises and falls with the battle casualties
rate.

A basic component in the struggle for effectiveness in battle is the

personality disposition of the combat soldier. Previously this element was of
primary importance , as it was logical to assume that emotionally stable persons
would be more resistant to external stress than those with Neurotic
personalities . While this may be correct , the many imponderables in combat
situations make such a hypothesis difficult to substantiate and is of doubtful
practical value. Experience has shown that the local circumstances of battle,
such as an inspiring commander, positive group loyalty, the presence of a
strong buddy and the nature of the tactical situation ,may profoundly alter the
usual adaptation process of persons. In general it can however, be said that the
passive and timid person who cannot mobilize and externalize anger is more
vulnerable to external fear because of his impaired ability to react aggressively
towards the enemy and thus discharge tension6 . Even such a dependent person
may force himself to the continued effort, despite marked subjective discomfort,
if impelled by an adequate self critical conscience. When such an internal
conscience is lacking or is deficient , the passive person rapidly becomes a
psychiatric casualty. Combat psychiatric casualties , are the end result of a
complicated intra psychic conflict in which the personality traits , physical
status , combat training , group identification and leadership are affected to a
great extent by the tension produced by the fear of death or injury. Having said
about combat casualties , what makes COUNTER INSURGENCY OPRATIONS
unique is the causation of mental problems? An overview of the battle
casualties treated in Kashmir valley over a period of five years i.e. from 1990 to
1994 reveal some startling facts:-

Year Killed Wounded Personnel %

6
Lt Col Saldhana D, Psychological Perspectives of I ED Environment : I ED Seminar 28 - 29 Apr 1988 at
CME.

9
 1990 80 516
1991 126 652 Army-40.9%
1992 154 740 BSF 59.1%
1993 203 897
1994 192 946

TOTAL 755 3571

Till the beginning of 1992 the militants resorted to various kinds of guns
but beyond that they resorted to the use of Improvised Explosive Devices
(IEDs) , inflicting greater number of injuries than those killed and wounded. The
incapacitation of those injured, was devastating . Multiple organ system injuries,
blood loss, followed by complication during the post care, virtually drained the
Nations economy 7 .

The contributory factors which enhance or build up stress in COUNTER

INSURGENCY OPERATIONS, include the following :-

 Ambiguity of aim, politico-moral justification, and societal support.

 Apprehension of ever-present danger , the scourge of which Is
largely unknown , unrecognizable , and unexpected .
 Insecurity resulting from the operational requirement of operating
in small subunits, often cut off from each other, in a hostile environment
where the insurgent is virtually indistinguishable from and frequently
sustained by support (directly or indirectly , willingly or under fear of
reprisals) from the local populace who suffer casualties privation in the
crossfire and who tend to blame the troops rather than the terrorists for
their travails .
 Fatigue and eventual exhaustion as a consequence of continuing
stress over prolonged periods ,lack of sleep/rest ,absence of recreational
avenues ,domestic worries , irregular mail , problems relating to
leave /railway reservation at short notice , inability to relax
even in secure bases, due to fear of unexpected attacks/sabotage
and an all pervading feeling of uncertainty .

7
Col D Saldhana: Psychological Perspectives of I ED Environment: I EDNational Seminar 28- 29 Apr 1998.

10
  Frustration at the perceived failure of their superior officers , the
organization and the state to deal firmly with and eliminate the
"JAMAYATIS" who, though unarmed, are the real ideological motivators
and material sustainers of militancy in JAMMU AND KASHMIR . This
leads to erosion of confidence in themselves , their leaders and the
organization and even in the future course of the operations . Some of the
other factors which affect the soldier operating in COUNTER
INSURGENCY OPERATIONS are discussed in the succeeding
paragraphs .

Boredom & Isolation. The operational environment in These Operations

is characterized by long drawn intense activity . During the periods of lull and
inactivity, when quite often each man is left to his own thoughts, are the times
when the imagination could run wild and seriously affect the individuals’
fighting and sustaining capacity. Paradoxically, men with more intelligence and
hence more imagination, may be more susceptible. The vacant mind will be
preferable to the fertile brain where the imagination can play tricks and draw
pictures of danger for their undoing . It must be remembered that life may
trickle out of men faster through thought than through a gaping wound.

Hostile Local Population .The key Factor for fighting and restricting
insurgencies is - THE PEOPLE . The power lies with the people, but a certain
degree of selfishness(in form of personal security), keeps them from joint and
concerted efforts to face and resolve the problems. The “ we - they “ syndrome
also influences the situation because we are very quick to point out what “they”
( Government, Administration etc. ) should(MUST) do. The Tezpur Incident,
about an army officer being shot while praying in a temple and when the wife
sought assistance ( of only a telephone call ), the people nearby refused; it
indicates bankruptcy of courage, fellow feeling and honourable behaviour 8.

Long Drawn Operations. These days wars are normally of a short

duration. However, proxy wars in the form of militancy are long drawn affair in
which the ability to see the end of the tunnel is in itself stressful. Fatigue in
such situations is primarily of two kinds .Firstly tiring operational work leads to
physical exhaustion, but this is easily relieved and does not have any psycho-
physiological fallout except when the person indulges in heavy smoking or
drinking to get rid of the fatigue. Secondly, the fatigue is caused by the repetitive
8
. Choudhary, KL, Declining Population of Kashmiri Pandits in Exile (1995)
11
nature of a difficult assignment spread over a long period of time, with little or
no hope of getting any relief. This condition can result in breakdowns or even
burning out. Continuously performing in difficult situations without any
substantial break can cause fatigue, mental as well as physical.

Guilt. The Counter Insurgency Operations are mainly being carried out
against own citizens who are being misled and aided by foreign militant groups.
A soldier, basically trained to fight an enemy , when called out to carry out
operations of such nature i.e. Counter Insurgency Operations, he is totally at a
loss to fully understand whether to treat the insurgent as a “Friend or Foe” .
This thought subconsciously plays on his mind , causing STRESS, due to
intense feeling of guilt.

Human Rights Factor . The troops feel that they are being prosecuted
while the true perpetuators of the problem are being treated like victims.
Altruistic motives of such organisations are under suspicion. In many cases one
gets a feeling that to make their presence felt in the area and get a praise from
the local population(cheap popularity), they blame Security Forces , police , etc,
for atrocities of militants. The condemnation of military action of militants by
these organisations is very sluggish. For example, they appealed for the release
of Sonjoy Ghose but did not condemn the kidnapping .” More talk and less
substance “ is an opinion, which a lot of people carry, about such organisations.
The amusing part is people who make most noise have managed to keep their
“bloody” consciences clear - despite the nuclear holocaust, Vietnam, etc. 9 ?

Hostile militant propaganda . The hostile militants use a number of

means to do propaganda, like distributing pamphlets, getting tapes and CDs
telecasted through TV network, etc. This is a cause of low morale in troops.

Adverse Media Influence. The oxygen giver to militancy and militants,

media(all types) certainly needs a lot of attention. Some questions that could
be pondered over are:-

 Concept of “Fearlessness”- is it only related to anti establishment and anti

Security Forces coverage ?
 Credibility and Objectivity : are these relevant to the media or is it simply
9
RP Gautam – Fear -Genesis and coping Stratigies, USI Journal, Dec (1985)

12
 “making/breaking” news that is important ?
 Since militants take action (including killing/burning etc.) when media
does not toe their line , does it affect reporting / coverage ?
 Are “egos” much too important for media personalities ?
 Do trips to militant camps have any other purpose except boost the image
of the reporter and the publication/network ?Shouldn’t these be
considered anti-national ?
 In their hurry to report, correspondents often miss out the whole
picture - and their egos don’t permit them to acknowledge that they
were wrong .
 Priority of news is left to the whims and fancies of editors. Also, the
consideration of what they may lose by reporting the truth .True or not
headlines must look sensational .
 Pretensions (to first hand knowledge) often lead to confused coverage
(lacking focus and priority). This is more so in the case of electronic
media .
 In depth knowledge about the people, the causes of insurgency,
traditions, history, culture, the Security Forces etc is apparently lacking.
Egos don’t permit acknowledgement of the same .

Separation from Families. Loneliness, domestic worries and an endless

wait for relief are in some ways intricately related to each other. Loneliness is
suffered because the personnel live without their families for long periods of
time at a stretch. Domestic worries keep on adversely affecting the
psychological state of the subject. These may include a feeling of guilt at not
being able to help children in their studies or not being available at times of
trouble or illness in the family. The inability to attend social functions like
birthdays of children or marriages of close relations can be a cause of anxiety.
The feeling that one is neglecting one’s family can be a powerful stressor .It may
be argued that such problems are seen in any work situation , in any profession.
Here the difference is that breaks in the form of leave, at times of choice or at
regular intervals, is almost an impossible proposition. All these may result in a
number of behavioural manifestations and habits that may be harmful to health.

Unrealistic Goals & Demands. Commanders at various levels at times

tend to lay down unrealistic targets in terms of militants killed / captured . It is
difficult in such situations to achieve targets, as results are not achieved as a
matter of routine but come by fits and starts. Hand picked officers who are
13
competent ,deadline oriented and hard driving are chosen to work in such
situations. These generally fall under the category of personality Type A,
characterised by the habit of living under constant pressure and impatience
with delays. The abnormal situations and slow results makes them, impatient,
anxious , disorganised and Stressful .

The element of ambiguity and uncertainty is inherent in the very nature

of COUNTER INSURGENCY OPRATIONS , as the Americans learnt at the cost of
defeat and humiliation in Vietnam ? The Indian ' Jawan ' has , however
transcended the negative impact of this factor and the success achieved in
containing insurgency in JAMMU AND KASHMIR is an amazing example of sheer
willpower triumphing over unbelievable levels of military and environmental
adversity. Time honoured but currently unfashionable concepts such as
Regimental spirit , group cohesiveness , identification with the organisation and
loyalty to family / clan / tradition are even today potent motivators of men
going into battle .

This should however not lull the nation into a state of self congratulatory
complacency . The soldier , even the redoubtable Indian jawan , cannot remain
perpetually immune to the prevalent prolonged exposure to an insurgency
environment. Whether officers or soldiers, all are susceptible to stress because
they not only live but also work at a faster pace to deal with uncertainty and
change, which typical of counter Insurgency operations.

CHAPTER IV

STRESS - BASIC DEFINITION ,STRESSORS

AND FACTORS INVOLVED

14
 Healthy mind and a healthy body go together was known before the days of
Juvenal. The Chinese and the ancient Greeks believed that certain dispositions of
character and certain diseases were linked with variations in the nature and
appearances of the fluids of the body. The humeral theory of diseases was
spread by the writings of Celus ( 1st Century A.D. ) throughout the civilised
world . It was held universally till the eighteenth century, and persists in many
parts of the world even today. It was replaced in Europe during the nineteenth
century by the concept of “ diathesis “ , a view that recognised the link between
personal constitution and the tendency to disease , but rejected the role of the
body “ humours “. The same fundamental concept underlies the recognition
today of PSYCHOSOMATIC disease .Psychosomatic medicine is the “ new look “ in
medicine , but , like the “new look “ of the dress makers , it is a return of the
fashion of a previous generation- specialisation dominated medicine, during the
early years of the present century. Disease became the object of intensive study ,
and the patient tended to be forgotten . Psychosomatic medicine was timely in
re-emphasising the truth that mind and body make one person , and that in any
illness the interplay of mind and body is largely responsible for the form the
disease takes , for its progress , and for its ultimate outcome .

STRESS may be an internal state which can be caused by physical demands

made on the body such as disease ,exercise, extremes of temperature
,professional hazards and so on or by environmental and social situations
which are evaluated as potentially harmful, uncontrollable ,or exceeding our
resources for coping, which adversely affect the physical and psychological well
being of a person(Morgan & Others, 1993).The term STRESS has been used so
loosely, and so many confusing definitions of it have been formulated that it will
be most instructive to start out by stating clearly what it is not. Contrary to
some current but vague or misleading statements :-

 STRESS is not nervous tension. Stress reactions do occur in lower

animals which have no nervous system.
 STRESS is not an emergency discharge of hormones from the
adrenal medulla. An adrenaline discharge is frequently seen in acute
stress affecting the whole body, but it plays no conspicuous role in
generalised inflammatory diseases, although they can also produce
considerable stress; nor does it play any role in local stress reactions
limited to directly injured territories of the body .
 STRESS is not anything that causes a secretion, by the adrenal
15
 cortex, of its hormones , the corticoids. ACTH, the adrenal - stimulating
pituitary hormone, can discharge corticoids without producing any
evidence of stress .

STRESS in Work Situations. The work situation can be an important stressor.

It has already been identified as one of the chronic life strains. Even normal
work situations like the nature of work, the workload, relations with Colleagues
and bosses, etc., can be very stressful. Abnormal work situations like assignment
as members of the Army in militancy affected areas add a totally different
dimension to work situation stressors. This is so because the work situations
are so demanding and so different from the normal that an entirely new set of
stressors come into play. It is a warlike situation, yet so different from a war;
reactions are measured and controlled, despite grave provocations. Here,
actions are generally not against an enemy, as in war ; therefore the training he
has received is of little help to him in this particular environment , as such the
damages caused are traumatic.

Hans Selye, a pioneer of research on STRESS , saw it as response and not

as the environmental stimulus or a situation where the demand exceeds the
individuals ability to cope . He called this a General Adaptation Syndrome and
described a three stage reaction to organismic stress, which is a non specific
response of the organism to any stressful agent called 'stressor', of sufficient
intensity. The three stages are as follows :-

 Alarm Reaction. Initial reaction, initial shock and manifestation of

the organism’s adaptive measures/mechanisms.
 Stage of Resistance. Successful adaptation to the STRESS .
 Stage of Exhaustion. If stress is sustained then the stage of
exhaustion follows, i.e. breakdown of adaptation , irreversible
structural damage and possible death.

Small amounts of stress may appear and disappear like bubbles but when
a person perceives an imbalance between the challenge that faces him and the
resources he has to meet it , stress can be like a dead weight or a wall .It is
however important to note that balance or imbalance is not between actual
demand and actual capacity but between our evaluation of the challenge and
our perception of our capacity to meet it.

16
Types Of Stressors

Stressful situations are of many types . Catastrophe (natural or man

made) such as earthquakes ,wars ,and fires ; major life changes ,such as
unemployment or the death of a spouse or chronic life strains .

Men in combat suffer extreme psychological stress, which was termed as

"shell shock" in World War I, “ combat fatigue" in World War II , and "acute
combat reaction" in the Vietnam War. People who have suffered major negative
life changes, in particular, are more likely to develop diabetes, leukaemia ,
cardiovascular disease, schizophrenia , depression, etc. Negative life events
relate directly to illness , but positive events relate weakly. The same event may
have different levels of stress depending upon cultural, sex or other differences.

Factors Involved in Stress. Now that we are aware about stressful situations,
let us see how the interaction between situational , personal and biological
factors are involved in causing stress .

The general effects of situational variations include :-

 Duration : Such as short job interview Vs long marital quarrel.

 Severity.
 Predictability.
 Controllability.
 Suddenness of onset.

One of the greatest challenges is equipping a person with effective ways to

handle Stress. Factors like skills and resources available, help in adjustment to
stress.

Regarding Biological Factors, in general , the sympathetic nervous system

is more active during state of arousal and stress , while the parasympathetic
system is more active during quiet, resting state. During emotional arousal they
increase the heartbeat , dilate arteries of various muscles , including the heart,
and constrict arteries of the digestive organs and the skin, all at the same time

17
.In addition ,they promote perspiration and the secretion of certain hormones
that further increase emotional excitement .
As per Hans Selye’s GAS(General Adaptation Syndrome) , Selye believed
that stress is the body’s response to the demands made on it and referred to
these demands as stressors. The first stage of body’s response to stress is an
ALARM REACTION which involves physiological changes generally associated
with emotion - pupil dilation ,increase in heart rate, galvanic skin response and
epinephrine secretion. If the stress persists ,the individual enters a second stage
-RESISTANCE , during which the body recovers from the initial stress reaction
and begins adapting to the situation. There is a decrease in output from the
sympathetic nervous system , a lower rate epinephrine secretion, and higher
than normal outputs from the adrenal cortex and the pituitary gland . If the
stress continues, the individual will reach the FINAL STAGE of exhaustion, as the
bodily resources are depleted. At this stage , the adrenal glands are no longer
able to function adequately, and the body begins to breakdown.

Selye’s theory has two central ideas. The first is that the body responds in
the same way regardless of the source of stress; the second is that this pattern of
reactions ultimately results in breakdown. A psycho-physiological disorder is
one that reaches clinical proportions. The cause (prolonged emotional response
to stress) may be under the individual’s control ,but the symptoms are real.

In response to stressors , chemical messages are carried along neuronal

tracks in the outer edge of the brain to the hypothalamus, which produces a
substance called corticotrophin releasing factor(CRF).The hypothalamus sends
CRF and other chemical messengers to the pituitary gland and the brain stem,
which release several substances involved in the body’s stress response. The
appraisal process and emotional arousals are involved in transmitting the
messages of stress that activate the GAS. This means that physiological and
psychological processes become intertwined when people are confronted with
stressors .

Stress Cycles

Stress has a number of immediate effects and if stressors continue their

presence, long term behavioural, physiological, emotional, and cognitive
thinking effects occur. If these effects obstruct adaptation to the environment or
create discomfort and distress, they themselves become stressors and tend to
18
perpetuate a cycle of distress. On the other hand many people have developed
ways of coping with stressors so that they are able to adapt positively .

Stress Related Disease and Personality Type

Recent research has established a connection between personality type

and stress related coronary artery disease which were hitherto related to
lifestyle factors such as smoking, obesity and inactivity. These behaviour
patterns can help in predicting heart disease rather than relying solely on
medical diagnostic methods.

Type A persons are hard driving and competitive. They live under
constant pressure, largely of their own making. They seek recognition and
advancement and take on multiple activities with deadlines to meet. Type As’
tend to perform near their maximum capacity no matter what the situation calls
for. They show a strong urge towards achievement , keeping suppression of the
cost (fatigue) and impatience (due to delay) to themselves . When put under
stressful conditions they cannot control, they are likely to become hostile ,
impatient, anxious and disorganised.

Type B persons are quite the opposite. They are easygoing, non -
competitive , placid and unflappable. They bear stress easily. They may be slow
but surely reach their targets. Type Bs may be dull but they are sure to live
longer .

There is a rational explanation for the link between personality type and
heart disease. It probably lies in the chemical substances released by autonomic
nervous system in response to stressors. There is some evidence that victims of
heart attacks have different reactions to a stressor .Either their blood-chemistry
response or the timing of their response is different .There is evidence that
these responses are delayed and protracted rather than immediate. It suggests
that programmes to help Type A patients cope more constructively with
stressors, might be helpful. This idea is being pursued by psychologists with
success.

19
 CHAPTER- V

MANIFESTATION OF STRESS

Stress is a major problem in our society, more so amongst troops and

commanders operating in the extremely stressful environments of COUNTER
INSURGENCY OPERATIONS . About 75% of bodily disease is related to stress.
Stress is often a factor in heart disease and cancer, two of the leading causes of
death, some other physical disorders including diabetes ,pneumonia
,tuberculosis ,stomach and intestinal problems as also minor ailments such as
chronic headaches and influenza. Although stress cannot be quantified, it is
involved in much of our unhappiness ,irritability, and dissatisfaction. How could
such high levels of stress have such diverse effects on the human body? For
reasons not yet fully understood ,severe and prolonged stress tends to lead to
suppression of the body’s immune system, which normally fights off invading
bacteria, viruses, and cancerous growths.

Stress and the Immune System

20
 Psycho-neuro immunology, a new field of research which began in the
late 1970’s deals with the effect of psycho-social factors on the brain which
alters the body’s immune system, making it more prone to disease. The research
demonstrates a direct connection between physiological, the brain, and the
immune system. It was long suspected that stress situations , such as
examinations ,affect the brain ,which in turn influences the immune system, but
direct evidence for such connection based on experiments has only recently
appeared.

Psychosomatic Symptoms

The dictionary meaning of ‘Psychosomatic’, is a disease physical in origin ;

of both mind and body. The list of psychosomatic symptoms which occur
primarily because of stressful feelings , includes stomach problems, heart
irregularities, breathing difficulties, fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, skin
problems and elimination difficulties. Besides these common symptoms ,others
include hypertension ,ulcers, allergy ,asthma attacks ,insomnia, and flu . Some
symptoms ,such as headaches, may develop after several hours of stress. Other
symptoms ,such as stomach problems ,may develop after days or months of
stress.

Psychosomatic disorders fall under the category of abnormal behaviour.

Abnormal behaviour is sometimes characterised as maladaptive behaviour
which interferes with an individual’s survival, growth or fulfilment, and with the
well being of society. Used in strict biological sense, the term maladaptive
means anything that reduces fitness. In fact ,certain behaviours called abnormal
may once have had , or may now have , adaptive consequences. For example
certain neurotic disorders may be exaggerated forms of reacting to stress, and
the capacity for such exaggerations may have been adaptive to our humanoid
ancestors. Reacting to potentially threatening stimuli with extreme fear and
trepidation ,or to those things that have occurred close in time or space to the
threatening stimuli may have been important motivators for escape from or
avoidance of predators and other dangerous situations. For groups adapted to
environment characterised by a great deal of danger and risk( as in COUNTER
INSURGENCY OPERATIONS ) it may have been good sense to spend a lot of time
“ on edge”, reacting to even slight changes in environment with fear and
readiness for ” flight or fight” .Of course, in modern societies where survival is
not being threatened on a day to day basis such tendencies would stand out as
21
exaggerated and inappropriate . It is not suggested that all or most behavioural
disorders have adaptive consequences. But to think that behaviour we call
abnormal is always maladaptive, at least in the Darwinian sense of the term may
be a mistake.

It may be serious mistake to regard abnormal behaviour as an entity that

is qualitatively different from normal behaviour. In many cases abnormal
behaviour seems to be more of a matter of degree than of kind . Most of us lie
between the extremes of severe abnormality and little abnormality. This means
that most of us at some time or the other, experience mild to moderate degrees
of behavioural abnormality.

Prevalence of Selected Categories of Abnormal Behaviour in USA

Disorders % of Population Affected

 Anxiety Disorders 2-4
 Major affective disorders
 Major Depression
o Females 18 - 23
o Males 8 - 11
 Bipolar Disorders .4 - 1.2
 Schizophrenic .2 - +1
Disorders
 Anti Social Personality
Disorders
o Females <1
o Males 3

The present system of classification( of psychological disorders) that is

most widely followed is the third revision of (1980) of the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , known as DSM - III .

Psychosomatic symptoms occur when thoughts and emotional reactions

maintain the body in a state of physiological arousal. If the arousal is long it can
lead to pain, infection or organ breakdown. The link between stress and
psychosomatic symptoms is well established. Researchers have shown that a
single session of inescapable shock, which is very stressful , causes a

22
significantly greater growth of tumours in rats than does escapable shock .
Apparently , the stress of inescapable shock suppresses the rat’s immune
system.

Different people develop varying psychosomatic symptoms. This is

because each one of us has inherited a predisposition to develop a particular
psychosomatic problem when under stress. Although you have inherited a
predisposition to a particular psychosomatic disease , there are things you can
do to decrease the risk. For example a proper diet ,exercise and a stress
management programme can decrease the risk of an inherited predisposition to
for hypertension.

Coronary Heart Disease

Coronary Heart Disease(CHD) accounts for 650,000 deaths per year,

150,000 of them in people less than 65 years of age .CHD occurs when there are
lesions of the arteries that circulate blood within the heart itself. In CHD , one or
more of these arteries is partially or totally obstructed. The blood supply gets
permanently or temporarily cut off when coronary arteries become rigid , thick
walled and narrow as a result of plaque deposits. This is referred to as
atherosclerosis .Stress contributes to CHD through the body’s general reactions
to frightening or unpleasant events. Under arousing conditions, catecholamine
are secreted .Two of these catecholamines- adrenalin and non-adrenaline,
accelerate the rate of arterial damage and ultimately, can lead to a heart attack.
Then ,of course a heart attack prone personality, Type A as opposed to Type B,
is also at risk.

When we talk of heart attack, we usually mean a myocardial infarction

caused by insufficient blood supply but is more dangerous as it involves
complete curtailment of the heart’s blood supply. Angina pectoris refers to
periodic chest pains caused by an insufficient supply of oxygen rich blood to the
heart.

Blood Pressure, Hypertension and Heart Disease

The force with which blood pushes against the walls of the blood vessels
is the blood pressure. Blood pressure changes from heart-beat to heart-beat.
Individuals who have constantly high blood pressure are said to be having
hypertension which contributes to strokes and heart attacks. While, when an
23
individual is under stress his heart beats faster due to release of adrenaline ,this
causes the blood pressure to rise. High blood pressure can cause enlargement of
the heart muscles ,especially of the left ventricle, which pumps blood into the
body. The constant strain of high blood pressure within the blood vessels can
cause them to tear or to explode suddenly leading to a stroke.

Post Traumatic Stress Reactions

Post traumatic stress disorder is a state of anxiety, depression ,and

physiological “numbing” that follows exposure to a severe trauma, such as
warfare ,militant killings, a catastrophe or violent death of a loved one. This
appears as a recurrent dream or nightmare in slow motion. Stress reactions
usually settle down slowly within six months of the traumatic event , but it may
be prolonged to decades as in the case of Vietnam veterans. Victims complain of
tension, insomnia and trouble in concentrating ,plus a feeling of remoteness
from others and a feeling that life has lost its meaning.

Succumbing to post-traumatic stress syndrome depends upon the severity

of the catastrophe, the persons psychological make-up, and the traumatic
environment in which the person lives. Clinical studies of such cases suggest
that the expression of emotions and thought, openly to a supportive listener,
help the subject in getting over the post traumatic stress syndrome.

Since war is not new, Post traumatic stress disorder has been known by
various names throughout military history, including the irritable heart of the
soldiers , combat neuroses, war neuroses , and shell shock etc. Stone(1985)
observed that shell shock was labelled as an illness to justify the tremendous fall
out of conscripts in the battle zone rather than admit that in human terms , war
in itself is horrific and for some people literally unbearable. This shock reaction
symptom is characterised by three groups of symptoms related to hyper
arousal. The first group relates to reliving an aspect of the trauma, with
nightmares, sudden actions, or feelings as if the traumatic event is taking place
all over again . The second group comprises symptoms purely related to
avoiding anything likely to remind the individual of the trauma,( decrease in
interest , feeling of detachment , alienation and the loss of the capacity to
express affection ). Third group consists of symptoms indicative of heightened
irritability , sudden shock like reactions and sleep disturbances as well as quick

24
temper and outbursts of anger. The duration of the symptoms should be more
than 30 days.

Since our experience in this field is woefully inadequate, a pilot study was
undertaken to study the effects of post traumatic stress disorder in injured
soldiers and civilians admitted in Base Hospital in Srinagar. Six hundred and one
injured cases from the army, paramilitary forces and civilians in the age range of
21 to 50 years were studied.( Table 1 )

TABLE - 1

Percentage Age Groups(yr.)

21-30 31-40 41-50 51&
above
Military 54.6 194 144 07 01
(n=328)
PMF 38.8 169 28 32 04
(n=233)
Civs(n=40 6.7 31 06 03 00
)
Total 394 160 42 05
(n=601) 65.6% 26.6% 6.9% 0.8%

Mean Age Military =29.35 +/- 2.01 ( PMF – PARA MILITARY FORCES)

Mean Age PMF = 30.00 +/- 9.15

Mean age Civs = 32.45 +/- 3.24

Out of 601 cases , 457 cases(75.7%) manifested with stress symptoms in

the form of acute anxiety reactions , sleeplessness, irritability, sudden shock like
reaction , quick outbursts of anger which were relieved by early intervention
and treatment . The symptoms disappeared within 30 days. 146 cases (24.3%)
were rated to be post traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) cases whose system
complex persisted for more than 30 days( Table 2 )

Table 2

DURATION OF SYMPTOMS

Duration No Percentage Military PMF Civs

25
of of Cases
Symptom
(days)

Non PTSD
<7 113 18.8 48 60 05
8-14 197 32.8 123 64 10
15-29 145 24.1 90 47 08

PTSD
30-180 142 23.6 66 61 15
180 & 04 0.7 01 01 02
above

TABLE 3

CAUSE OF INJURIES

Cause Armed Forces PMF Civilian

Non PTSD- non-PTSD non-PTSD
PTSD PTSD PTSD

Gun shot wounds 80 30 71 30 11 15

n=237(39.4%)
Mine/IED’s 41 37 57 32 0 0
n=167(27.37%)
Accidents 128 0 37 0 12 0
n=177(29.9%)
Misc. 12 0 6 0 0 2
n=20(3.3%)
Total = 601 261 67 171 62 23 17

Six months follow up of the 146 PTSD cases revealed improvement in

39.7% of the cases as compared to those not improved (17.12%). Those who did
not reply to follow up letters were 42.5%( Table 4 ).

TABLE 4

26
 FOLLOW UP OF PTSD ( 6 MONTHS ), N= 146

No Percentage Armed PMF Civilians

of Cases Forces

Improved 58 39.7 29 27 2

Not 25 17.1 15 10 -
improved

Died 1 0.7 1 - -

Not 62 42.5 22 25 15
known

A total of 323 letters were sent after completion of one year for all cases
registered for the study. Only 136 subjects responded . 35.6% had improved ,
4.9% had not improved , 0.6% died, 0.9% had been invalided out of service
57.9% did not respond to the follow up letters ( Table 5 ).

TABLE 5

Follow up of all cases (12 months ) ( n=23 )

No of Percentag Armed PMF Civilians

Cases e Forces

Improved 115 35.6 63 50 2

Not 16 4.9 9 7 -
improved
Died 2 0.6 2 - -
Invalided 3 0.9 2 1 -
out
Not 187 57.9 109 78 -
Known

27
 This study, the first of its kind in the country revealed some bare facts
about life . Not everyone develops PTSD in the aftermath of a terrifying and
dangerous event . Compared to several Western reports on survivors of volcano
eruptions, violence, occupational accidents, sexual abuse, Vietnam veterans and
Falkland casualties, the incidence among the Indian soldier is low. Ross put the
blame for development of PTSD solely on the sleep disorder. Based on this
study antidepressants were tried. Most of the soldiers among those recovered
i.e. 75.7% did well to substantiate Ross’s theory. Those who had lost limb and
genitalia mainly due to IED blasts however had complete PTSD ( 84 out of 89
cases ). This is understandable in a person who is forced to live a handicapped
life without recourse to pleasurable pursuits . Since ‘Sanity’ involves a change in
the whole person ( attitude, conduct and emotional makeup ), with intensive re-
educative treatment programme supported by psychoactive drugs , the PTSD in
these cases was considerably reduced. Most research on PTSD in war veterans
has been conducted in western industrialised nations. Far less research has
addressed the matter of PTSD among physically disabled veterans. It is
pertinent here to know some of the risk that influence the development
/containment of PTSD .

Pre-military factors that increase the risk of PTSD in veterans. These

are-Younger age entry, less pre-military education, prior psychiatric disorder,
childhood behavioural problems, etc. Other factors could be-Personality
characteristics of a person, physical abuse, economic deprivation, parental
mental disorder, etc.

Military Factors. War zone exposure (in our case COUNTER

INSURGENCY OPERATIONS in JAMMU AND KASHMIR)
 Type of exposure - high intensity .
 Being Wounded - increase the risk by 2 to 3 fold .
 Traumatic events - being imprisoned, increases the risk by 78%.

Post Military Factors. Poor social support coping skills, following return
to base / discharge.( Friedman ).

Course of Illness. The fact that life time prevalence estimates of PTSD
exceed current estimates, it indicates the same individuals experience reduction
of symptoms , if not recovery , over time . Those who are designated as non
PTSD in the initial stages of treatment may subsequently develop PTSD at a later

28
stage . Although recovery does take place , many individuals continue to suffer
from partial PTSD . In many cases, these residual symptoms , may seriously
impair marital, family, vocational, or social functioning events that create these
problems. Treatment of such individuals is complicated and often disappointing
because it must address physical and PTSD problems simultaneously .

Breakdowns under Stress

Prolonged exposure to stress eventually leads to breakdown. Stress may

be prolonged due to two reasons: firstly the stressful situation may not be under
the subjects control, and secondly, the individual prolongs the stress by not
coping with it effectively. Those dealing with many stressful situations at the
same time, place greater demands on the resources to cope with them. The
severity of a stress reaction is not directly proportional to the severity of the
stressor because personality characteristics as well as cultural or group norms
contribute to the effectiveness with which an individual copes with a given set
of circumstances. Behaviours that are shown in stress reactions vary widely, but
depression , anxiety and heightened emotionality, are among the common
manifestations. A stress reaction can be experienced immediately after an event
or later.

Burn-out

A burn - out is a stress reaction related strictly to work. People who

experience a great deal of frustration and very little satisfaction seem especially
prone to burn-out. After an excellent performance or achievement over many
years, such people may suffer a type of emotional exhaustion. They seem to lose
enthusiasm and concern for their jobs and for the people for whom they have
been working so hard. External factors responsible for a burn-out state include
a heavy workload, lack of opportunity to do creative work, limited leisure
time,etc. Personality factors also play a role .Burn-out may be reduced by
increasing the opportunity for group cohesiveness and improving the quality of
leadership. Authoritarian or workaholic administrators generate stress while
democratic leaders who can pace themselves, lessen it.

Neuroses

Neurotic disorders are often characterised as inadequate attempts to deal

with conflict and fear brought about by stressors in the environment ,external
29
or internal. Psychoanalytic theorists might describe neurotic behaviour as an
over reliance upon the ego defence mechanisms .The defence behaviour becomes
neurotic when it fails to reduce the anxiety and actually creates additional
conflict, thereby interfering with happiness and normal adjustment .The
neurotic person invests a great deal of energy in reducing anxiety or trying to
block it out altogether. Neurotic persons apparently lack alternatives for dealing
with stress, since they seem unable to adopt a different and possibly more
effective strategy.

Anxiety Disorders

To be anxious is to feel fearful. Anxiety usually consists of symptoms that

are intensely physical in nature. Symptoms of anxiety can include such things as
heart palpitations , tremors, excessive sweating of the palms, rapid breathing,
hyperventilation, faintness, dizziness, headaches, chest pains, digestive upsets,
and feeling of impending disaster. In addition to the physical symptoms, there
may be intense feelings of guilt, and general panic.

Symptoms of anxiety can range from mild to severe. Acute anxiety comes
on suddenly; chronic anxiety is experienced over a long period of time.
Symptoms can be activated by a specific stimulus or by a whole host of stimuli,
or may seem to occur spontaneously.

Phobias. These are irrational fears of specific stimuli, including such

things as water, high places, enclosed places, crowds going out of doors, various
animals, weapons, darkness, etc. Of course any of these things could be a
rational cause for alarm or anxiety under the right set of circumstances.
However, the person with a phobia experiences such an intense fear that the
phobia related stimulus usually cannot be tolerated under any circumstance.

Some Phobic Disorders & Their Eliciting Stimuli

Type Stimuli
Agoraphobia Being in public places away from
home
Social Phobia Social situations
Simple phobia
Acrophobia High places
Algophobia Pain

30
 Claustrophobia Enclosed places
Zoophobia Animals, especially snakes, spiders
and insects.

. It is quite possible that in everyday circumstances accidental pairings of a

neural stimulus with an aversive event could produce a conditioned
fear( phobia ) related to the previously innocuous stimulus. Phobias may also be
acquired through observation of the responses of models to various stimuli
.Phobias are most often associated with a restricted range of stimuli that can in
fact pose a threat to survival.

Generalized Anxiety and Panic Disorder(GAD). GAD is characterised

by chronic and long lasting symptoms of anxiety. Panic Disorder involves an
acute and fairly short-lived onset of symptoms, usually lasting a minute to an
hour, which can involve distressing physical symptoms and apprehension.
People who frequently experience what are called anxiety attacks would
probably be diagnosed as suffering from panic disorder.

Unlike phobias , generalised anxiety and panic disorders are not

associated with any specific stimulus . Anxiety represents an initial reaction to
the inability to predict outcomes in the environment, especially unavoidable
aversive outcomes.

Substance-use Disorder . Some people cope with the problems of life by

the excessive use of chemical substances commonly called drugs. The most
frequently abused substance is alcohol. Other problem drugs are heroin,
barbiturates and cocaine. It is useful to distinguish between psychological
addiction and physiological addiction. In the former, the individual becomes
psychologically dependent on a substance that has little addicting quality itself,
such as marijuana. In the latter case, the substance has properties that are
highly addicting, for example heroin.

Alcohol Dependence. An alcoholic is defined as a person whose

dependence is so strong that it interferes with his or her performance or socially
appropriate behaviour. Long term consumption of alcohol can lead to damage
to the central nervous system and susceptibility to other diseases, such as
tuberculosis and liver disease. It may also cause family disruption, poor job
performance and social isolation. Contrary to popular belief, alcohol is not but a
31
depressant .Its first effect is to inhibit processes in the higher levels of the brain
and reduce inhibitory control at lower levels. Excessive drinking invariably
results in some degree of motor dysfunction and the inability to make fine
discriminations.

Causes of Alcoholisim. Most psychologists feel that the alcoholic has

learned to drink to reduce anxiety or to feel more powerful. but there is no
evidence that alcoholics are under unusual stress. They tend to be immature,
impulsive individuals with low self esteem, a belief that they are not living up to
their own goals and standards, and an inability to tolerate failure. Initially the
addicts consume alcohol to reduce stress or anxiety, but slowly they become
addicted to it, which gives rise to other complications.

Smoking. The smoking habit is generally attributed to imitation of peers,

family members or the media role models. Loneliness and other stressors can
result in resorting to smoking or an increase in the number of cigarettes
smoked. The sense of control of the smoker is lost possibly due to the negative
emotional state which precedes the problem .Smoking is directly associated
with lung cancer, coronary artery diseases, emphysema, chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease and peptic ulcer. It increases allergies, decrease immune
functions, causes birth defects and negatively affects child development
.Tobacco is extremely addictive and attempts to quit often result in depression,
difficulty in concentrating and irritability.

Eating Disorders. Disorders related to eating or intake of food is one of

the most active areas of current research. Obesity is defined as body weight
more than 20% over the average for a given height and body build. Obesity
tends to reduce physical activity and exercise, so that people burn fewer calories
and thus retain more fat. It has been observed that stress has two different
effects on the eating habits of different people; the first set of people start going
on an eating binge and as a result become obese . The other lot lose their
appetite and develop a kind of aversion for food and start losing weight rapidly.

Battle Fatigue

. Battle fatigue has long been misunderstood. In World War I, they believed
it was caused by the concussion of exploding shells. In World War II, Gen Patton
slapped a man in the face for cowardice. But battle fatigue is none of these, and
it can be prevented if recognised for what it really is.
32
 X, a 20 year old jawan came back from the patrol tired and downhearted.
His section had been ambushed, and although he tried to prevent it, one of his
friends was killed and three others were wounded. He worries now that he did
not do a good job to prevent the casualties and wonders why he survived when
his friend did not. He seems a bit confused; he’s not sure what day it is, he tends
to stare in the distance. The patrol was physically demanding, and he wasn’t
able to sleep more than three hours for four days. Nor did he eat or drink
properly. He wants to stay with his unit, but he feels so bad that he thinks he
cannot continue to do his job.

What caused battle fatigue to this individual? Was it the physical

deprivations or the psychological stress? Was it caused by what happened
recently or by the stress that occurred earlier? Most likely, it was due to a
combination of all these problems. He got to a point where he was no longer
able to cope. This is not a problem of moral weakness or cowardice .Typically a
serviceman wants to do his job but can’t because the stress is overwhelming.
Stress comes from a variety of sources.

Some of the typical causes of battlefield stress are listed below :-

Environmental Physiological Cognitive

Heat Sleep Deprivation Information

overload /deprivation

Wetness Malnutrition Ambiguity or

Uncertainty

Fumes Poor hygiene or

muscular fatigue

There are considerable ways in which battle fatigue presents itself. Some
forms are mild, as if the sufferer is extremely tired from physical exertion.
Others are more serious, with the sufferer appearing to have serious psychiatric
disorder such as losing contact with reality. Anyone in or near the battle zone is
at a risk of having battle fatigue. Frontline troops will be primarily affected,
support troops who are attacked by snipers and are subject to ambushes or who

33
are subject to artillery fire or who face boredom and other kinds of stresses, are
also at a risk of suffering from battle fatigue.

Problems Associated with Battle Fatigue.

There are several problems associated with battle fatigue. Sufferers are
often distressed because they cannot perform adequately, even though they
want to. This in turn may cause guilt as they are not able to help their comrades.
Another problem for the individual is the potential for a life long disability
called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, if the battle fatigue is not managed
correctly. Battle fatigue can also affect combat readiness through high rates of
attrition. Since a large number of battle fatigue cases, must be cared for along
with the wounded and medically ill, the medical units can also be seriously
stress.

Somatoform Disorders

Psychological problems may Be expressed through physical symptoms .

One group of functional disorders, the somatoform disorders , shows physical
symptoms for which there is no demonstrable physical case. In addition to more
routine physical symptoms (nausea, diarrhoea), there are often dramatic
problems such as sudden blindness or the experience of intense pain with no
organic basis. Commonly ,there is also an extensive and varied history of
physical problems along with preoccupation with physical health and illness.
There are several types of somatoform disorders, that generally differ in the
type of symptoms they present, the onset of the problem, possible causal
factors, and the extent of disability resulting from the disorder. The four general
disorders discussed here are:-
 Hypochondriasis.
 Psychogenic disorder .
 Somatization disorder .
 Conversion disorder

Hypochondriasis. This problem is typically found in people over 30.

It is a problem of preoccupation of persons with their physical health. Such
persons may distort the meaning of minor aches and pains, imagine discomfort
34
in various parts of their bodies and constantly complain of ill health, although a
physician can seldom find anything physically wrong with them. Physicians
have estimated that nearly 60% of their patients express anxiety about their
lives in their physical symptoms.

Psychogenic Pain Disorder. Psychogenic pain disorders are

characterised by the report of pain when there is no physical basis for it.
Frequently the pain is reported over areas of the body in which the anatomic
distribution of pain receptors could not account for it, or the reported pain is
excessive relative to the minor changes that have occurred. The reported pain is
“real”, in that the person actually feels it, as opposed to a consciously faked
disorder known as “malingering”. There is however a secondary gain from the
pain disorder e.g. the opportunity to avoid a disliked activity or responsibility.
Often people with psychogenic pain disorders encounter severe problems in
their attempts to seek pain relief.

Somatization Disorder. Somatization disorder is characterised by a

pattern of vague but recurring physical complaints. Individuals with
somatization disorder have a long and complicated medical history, with many
complaints, usually well established before age 30. The disorder is highly
chronic and tends to be resistant to psychological treatment , partly because
such patients refuse to believe that psychological factors are responsible for
their problems. They consider their ills to be “medical” and shop for doctors
who will treat them as such.

Conversion Disorder. A person can deal with anxiety-provoking

thoughts by selectively cutting off certain experiences. One sub-classification of
this response is the conversion disorder, in which a person reduces anxiety by
inactivating a certain part of the body( as in paralysis, blindness, deafness, or
the like). Thus the person converts the psychological problem into a physical
one that prevents him or her from behaving in a way that is anxiety provoking.
There are no physical changes; the inactivation is entirely due to psychological
reasons. Conversion was earlier called hysteria. Conversion disorders have as a
result of mass communications and increased psychological sophistication,
become more subtle. Conversion “hysteria,” always considered the great
imitator of other diseases, has adapted to modern trends and may be
masquerading as multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases , or
backache and other orthopaedic problems.

35
 CHAPTER-VI

COLLECTION OF DATA , ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The questionnaires were sent to the officers, JCO, NCOs and OR of the
army units who have served in insurgency environment and have taken part in
the counter insurgency operations. 200 questionnaires were sent for
completion, out of which only 135 were received back .Out of these 135 only
100 were selected while 35 were rejected due to lack of adequate answers.
Details of 100 questionnaires received is as follows :-

SER CATEGORY NUMBER PERCENTAGE

NO.
1. Officers 20 20%
2. JCO 30 30%
3. NCO 32 32%
4. OR 18 18%
Total 100 100%

The information received from the NCOs and OR was not very substantial.
The same was asked separately from the two categories expecting different
views from the OR, who are in the service bracket of one to nine years, and more
constructive and clear views form the experienced NCOs with nine to 24 yrs of
service. However since information received from both NCOs and OR was more
or less the same, they have being considered as a single group and will hence

36
forth be collectively called NCOs during the course of the study. Graphic
breakdown is as under:-

PERCENTAGE PIE
Officers JCO NCO OR

20%
18%

32% 30%

35

30

25

20

ORS
15

10

0
OFFICERS JCOS NCOS ORS

COMPILATION OF DATA

Break down of information (Details as per chapter 2)

Q1 to Q15. These questions were designed to gain general information about

the respondents, their family details, educational status etc. The following
information considered necessary for the research has been compiled :-

 Educational qualification of the wife.

 Family status – whether joint family or Nuclear Family.
 Educational Facilities for children in place of residence.
 Medical facilities available in place of residence.
 Possession of mobile phones by families.
37
The data received has been collated and analysed below:-

Education of the spouse (Wife) : The wives of all officers were found to be
educated with minimum qualification of BA/Bcom. 15 JCO’s said that their wives
were educated, one said that she was uneducated while four did not reply to the
question. Amongst the NCO’s 38 said that their wives were educated, nine said
they were uneducated, while three did not reply. The data is analysed as
under :-

60 EDUCATION CHART

50 3
9
40

NO REPLY
30
UNEDUCATED
EDUCATED
20 0 38
4
1
10 20
15

0
Officers JCO NCO

Family Status : 18 officers said that they were not staying in joint families
,while one has said his was a joint family and one did not reply.14 JCOs said yes
to the joint family while 16 said No. 33 NCOs have said yes , 15 have said no
while 02 have not replied.
FAMILY STATUS

Officers JCO
1
1

14

16

18

38
 NCO
2

15

Nuclear
Joint
No reply

33

JOINT FAMILY STATUS

CAMPARATIVE PERCENTAGE CHART JOINT FAMILY

70 66

60

50 46.7

40

30

20

10 5
0
Officers JCO NCO

AVAILABILITY OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES IN PLACE OF RESDIENCE: 19

officers are staying in places where educational facilities are available nearby.
06 JCOs are residing in areas where schools are located at a travel time of 10
hours and above, 22 JCOs have families in areas where schools are at a distance
of less than 10 Kms, 02 JCO did not reply to the question. 36 NCOs said that
schools were less than 10 kms away from their place of residence, two NCOs
said that the distance was above 10 kms .12 NCOs did not reply to the question.

39
 AVAILABILITY OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITY
40
36
35

30

25
22
19 BELOW 10 KMS
20
ABOVE 10 KMS
NO REPLY
15
12
10
6
5
2 2
1
0
0
Officers JCO NCO

COMPARATIVE CHART SCHOOLS 10 KMS & ABOVE

20%
18%
16%
14%
12% 20%
10%
8%
6%
4% 5% 4%
2%
0%
Officers JCO NCO

AVAILABILITY OF MEDICAL FACILITIES : 19 Officers stay in places having

good medical facilities, Only one officer said that medical facilities were far
from his place of residence. 13 JCOs said that NO/meager facilities were
available close to their residence while 14 JCOs said yes to medical facilities
being available close to their place of residence and 03 JCO’S did not reply to the

40
question.26 NCOs said NO medical facilities were available, 22 said medical
facilities were available while two did not reply.

MEDICAL FACILITIES
30

26
25
22

20 19

15 14 AVAILABLE
13
NOT AVAILABLE
NO REPLY
10

5
3
2
1
0
0
Officers JCO NCO

AVAILABILITY PERCENTAGE OF MEDICAL FACILITIES

100%
90%
80%
70%
60% 95%
50%
40%
47% 44%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Officers JCO NCO

Possession of mobiles by families: All officers JCOs, NCOs and their

families possess mobiles and are in constant communication with each other.
Q 16 to 24 : These questions were designed to get the information about the
environment and situation prevailing in the place of residence of the

41
respondents . The following information was expected to emerge from their
response :-

 Overall Literacy of the village/palace of residence.

 Attitude of other villagers / neighbors towards retired Army
personnel and the families of serving personnel .
 Attitude of the Local Administration.
 Attitude of police towards service personal families and Ex-
servicemen.
 Whether any organization like Army Help Lines etc is existing in
the place of residence of service personnel ,who can look after the
problem of families and parents .

The information was companied separately for each category and is

given in succeeding paragraphs.

Literacy state of the village /place of residence of respondents: The replies

received have been tabulated below:-

Officers
Numbers of % literacy
Officers
1 100
2 90
3 80
3 73
3 60
2 30
1 25
5 No reply

Average literacy is 65.4 % according to Officers

JCO
JCOs

42
 Numbers of JCO’S % literacy
9 90-98
7 80-85
6 70-75
5 60
3 50
Average literacy is 76.95 % according to JCO’S

NCO
Numbers of NCO’S % literacy
1 100
10 90-95
14 80-85
9 70-78
4 60
8 50
3 40-45
1 No reply

Average literacy is 72.3 % according to NCO’S

43
 AVERAGE STATE OF LITERACY
78.00%
76.00%
74.00%
72.00%
70.00%
68.00% 76.95%
66.00%
72.30%
64.00%
62.00% 65.40%
60.00%
58.00%
Officers JCO NCO

Observation. The information received from JCOs and NCOs seems to be

inflated . Though the standard of education has gone up and so has the literacy ,
however it has not gone as high as 76 % or 72% as brought out above ,by JCOs
and NCOs.

Attitude of villagers /neighbors towards retired and serving soldiers: 18

officers have said that the attitude towards them was good and positive while
02 officers did not reply to the question.27 JCOs said that the attitude was good
while 03 JCO felt that it was not good / indifferent. 42 NCO respondents said
that the attitude was good , 06 felt it was normal and 02 did not reply.
ATTITUDE OF NEIGHBOURS/VILLAGERS
60

50 2
6
40

INDIFFERENT
30 NOT REPLIED
3
0 SATISFACTORY
GOOD
20 42
20

27
10 18

0
OFFICERS JCO NCO

44
ATTITUDE OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATION : 16 Officers felt that the civil
administration is helpful, 02 have said they are indifferent, while 02 have not
answered. 24 JCOs have said that local administration is helpful, 04 JCOs found
them to be indifferent and 02 did not answer. 37 NCOs have said they are
helpful, 10 have confirmed them to be indifferent and 03 have not replied.
ATTITUDE OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATION

3
50
10
45
40
35 2 NO REPLY
30 4
INDIFFERENT
25 2 37HELPFUL
2
20
24
15
16
10
5
0
OFFICERS JCO NCO

ATTITUDE OF LOCAL POLICE : 15 officers have said that the response and
attitude of local police is helpful ,03 have said that it is unhelpful and 2 have
not replied. 22 JCOs feel it is helpful , 06 say it is unhelpful and 02 have not
replied. 35 NCOs have said the local police is helpful, 11 feel they are not helpful
while 04 have not replied.

ATTITUDE LOCAL POLICE PERCENTAGE WISE

45
 OFFICERS JCO NCO

7%
10%

20% 8%
15%

HELPFUL UNHELPFUL NO REPLY

22%

70%
75% 73%

ATTITUDE OF LOCAL POLICE COMPARITIVE CHART

NCO 35 11 4

JCO 22 6 2 HELPFUL
UNHELPFUL
NO REPLY

OFFICERS 15 3 2

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Functioning of helpline/ other organizations in the place of residence of

the respondent: 07 officers have said yes to the existence of such
organization , while 10 have said no and 03 have not replied. 23 JCOs have
confirmed that there is no such organization functional in their place of
residence while 06 have said yes to the same and one has not replied to the
question. 38 NCOs have said no, while 08 have said yes and 04 did not answer
this question.
AVAILABILITYOF HELPLINE/SIMILAR
ORGANISATIONS

46
 60

50
4

40

NO REPLY
30 1
38 NO
YES
20
3 23

10
10

7 6 8
0
OFFICERS JCO NCO

OFFICERS JCO NCO

3% 8%
15% 16%
20%

35%

YES NO NO REPLY

50%
77%
76%

PERCENTAGE REPLIES- FUNCTIONING OF HELPLINE/SIMILAR

ORGANISATION

QUESTION NO. 25 TO 42. These questions were framed to gain the following
information:-
 How many times leave is granted to respondents and whether they get
leave whenever required.
 Communication and contact of the leaders/Officers with soldiers.
Do they pay heed to their home problems?
 Standard of rations and food and any suggestions for improvement.
 Living condition and environment in the unit.

The data received from respondents was compiled and results are given in
succeeding paragraphs.

47
STATE OF LEAVE: All officers brought out that they were being given leave,
three times in a year and mostly as per their requirement (provided there is no
special commitment for them). JCOs also brought out that they were being given
leave as per requirement and thrice in a year. NCOs were also given leave three
times in a year mostly as per their choice, However while the unit was carrying
out important task leave was denied.

COMMUNICATION AND CONTACT OF LEADERS/ OFFICERS WITH

SOLDIERS : All officers brought out that regular contact was being made by
them with soldiers. Sainik Sammelan was being conducted once a month. JCOs,
the junior leaders, are more in contact with soldiers. All confirmed to this fact.
All NCOs were in agreement that officers/JCOs were in regular contact with
them.

STANDARD OF RATION AND FOOD: All officers confirmed that quality of

rations and food was good. Recommendations for additional rations has been
given by two officers only, rest have suggested no change. These
recommendations have been mentioned in the observations given below. JCOs
also agreed that the quality of rations and food was good and gave no
suggestions for any change. NCOs also confirmed the same, no suggestions were
given by them either.

LIVING CONDITION AND ENVIRONMENT IN THE UNIT: officers Confirmed

that the living conditions were good and that the environment was friendly.
JCOs and NCOs gave the same reply as the officers.

Observations: The answers seem to be made up and tailored to depict a very

good standard of units(overall Army). It is doubtless that the Army has
improved their standards with regard to facilities being provided to soldiers and
quality of food and living conditions in field areas, however due to uncertainty
of operations, inhospitable and difficult terrain, lack of adequate infrastructural
assets available in counter insurgency operational areas coupled with logistic
shortfalls, tend to lower the standard of living and quality of food. However,
since all these points and data have a direct effect on the morale of troops,
adequate steps must have been initiated by all units towards this end .The
following additions in rations have been recommended by 02 officers :-
 Provision of basmati rice for occasional consumption(festivals/bara
khana).

48
  Quantity and quantity of fresh vegetables and fruits to be further
increased.( The scales of some items of ration for troops have recently
been increased)
 Maggie noodles should form part of meals ready to eat (MRE).
As such it can be inferred that rations, food and living conditions in unit
lines may not be responsible for the stress and psychosomatic diseases in a
soldiers. Since everyone in a unit cannot be guaranteed leave at the requested
time, due to shortage of strength and operational commitment, it may become a
cause of stress in the soldiers.

Operational Information.

Question 43. . The question was aimed at bringing out the number of days in a
week spent by the respondents away from their permanent posts. The data
collected is tabulated below :-

OFFICERS JCO NCO

2-3 days 8 2-4 days 10 3-5 days 8

3-4 days 8 3-4 days 12 3-4 days 9
No reply 4 No reply 8 No reply 33

OFFICERS

20%

40%
2-3 DAYS 3-4 Days No reply

40%

49
 JCO

27%
33%

2-4 Days 3-4 Days

No reply

40%

NCO

16%

3-5 Days
3-4 Days
18% No reply

66%

Q-44 : How many days does the operation usually last ?

Data Received

9 officers have brought out that the Operations last for 1-2 days, 5 officers
have said 3-4 days, 4 officers have said more than 4 days while 02 officers have
not replied to the question. 5 JCOs have said 1-2 days, 9 JCOs have said more
than 04 days , replies of 05 JCOs were vague and 02 JCOs did not reply. 03 NCOs
have said 1-2 days, 10 have said 3-4 days, 19 NCOs have been vague while 18
have not replied. The graphic representation of the data is given below:-

DURATION OF OPERATIONS

50
 OFFICERS
2

4 1-2 DAYS
9
3-4 DAYS
>4 DAYS
VAGUE
NO REPLY
5

JCOS
3
5

5
1-2 DAYS
3-4 DAYS
>4 DAYS
VAGUE
NO REPLY
9
6

NCOS
3

10
18
1-2 DAYS
3-4 DAYS
VAGUE
NO REPLY

19

51
 DURATION OF OPERATIONS
20 19
18
18

16

14

12 1-2 DAYS
10 3-4 DAYS
10 9 9 >4 DAYS
8 VAGUE
NO REPLY
6
6 5 5 5
4
4 3 3
2
2

0
OFFICERS JCOS NCOS

Observations
Such type of Operations are mostly dependent upon the information of the
informers. The militants may or may not come at the time and place given by the
informer. Reasons could be change in the plans of the militants, information
given is not authentic, capability of militants to sustain the operation, etc. hence
the duration of any operation , cannot be predicted. However an operation can
last from a few hours to a few days, depending on the reasons given.

Q-45 : Do you get hot meals during operations or not?

Data received is compiled below:-

11 officers have confirmed that hot meals are Not given to them during the
operations, due to the nature of operations, 3 officers have said Yes while 2
officers have not replied. 11 JCOs have said No, 14 JCOs have said Yes and 5 have
not replied. 23 NCOs have said No, 24 NCOs have said Yes, while 3 have not
replied to the question. Graphic representation and comparison are given below
;-

MEALS DURING OPERATIONS

52
 24
25 23

20

15
14
15
YES
11 NO
NO REPLY
10

5
5 3 3
2

0
OFFICERS JCOS NCOS

PERCENTAGE OF “YES” FOR MEALS DURING OPERATIONS

COMPARATIVE PERCENTAGE

14%

OFFICERS
44% JCOS
NCOS

43%

Observations

There is a disparity between the information given by the officers and

JCOs/NCOs. It has been clarified by a number of officers that it is not possible to
give hot food during operations as any extra movement in the operational area
can give away surprise , which is most important factor for the success of this

53
operation. The answers of the JCOs/NCOs seem to be made up or is a result of
confusion . The troops going out for operations are given packed meals as well
as Meals ready to eat(MRE), which only needs hot water to cook and it is ready
to eat.

Q46. What is your opinion about your weapon system? Is it better, equal or
inferior to those of insurgents?

Input Received

All officers have said that their weapon system is good and personal
weapons are equal to these of militants. 08 JCOs have said that their weapons
are good, 10 have said they are equal, while 12 JCOs have said that they are
inferior to those carried by the militants. 18 NCOs have said that their weapons
are good , five have said equal, 15 have said inferior and 12 have not replied.

QUALITY OF WEAPON SYSTEM

60

50

12
40

NO REPLY
30 15 INFERIOR
EQUAL
12 GOOD
20 5

10
10 20 18
8
0
OFFICERS JCO NCO

Q 47. What weapons do you carry ,do you have faith in your weapon ?

Data Received

16 officers have confirmed that they carry AK-47 while 04 officers carry
INSAS Rifle and they have faith in their weapons. 14 JCOs have confirmed that
they carry AK-47, 05 JCOs said that they carry INSAS rifles, 04 carry CMG and 07
54
have not replied.15 NCOs have said that they carry AK-47, 22 NCOs carry INSAS
Rifles, 3 carry other weapons while 10 have not replied. This is represented
graphically as below:-

OFFICERS

20%

AK-47
INSAS

80%

JCO

23%

AK-47
INSAS
47%
CMG
NO REPLY
13%

17%

NCO

20%
30%

6%
AK-47 INSAS

OTHER WEAPONS NO REPLY

44%

55
Observations: The following observations have emerged:-

 80% officers carry AK-47 while 20% officers carry INSAS Rifles while
going for operations.
 47 % JCOs carry AK-47, 17% carry INSAS Rifles and rest of the JCOs
carry other weapons.
 30 % of NCOs carry AK-47, 44% carry INSAS Rifles and the rest carry
other weapon . 80% of NCO’s who carry INSAS Rifles have said that it is
inferior to that of the militants
AK-47

80%
70%
60%
50% 80.00%
AK-47
40%
46.70%
30%
30.00%
20%
10%
0%
OFFICERS JCO NCO

INSAS RIFLES

45%
40%
35%
30%
44.00%
25%
20% INSAS RIFLES

15% 20.00%
16.60%
10%
5%
0%
OFFICERS JCO NCO

Q 48. Are the militants well trained in firing and tactics?

56
Data Received

13 Officers have said ‘Yes’, 06 said ‘No’ and one has not replied.13 JCOs
have said ‘Yes’, 12 have said ‘No’ and five have not replied. 15 NCOs have said
‘Yes’, 20 have said ‘No’, 10 have been vague and uncommitted in their replies
while 05 have not replied.

OFFICERS JCO NCO

5%
17%
20%

30%

30%
43%

10%

YES NO NO REPLY UNCOMMITED

65%
40%

40%

Q 49. : How long do you have to wait before contact is made with insurgents?

Data Received
03 officers have said five hours to couple of days, 9 officers have said that
it depends upon information and 8 officers did not reply to the question. 05
JCOs have said 6-12 hrs, 16 said as per situation, 5 have been vague in their
answers and 04 have not replied. 12 NCOs has said 8-10 hrs, 15 have said 1-2
days, 10 have said depending upon situation, eight have not committed and 05
NCOs have not replied.

Observation

It is observed that since action is taken on the informers information, as

per the given time, date and place, waiting period, before the contact is made
depends on the credibility of the information and the reliability of the source.
There are times when the operations are launched on generic intelligence. In
such cases the waiting period could be extended to a day or more. The Minimum
waiting period could be 12-18 hours.

Q 50. What all thoughts come to your mind while you wait for the insurgents?

Data Received

57
 18 officers have said that they are thinking about the operation only and
nothing else, two have not replied to this question. 8 JCOs have shown
anxiousness to contact the insurgents and finish the task at the earliest, 16 JCOs
have thoughts about the conduct of operations while 06 have not replied. 26
NCOs have said that they think about the operation and have determined
thoughts to neutralize the militants, 17 have said that they get varying thoughts
of anger, fear, wastage of time, tensions, etc. 07 NCOs have not replied to the
question.

THOUGHTS DURING OPERATIONS

30

26
25

20
18
17
16
15 OPERATION
OTHERS
NO REPLY
10
8
7
6
5
2

0
OFFICERS JCO NCO

Q 51. What type of feelings do you get while waiting for the insurgents?

Data Received

14 officers have said that the thoughts about the responsibility of the
safety of their troops are foremost in their minds, 04 have said that they get
other thoughts like ‘will the nation acknowledge their sacrifice’, will their
familiar be looked after, feeling of hate and anxiety. Two officers have not
replied. 07 JCOs have shown depressing thoughts like, fear of death, fatigue etc,
06 have given vague replies, 10 have said that they think of operational
requirements like safety of troops, etc and 07 did not reply. 12 NCOs have had
feeling of anger and thoughts to neutralize/incapacitate the insurgents, 21 NCOs
have given vague replies like ‘feed good’, 11 have not replied while 06 have
shown anxiety due to long period of wait.

58
 FEELINGS DURING OPERATIONS
25

21
20

15 14
12 OPERATION
11 OTHERS
10
10 VAGUE
NO REPLY
7 7
6 6
5 4
2
0
0
OFFICERS JCO NCO

Q 52 : What is your routine in the unit while you are in the field area ?

Data Received

14 officers have given out their daily routine less PT and games, 02
officers have not replied, 04 officers have mentioned PT and games.

20 JCOS have given out their daily routine less PT and games, 8 have mentioned
PT but no games and 02 JCOs have not replied. 18 NCOs have confirmed that
PT/games are carried out daily, 25 NCOs have not mentioned PT in their routine
while 7 have not replied.

PT/GAMES IN UNIT ROUTINE

59
 60

50
7

40

18
NO REPLY
30 2 YES
8 NO
20 2
4
25
10 20
14

0
OFFICERS JCO NCO

Q53 : Do you have regular Mandir Parade in your unit in the field area?
How many times do you go to the Mandir.

Data Received

All officers except 02 have said that regular Mandir parade is held in their
units and they visit the Mandir once/twice a week, 02 officers have not replied.
All JCOs have said that Mandir parade is held once a week and all of them attend
it. 28 NCOs have said that they attend Mandir 2-3 times a week, 15 have said
once a week, 05 NCOs were vague and 02 did not reply.

MANDIR PARADE IN FIELD AREA

60

50 2
5

40

NO REPLY
30 0
VAGUE
YES
43
20 2
2
30
10
16

0
OFFICERS JCO NCO

60
Q54. Does any counselor visit your unit to deliver any lecture or to give
counseling to your Jawans?

Data Received

14 Officers have said Yes, four have said No, while two have been vague/
unclear in their answers. 16 JCOs have said Yes, 11 have said No, while 03 have
been vague/unclear. 38 NCOs have said Yes, 8 NCOs have said No while 03 have
been vague/unclear.

VISIT OF COUNCELOR IN FIELD AREA

60

50
4

8
40

VAGUE
30
3 NO
YES
11
20 2 38
4

10
14 16

0
OFFICERS JCO NCO

OFFICERS JCO NCO

10% 10% 8%

16%

20%

53% YES NO VAGUE

37%

70%
76%

COMPARATIVE PERCENTAGE: VISIT OF COUNCELOR

Observation

It is observed from the answers that seminars and sammelans on stress

management are being organized in units and are being conducted by ‘trained
61
teams’. No lectures / seminars / counseling is being conducted by experts like
counselors / psychologists.

Q 55. Do you have ‘Yoga’ classes in your unit in field area ?

Data Received

12 officers have said No while 8 have said occasionally. 20 JCOs have said
Yes while 10 have said No. 36 NCOs have said yes while 14 have said No.

CONDUCT OF YOGA CLASSES

50
14
45
40
35
30 10 Column1
25 YES
36
20
12
15 20
10
8
5
0
OFFICERS JCO NCO

OFFICERS JCO NCO

28%
33%
40%

YES NO

60%
67%
72%

YOGA CLASSES IN FIELD AREAS : COMPARATIVE PERCENTAGES

Observation

62
 There is a difference between the answers given by officers and
JCO/NCOs. It appears that ‘Yoga” classes are being conducted occasionally .

Q 56. How many Jawans can actually do yoga every day in field area ?

Data Received

12 officers have said No, 6 have said a very few and two have not
answered. 20 JCOs have said Yes, while 8 JCOs have said No and 02 JCOs have
not replied. 30 NCOs have said Yes, 16 NCOs have said NO and 4 have not
replied.

4
50
45
16
40
35
2
30
8 NO REPLY
25 NO
2
20 YES FEW
30
15 12
20
10
6
5
0
OFFICERS JCO NCO

Observation

The answers given by officers, JCO and NCOs do not match. It seems that
much time is not being devoted to yoga. A very few people seem to be actually
doing Yoga, that also probably not on regular basis.

Q 57: Are you aware of any suicide or fratricide cases which took place in your
formation while serving in insurgency area? What were the causes for their
abnormal behavior?

Data Received
Four officers have said Yes, 05 have not replied and 11 officers have said
No. 8 JCOs have not replied 16 have said No, while six have been vague in their

63
answers. 24 NCOs have said No, 13 NCOs have not replied, 10 NCOs have given
vague replies and 3 NCOs have said Yes.

SUICIDE /FRATRICIDE IN FIELD AREA

60

50

13
40

10 NO REPLY
30 VAGUE
8 NO
YES
20 6
5
0 24
10 11
16

4 3
0
OFFICERS JCO NCO

OFFICERS JCO NCO

6%
20% 20% 20%
25%

YES
NO
NO REPLY
VAGUE
53%

48%
27% 26%

55%

SUICIDE /FRATRICIDE IN FIELD AREA: PERCENTAGE

COMPARISON

Observation

64
 JCOs and NCOs who have been vague/unclear in their replies have
however given the following reasons for suicide/ fratricide:-

 Home problems.
 No coordination with the family.
 Under pressure from the seniors.
 Unnecessary harassment.

The officers and NCOs who have said ‘Yes’ have given the following reasons:-

 Excessive talking on mobile and getting annoyed/over reacting on petty

issues.
 Uncontrolled anger.
 Soldier being made fun of by senior NCOs of the company / unit.
 Lack of confidence.
 Senior NCO/JCOs troubling jawans and taking undue advantage of their
rank / Appointment .

Q.58 .why do you think the suicide and fratricide cases are taking place at such
intensity ? What may be the reasons on your opinion?

Data Received
Suicide
Officers: 80 % officers have replied this question. The points received from
them are as follows:-

 The Jawans who join the Army, may not be suitable for it as there is no
psychological check carried out during their enrolment.
 The Jawans/ NCOs are physically strong but mentally weak.
 Taking the welfare as a right and not work.
 Breaking up of joint family into nuclear family.
 Long separation from families.
 Inability to deal with stress caused due to the family disputes unable to
look after family problem, dispute between family and parents.
 Lack of co-operation of the local administration, in solving soldier
disputes.

65
  Quick transmission of the smallest family problem directly to the soldiers,
through mobiles.

JCOs: 65 % of the JCOs have replied to this questions, the inputs received are as
follows:-
 Persons not getting full leave when required.
 Some sort of stress in the mind of the individuals.
 Problems at home which he can neither tell anyone nor sort out himself.
 Unable to cope up with the financial problems within his pay.
 Excessive use of cell phones.
 Problems arising due to break up of joint family system.
 Person possesses weak heart /mind.

NCOs: 50% NCOs have replied this question. Points received are as follows:-
 Use of the mobiles to gain quick information.
 Family problems.
 Financial problems .
 Weak heart / Mind.
 Lack of the joint family system.
 Leave problem.
 Lack of adjustment with the spouse.

Fratricide

Officers: The points received from the Officers are as follows:-

 Enmity with each other.
 Failure of command and control of superiors.
 Tension due to nagging of the superiors.
 Non Identification of the problem / tension on time and its addressal.
 Increasing intolerance.
 Lack of the understanding of human nature by leaders / Superiors.
 Excess of welfare being provided.
 Non realization of the problems faced by the units by soldiers.
 Keeping own interest foremost and resorting to fratricide if the same is
not meet.
 Injustice being done to an individual by overlooking his case.

JCOs: The Point received from the JCO’S is as under:-

 Persistent insult of a person at the hands of his superior.

66
  Does not get leave in time.
 Constantly being troubled by his superior.

NCOs: Points received by the NCOs are as follows:-

 Showing each other down.
 Personal enmity.
 Persons under stress.
 Poor training/ lack of the proper training .
 Lack of tolerance.
 Difference of opinion with each other.

Q 59 . How do you think these suicide and fratricide cases can be avoided?
Inputs Received

Officers : 90 % officers have replied this question . The points given by them
are as follows:-
 Earmark mentally weak soldiers and keep constant touch with them
through regular interviews.
 Ensure good command and control.
 As far as possible give leave to personnel whenever they require. Unit
commitments should be shared by each individual.
 Dealings of the superior with juniors at all levels should be polite, just but
firm.
 All personal problems of NCO , JCO and Officers should be looked into
without any delay and decision / remedy provided expeditiously .
 Frequent interaction of superiors with soldiers and ensure
maintenance of human touch.
 Training of the leaders at all levels for stress management.

JCOs: 60% JCOs answered this questions. There points given by them are as
follows :-

 Correct and regular monitoring of soldiers should be carried out.

 Buddy system should be continued.
 Occasional counseling of mentally weak soldiers, should be carried out ,
by experts.
 Leave planning should be done and followed without bias. .
 More rest should be provided to troops .
 Seniors should not trouble their Juniors.
67
  Religious teacher should be instructed to give regular motivational talk.
 Recreational facilities should be provided.
 Jawans and personnel at all levels should be encouraged to openly give
out their views ( In forums).

NCOs: 55 % of the NCOs have answered this question. The points given by
them are as follows:-

 More interaction of seniors with junior/ soldier.

 All personal problems should be looked into expeditiously and just
decision should be provided.
 Leave should be given as per leave planning.
 Restrictions should be laid on the use of mobiles phones.
 Better recreational facilities should be provided .
 Confidence of NCO and soldiers should be built up through regular
motivational talks.
 It is important for leaders at all levels to ensure that the personnel under
them are having cordial relations with each under.

ANALYSIS OF THE DATA RECEIVED

The compiled Data is analyzed in succeeding paragraphs.

Data received for Q.1 to Q. 15. The educational standards of spouses of

Officers, JCOs and NCOs is as follows:-

Educated Uneducated
Officers 100% -
JCO 50% 50%
NCO 76% 24%

This Data can have the following effect in a soldier’s life:-

 Literacy has improved in villages , however the state of NCOs’ Spouse

education seems inflated.
 The wives of the NCOs can now look after their children, their education,
etc better than before.

68
  They are able to become independent and can help in supporting their
family.
 More demands from family and more financial burden.
 Life style has Changed due to which, Jawans’ wives are unable to adjust
with parents / in laws and hence opt for nuclear family system.

Joint Family System – 46.7 % of officers, 46.7 % JCO and 66% of NCOs are
staying in joint families. The increasing trend of break- up of joint family system
have had the following effects:-

 When the soldier gets posted to a non family station , his wife has to stay
alone and loses security of joint family system.
 Since there is no one to help her, problems regarding property, Land and
health of self and children, petty disputes with neighbours etc has to be
sorted out by her, at times successfully and at times unsuccessfully.
 Due to increasing expenditures increase in financial burden.

Educational facilities and medical facility for childeren: The Data compiled
is as follows:-

Educational facilities Medical facilities

available available
Officers 95% 95%
JCO 73.3% 46.7%
NCO 72% 44%

It can be seen in case of JCOs and NCOs that the maximum number have
educational facilities available near their place of residence. In case of medical
facilities, maximum JCOs and NCOs do not have medical facilities available
nearby. This can be a cause of worry for JCOs and NCO and may be a cause of
stress. It may also be one of the reasons for breaking up of joint family.

The remedy for the above problem is that the state should open more
number of schools and hospitals in smaller villages and the girls should be given
compulsory education till 10th class.

Possession of Mobiles: It has been seen that mobiles have brought about a
vast change in functioning in a person’s life. Ease in communication has made
administration in offices very easy. This is a great morale booster in the life of a
soldier ,since he can now talk to his parents, children and wife every day. This

69
ease in communication has brought a number of problems also; the problem of
stress in soldier’s life, may be one of them.

A few years back when the use of mobiles was not prevalent In the Army ,
Problems did occur in respective houses of the soldiers, however it took some to
time to reach the soldiers and by the time it was known to the soldiers the
problem was already sorted out, by the family.

With mobiles coming in, the families are constantly in touch with the
soldiers and the problem reaches him on occurrence itself .The news of the
problem is a stress on a person’s mind which is already tensed/strained , due to
his operational tasks and harsh lifestyle in the field area. Over and above this , if
he cannot get leave due to some commitment, he is likely to get more stressed
and consequences are obvious.

Question 16 to 24.

The aim was to know whether the environment in the place of residence
of the soldiers is good and peaceful or not. The environment is a lot dependent
on the literacy, attitude of the people (specially neighbours) attitude of local
administration and police . Quite some time back we used to write to the district
administration regarding the problem of the soldier under our command; the
administration used to take expeditious and favourable action on our request.
The soldier had a good standing in the village and no one could trouble him or
his family unnecessarily.

These days the case is different, the local administration pays no heed to
soldier’s personal problems. The corruption in the system has taken its toll and
moneyed people in the village can get anything done. This has become one of the
major worry faced by the soldier which troubles and causes stress on him.

As an organization – ‘Army Help Lines’ is functional in bigger cities which

look after the problem of Ex- Servicemen, however no such organization is
functioning in villages.

Question 25 to 42.

These questions were designed to gain the information about the existing
environment in the unit of the respondents. There is a necessity to have a
tension free environment at work place to avoid stress, work effectively without
fatigue and have job satisfaction .Following are the important factors for the
same:-.

70
  Attitude of the officers with JCOs and NCOs.
 Regular interaction of the leaders at various levels, with soldiers.
 Co- ordination and Co-operation amongst soldiers ,NCOs, JCOs and
Officers.
 Care and concern for each other’s problems.
 Expeditious and just decision by officers on request/ problem of the
JCOs/NCOs .
 Judicious leave plans and timely execution of plans .
 Soldiers in turn to keep the problems and commitments of the unit in
mind at all times.
Maximum numbers of Officers, JCOs and NCOs have confirmed a happy
atmosphere in their units with no problem of food, living conditions, leave and
easy interaction with their Officers /superiors. It has however been observed
from their replies that some restraint has been shown while replying to the
questions. Leave was one of them. All Officers ,JCOs or NCOs have said that they
get their leave wherever they require it, which does not seem to be correct. The
overall atmosphere of the units seems to be friendly and stress free.

OPERATIONAL INFORMATION

Question 43. The officers, JCOs and NCOs are usually out for operation from
the unit lines for 2-4 days in a week, at times the operation may extend to 5-6
days. The Officers, JCOs and NCOs are unable to fall back/take rest while the
operations are on, however they usually get re-enforcements to ease the
situation.

The long wait and uncertainty of making a contact with militants may
cause Stress to some individuals. Some of them may break down to negative
thoughts during the waiting period, depending upon the mental state of an
individual. However rest of 2-3 days in a week can recuperate an individual in
case he takes part in stress relaxing programs.

Question 44. Information asked in this question was regarding the amount
of time an operation can last; maximum officers, JCOs and OR have said that it
would depend upon the retaliation of the militants, their aim to be there and
quantity of provisions/ammunition available with them. The operation can last
from 10-12 hours, to a few days. The operation is strenuous and there is a
requirement of robustness, both mental and physical, in leaders and soldiers.
Exhaustion can cause mental Stress. Since there is no fixed duration of the
operation more quantity of rations and ammunition have to be carried along, by
the troops.

71
Question 45. It has been an old teaching in the Army that hot food during
operations boosts up one’s morale. We have even had an opportunity to have
hot meals once a day during 1971 Bangladesh war. However, the same may not
be possible in counter insurgency operations, since the administrative
arrangements, vehicles and movements can give away one’s position and
surprise.

Since no hot meals can be catered for, new and innovative methods like,
meals ready to eat(MRE), cupa noodles, soaked noodles, energy bars, etc. can be
provided to make the food palatable and tasty. Quantity of fresh vegetables and
fruits can be increased and improved, magi noodles may be added to meals
ready to eat and basmati rice can be given in restricted quantity, to be
occasionally consumed.

Question 46. The weapon system includes all weapons and equipment.
Good and superior weapon system is a morale booster for the troops and when
one knows about the superiority of his weapon to that being carried by the
militants, the troops automatically get morale ascendancy upon the militants,
which can ease off tension from his mind. Here the weapon system of own
troops is superior to the militants while the personal weapon i.e. AK-47 and
INSAS rifles are equal and inferior respectively to the militants (militants also
carry AK-47). There would be a requirement to provide a superior personal
weapon to own troops. Also more number of AK-47 rifles need to be provided to
the units till a superior weapon is procured and issued to troops conducting
counter insurgency operations.

Question 47. In this question respondents were asked about their personal
weapon. 80% officers, 47% JCOs and 30% NCOs carry AK-47. 20% officers, 53%
JCOs and 70% NCOs carry INSAS and other weapons. 80% NCOs carrying INSAS
rifle felt that the weapon is inferior to those carried by insurgents. All officers,
JCOs and NCOs should at least be provided with AK-47, if not better. The
JCOs/NCOs carrying INSAS may not feel confident and this may be a reason to
cause stress in them. In case short range weapons need to be integrated due to
operational requirement, it should be known to the NCOs. All weapons including
short range weapons need to be superior to the insurgents to make own troops
more confident.
`
Question 48. Maximum numbers of Officers and JCOs have said that the
militants are well trained in firing and tactics ,while only 30% NCOs have said
‘Yes’ while 40% have said ‘No’. Here it can be assumed that militants are well
trained in firing and tactics and as such there is no scope of any laxity or
mistake, during operations. Any laxity or mistake can lead to own casualties.

72
Hence it emerges that training of own troops should be good and continuous to
make them more confident.

Question 49. This question was designed to know from respondents about
waiting periods before the contact was made with militants. The waiting period
could be from a few hours to a couple of days. This waiting period is such that it
can cause hallucinations to persons who harbour negative thoughts. A person
can lose his nerve, get glittery and give away surprise which will jeopardise the
operation. Training one’s mind to block negative thoughts is important. Yoga
and meditation need to be practiced to train one’s mind for the same.

Question 50. This question is connected with the pervious question. It was
intended to know what thoughts came to the mind of Officers, JCOs and NCOs,
while waiting for the militants. Officers and JCOs have said that they think about
further options/action, during the operation. 52% NCOs have said that they
think about the operations while 34% have said that they get varying thoughts
of anger, fear, Wastage of time, tension etc.

These negative thoughts could lead the personnel to mental fatigue and if
the operation continues for a longer duration , some of them may get mentally
stressed and jeopardize the operations. Hence thorough training, mental and
physical fitness of each individual may be required for success of the
operations.

Question 51. This question was to probe the Officers, JCOs and NCOs
further on the thoughts and feelings they get while waiting for the militants. The
officers have thoughts about safety of troops and concern for their own families,
some JCOs had thoughts about the operation and some had depressing thoughts
of fear, death and fatigue. Some NCOs evaded the question while some
expressed thoughts of anger and strong desire to eliminate the militants..

It can be analyzed that the troops do get depressing thoughts which may
be the beginning of manifestation of stress. This shows inadequate training and
lack of confidence. There is also a need to train their minds with meditation.
Some officers, JCOs and NCOs may need a few sessions of counseling by
psychologist or councilor.

Question 52. In this question daily routine followed by Officers, JCOs and
NCOs was asked. Only 20% officers have mentioned PT and games in their
routine, 27% JCOs have mentioned PT but no games, while 36% NCOs have
mentioned PT/games in their answers. It seems that due to operational
commitment PT and games are not being conducted regularly in the units.

73
 It is felt that PT and games are important in any form, be it yoga,
meditation etc. These are required to keep a person healthy, fit and de-stressed.
Troop games give an opportunity to the officers to come closer to NCOs and
soldiers. Games are also a source of entertainment.

Question 53. This question was to assess whether the Officers, JCOs and
NCOs visit unit temple or not. Spiritualism is one of the ways to calm one’s
tensed mind. The serene atmosphere of the temple automatically reduces
tension and stress. 60% Officers, 100% JCOs and 86% NCOs attend the Mandir
parade at least once a week. It can be inferred that the spiritual aspect is being
looked after by the unit religious teacher. Motivational talks by religious teacher
to the NCOs and soldier can be very beneficial in calming their tensed minds.

Question 54. A professional councilor is trained to council the stressed

Officers, JCOs and NCOs. They are mostly psychologist who can gauge the state
of mind of people whom they council. In an interaction with Officers, JCOs and
NCOs the councilors can make out which individual is stressed and needs
careful handling. Such persons need to be constantly under observation and
may also be kept away from prolonged operational tasks.

From the answers to this question, it was felt that professional councilors
do not visit the units regularly. Probably a team of JCOs and NCOs has been
trained to carry out the stress management interaction in the unit. Counseling is
a highly specialized job and cannot be performed by JCOs and NCOs. Hence
employing more number of professional councilors will help in controlling
manifestation of stress.

Question 55. Yoga and meditation are considered to be the means of

relaxing and training body and mind. In the answers received, 40% of Officers,
67% JCOs and 72 % NCOs have said that yoga is occasionally conducted in their
units, probably due to the busy operational schedule. Yoga and meditation are
two Vedic instruments to control one’s body and mind. This can greatly de-
stress the minds of the soldiers and do not need special provisions to perform.
It is important to conduct yoga and meditation in all the units, serving in
insurgency environment, whenever troops are available in the unit lines.

Question 56. This question is connected with question number 55 . 30 %

Officers, 67% JCOs and 60% NCO have said that only about 45 % soldiers can
actually do yoga in the unit . The answers of Officers and JCO/ NCOs do not tally
and give an impression of being inflated. Yoga and mediation is certainly
important as means to reduce stress in the troops and provision should be made
so that maximum number of Officers, JCOs and NCOs are able to practice it
whenever they are in the unit and not committed (2-3 times in a week )

74
Question 57 and 58. These two questions were inter-related and were meant
to probe the Officers, JCOs and NCOs to give frank answers, however it seem
that caution and restraint has been used by respondents in replying to these
questions. Out of the replies received, those which are considered relevant and
important are analyzed as follows:-

ANSWERS RECEIVED ANALYSIS

 Family disputes and This could have arisen due to
problems at home . independent nature of modern era
girls(spouse). Parents /in laws/ husband
needs to educate spouses. Husbands need
to be told about benefits of joint family
system .

 Lack of adjustment with Soldiers need to be told to be ambitions

Within limits keeping in view
spouse
Compatibility with spouse.

 Jawans /NCO being troubled Senior NCOs and JCOs need to be apprised
and pestered by Senior and trained to be polite in their behavior.
NCOs /JCOs on minor
mistakes.  Restrict use of mobiles phones. Jawans to
educate their spouse and parents
 Talking too much on mobiles regarding the same.
phones .
 Shows stressed mind. Such individuals
should be identified, strict watch needs to
 Unable to control anger . kept. Such individual should be counseled
and should undergo Yoga and meditation.

Junior leaders need to train their NCOs


 Senior NCOs/ JCOs making fun
of junior soldiers .
 Lack of confidence .
,JCOs and Jawans in this regard.
Shows lack of training and lack of
confidence in their weapon. They need to
be provided with better weapons. There
may be a need of a psychologist or a
counselor.
75
  This is a matter of change in selection
 Jawans who join Army may procedure . Psychological tests should be
not be suitable for the job. introduced, to check the suitability of
Jawans, before enrolment .

Screening of such individuals should be

done. They should be kept under
observation and may be treated by
 Some Jawans are physically
psychologist.
strong but mentally weak.
The Jawans are more educated than what
they were before. They feel the
 Taking welfare as a right but requirement to know the reason for each
not work . action required to be undertaken by
them. leadership at all levels need to keep
this in mind and keep them informed.

 This is the matter which involves parents,

soldiers and their spouses. Soldier can be
 Breaking up of joint families . apprised about benefits of joint family in
the unit. Ex –serviceman’s league in
villages can be utilized to educate the
parents and spouses. The reunions in a
unit (where retried personnel are also
invited ) are a good forum to educate
parents about benefits of joint family
system.

 This is a unit problem and can well be

sorted out. leave should be spilt and
 Long separation from families. Officers, JCOs and NCOs should be given
leave as many times as feasible ( at least
thrice ). Leave should as far as possible
be given on dates required by personnel.
JCO and NCO families can be called to
stay in unit area if feasible, in rotation.

 Government intervention is required in

this case. Central government needs to

76
  Lack of Co-Operation of local take the help of State Governments to
administration in solving overcome this problem. Priority should
disputes of the soldiers . be given to the service personnel, in
government offices, for sorting out their
problems. Ex– serviceman can be utilized
for this job.

 This is a unit problem. Leave should be

planned and granted accordingly. Grant of
 Leave problem .
emergency leave should be based on
merit of each case and commitment of the
unit . No bias or favoritism should be
done.

 Leaders at all levels should apprise the

NCOs/ Soldiers to live within their means.
 Living beyond his means and Parents/ in laws need to be educated in
getting into financial hardship this regard . The families should also be
–. educated not to spend beyond the means
of the soldier.

REASONS FOR FRATRICIDE  Leaders at all levels should go into the

details of the case. Find out the root
 Enmity with each other. cause and try to resolve the issue.
Complicated cases can be taken to the
courts.

 This is a higher echelon problem and

needs to be sorted out at the top level of
 Failure of command and the Services and trickled down to
control battalions. At Battalion level
 of superiors. ,Commanding officers need to ensure that
upward and downward chain of
command is functioning at all times .The
problems of the soldiers must reach the
Officers and Commanding officers in time.
 Commanding officers’ decision should
expeditiously reach the soldiers.


77
  Tension between each other  This can be sorted out by good training
due to nagging of superiors. and leadership. The superior Officers,
JCOs and NCOs should look into the
matter and clear the differences.

 Non- Identification of the Leader at all levels should be alert at all

problem / tension and its times and all the problems of NCOs
addressal. should be investigated with wasting any
time and correct, timely decisions, should

be taken.

 This shows signs of stress and requires
 Increasing intolerance proper management. Regular yoga,
amongst troops. meditation, spiritual guidance and
counseling is required for such persons..
Irritants in the soldiers’ mind also need to
be identified and removed.

 Non realization of  Leaders at all levels need to share the

the
problem of the unit by commitments of the unit with each JCO,
Officers, JCOs and NCOs. NCO and Jawan , in different forums.

 Soldiers need to be guided on this issue

and in case they do not understand, firm
 Selfishness is creeping in the
action may be taken, keeping justice in
soldiers and they want to keep
mind.
their own interest foremost .


 This is a leadership problem. It should be
 Injustice being done to NCOs .
ensured that no injustice is being done to
any NCO or a Jawan by Officers and
JCOs / Senior NCOs. Leaders need to be
vigilant on this issue.

Question 59. Officers, JCO’s and NCO’s were asked about their views to
curb suicide and fratricide cases in the Army. Suggestions and views are as
follows:-

78
ANSWERS RECEIVED ANALYSIS
 Earmark mentally weak Councilors/Officers should identify
jawans and keep in constant and earmark such jawans / NCOs who are
touch with them Through susceptible to stress and keep counseling
Interaction /interviews. them regularly.

 Officers JCOs and NCOs Training of leaders at all levels in this

should deal with the junior regard is required to be conducted,
NCOs/jawans in a polite, just but specially for JCOs and senior NCOs. JCOs
and NCOs should regularly advised
firm manner .
regarding polite behavior and mainting
good relations with Jawans

 All personal problems of Leaders at all levels need to exercise

officer, JCOs and NCOs should be human touch in dealing with the
looked into without delay and problems of Jawans , and expeditious and
decision/ remedy provided correct decision should be given.
expeditiously.
Here frequent interaction of JCOs and
 Frequent interaction Officers with NCOs is necessary to know
should be done with soldiers. the problems of soldiers.
 Training of leaders at all
level for stress management – Regular training for officer by Brigade
HQ, and for JCOs and ORs by units, should
be made a part of induction training
 Buddy system to continue . conducted by experts.

In buddy system an Officer, JCO or

NCO is earmarked for another Officer, JCO
or NCO who is responsible to help him in
his problems and keep a regular check on
 Religious teachers should him. This system is being followed and
needs to continue.
prepare and give motivational
talks to JCOs/NCOs when they
This should be encouraged by the
visit the Mandir.
Commanding Officers. Officer and JCOs
 Interactive forum should
should also attend these talks.
be organised where NCOs and
Jawans should be allowed to give This should be organised at platoon

79
their frank views. and company level and occasionally at
 Sufficient rest should be unit level.
provided to troops.
This is a leadership problem and
 Recreational facilities needs to be organised at company and
should be provided. platoon level. The formation Head
quarters should ensure this.
Formation Head quarters problem
should provide mobile cinema facilities.
Unit should provide indoor/ outdoor
games and sports facilities and
equipment.

RESULT/ RECOMMENDATIONS

The following results and recommendations have emerged after analyzing

the data received from officers, JCOs and NCOs :-

Personnel level

Stress Management is the responsibility of each individual and he

should do whatever is possible to reduce tension/stress from his mind. The
following points need attention:-
 Joint family system has got its benefits as well as short comings. It
has been observed that breaking up of joint family system in villages
has caused a lot of insecurity and harm. Hence needs to be adopted.
 Education to girls in an important factor for advancement and all
personnel should make an all out effort to educate their daughters.
Other people in the village should also be encouraged to educate the
girl child.
 Use of mobile phones by families of service personnel should be
restricted to once/twice a day. Parents of soldiers should educate

80
 their daughters-in-law about the nature of operations being
undertaken by their son and need to restrict breaking ‘emotionally
depressing’ news to them.
 Army must lay down restrictions on the use of mobile phones by the
JCO’s/ NCO’s.
 Parents of the service personnel in the villages need to educate the
families to live in harmony and co-operation with other family
members and to create a happy atmosphere.
 Family problems should be sorted out within the family and village
and should not be brought to the unit.
 Soldiers must get trained in deep breathing, muscle relaxation,
cognitive exercises and meditation to cope with stress.

Unit Level

The Unit commanders need to look into the following:-

 The procedure for the recruitment should be modified and

screening should be done by psychologists, to eliminate mentally
weak individuals.
 Training of recruits should include classes on correct/ polite
behaviour along with military training.
 Provide a friendly / helpful environment in the unit.
 Train the Officers and JCOs in stress management.
 Have regular interaction with jawans, NCOs and JCOs.
 Problems of Jawans should be looked into without delay and sorted
out expeditiously.
 Ensure that the officers, JCOs and senior NCOs are polite and
humane in their dealings with the Jawans.
 Buddy systems should be continued. This boosts up the morale and
confidence of jawans.
 Yoga and Meditation training should be praaticed by all troops who
are not committed, as much and as frequently as possible.
 Officers / JCOs and Jawans should be encouraged to go to the
Mandir. Religions teacher should organise a spiritual talk once a
week which should have maximum attendance by troops.

81
  Inter personal relations between NCOs/JCOs need to be cordial and
friendly.
 No Officers, JCO or senior NCO should show down the Jawans, make
a mockery of them or unnecessarily trouble them.
 The jawans should be given leave as per their leave program and in
case it cannot be given, the reasons should be made known to them.
 JCOs/NCOs should be allowed to give their views frankly in some
organized forums.
 NCOs having weak mind should be identified and they should be
counseled by mental health experts.
 Unlike conventional operations, counter Insurgency operation
involves planning and execution at a unit or submit level. This
operation is junior officer’s and NCO’s war and junior leaders should
be allowed to fight as per the local conditions. There is a
requirement of less officers in staff and more officers on ground.
Hence less Officers should be posted on staff and strength of units
may be made up.
 Proper training of counter Insurgency, weapon training etc should
be given to JCOs/NCOs so that they can gain self- confidence
 Army must lay down restrictions on the use of mobile phones by the
JCO’s/ NCO’s.
 Take help of ex servicemen to educate the youth about benefits
of joint family system, restrictions in use of mobile phones,
compatibility with the girl he wants to marry etc..
 Rest and recuperation centers have been opened for officers, JCOs,
NCOs and Jawans at various places in J&K, however the attendance
of JCOs/NCOs/Jawans is very poor in these centers. The unit
commanders should send as many persons as possible to these
centers to recuperate.

Formation Level

The Formation commanders are equally responsible for units under their
command. They must look into the following:-

 Arrangement should be made to send professional counselors as

frequently as possible to all units.

82
  Train unit teams of Officer/JCOs/NCOs for providing counseling and
stress management lectures to JCOs/NCOs.
 Arrange for induction training for JCOs/NCOs to include the
following apart from operational training:-
 Inter personal behaviour of JCOs/NCOs with soldiers.
 How to identify stress affected personnel.
 Stress management.
 Yoga and Meditation.
 Ensure that units get enough time for their administration and rest.
 Provide for recreational facilities to troops e.g. mobile cinema, inter
unit friendly matches etc.
 In peace stations it should be ensured by higher formations that
units get time for their own administration. Officers, JCOs, NCOs and
Jawans should be able to spend some quality time with their
families.
 Junior leaders are being under utilized in operation at present, also
they are not exerting themselves in reducing stress. In foreign
armies even the NCOs (Corporal and sergeant) handle their sections
effectively. Junior leaders should be trained and given more
responsibilities. It should be kept in mind that, JCOs were the ones
who used to lead British Indian Army and if given a chance they can
still perform well 10.
 ORs and Jawans should be able to spend some quality time with
their families.
 Higher Head quarters should guide the troops taking part in the
operations and handle the peripheral aspects like media, politically
sensitive issues like human rights, logistic arrangements and
matters concerning state governments. This will ease a sizable
amount of stress from the minds of junior officers and troops
involved in operation.
 Keep a strict vigilance on units’ health and environment.
 AK-47 or better weapons should be provided to units carrying out
counter insurgency operation.

Government

The Government should ensure the following:-

10
. P k Gautam , Conscription is Not the Answer, 25 Jan 2008, IDSA Strategic comments, www.idsa.com
83
 Ensure that better weapons are provided to the units serving in
insurgency environment in J&K. Weapons can be purchased in the
open world market as in case of other weapons, being purchases.
 Ensure that the authorized strength of Officers, JCOs, NCOs and
soldiers is posted in units at all times. All deficiencies specially of
officers should be made up.
 Government should expeditiously look into the welfare matters of
the solders regarding land, property, housing etc. The
implementation should be through a time bound system having
legal sanctity.
 Government should give priority to the soldiers in official and legal
procedures due to limited duration of their leave.
 Government should implement lateral movement of defense
personnel in Para Military Forces, Central Police Organizations and
Public Sector Undertaking to ensure smooth transition in a second
career.
 Government should step up the programmes of education in the
villages.
 Should ensure good medical facilities in all villages and open
hospitals at central places in the district so that it is approachable
by all the villages in the District.
 The attitude of the local administration and police towards the
families of service personnel and ex servicemen is not helpful.
Central government should take help of state government to ensure
full support of police and local administration towards service and
ex- service personnel.
 Some organization should be constituted by the central government
in co-ordination with state governments in each district, to look into
the grievances of the service and ex-service personnel. Every village
must have a cell to note down grievances of service and ex-service
personnel and refer the matter to judicial bodies in village and
district, in consultation with district administration.
 There is a requirement to change the duration of tenure of a soldier
in insurgency environment in J & K. Since militancy is likely to stay
in the near future also, the tenure of the units in that area,
authorization of troops, suitable type of weapons, leave policy etc,
needs to be changed as per the requirement of operations in
84
 insurgency areas.( It is pertinent to note that Indian soldiers spends
three years in insurgency environment while his counter- part in
foreign armies stay only for a period of one year.

The above mentioned recommendations are not the end of the exhaustive
measures which can sort out the problems of a soldier and prevent
manifestation of stress and occurrence of psychosomatic diseases. These
actions can however start the chain reaction which will probably bring about
positive changes in the lives of the soldiers.

CHAPTER VII

STRESS MANAGEMENT

The habits of a life time cannot be changed over night . Change takes time,
sometimes a year or two of dedicated practice. But if you do not change
sometime during that two year, your blood pressure elevations could become
chronic, your stomach lining could open in a painful ulcer, you could be plagued
with headaches, or you could suffer any number of other stress related
disorders. There is no magic wand to transform instantly into a successful stress
manager. People can cope with stress in different ways. The people who cope
effectively with stressful situations have first learned to direct their thoughts
along productive lines to avoid being distracted by fear and worry. Generally
people deal with stress in one of the manners described below :-

 Task oriented response( person has resources to cope ) .

 Anxiety( person does not have coping resources ) .
 Defensive response ( person distorts situation and responds so as to
reduce anxiety .
 Anger ( person blames the situation ) .

The success of a skill depends on the nature of the situation and on the
individuals vulnerabilities and assets . Anger, which is often an outcome of

85
stress illustrates the value of specific stress coping skills . People prone to get
angry must pay attention to thoughts that evoke tension and agitations in
them .They must set realistic goals because the frustration that leads to anger
may be caused by excessively high personal standards .

Smith & Others ( 1986 ) have enumerated various ways to improve stress-
coping abilities in individuals . Most of them are related to day-to-day life-
situations but will interest individuals who develop stress in job situations in
particular . Some of the techniques mentioned by them are listed below :-

 Be Task Oriented . Focus only on the task confronting you . It is

not productive to spend time with thoughts or feelings that are
unrelated to accomplishing the task .
 Be Yourself . Do not play roles . You will be more effective acting
naturally than trying to fit a role. Place your confidence in yourself
and not in the role .
 Self Monitor . Pay attention to the way you are thinking and
feeling in a situation . It is important to learn about what causes stress
for you and about your personal reactions to stress . Effective self
-monitoring is your early warning system . It can alert you to the
necessity of using the other coping skills to vent a blow-up .
 Setting Realistic Goals . Know your own limits as well as your
strengths . At times , laughter is the best medicine - try not to lose your
sense of humour .
 Have a Constructive Outlook . Try to look for the positives in
the people around you . Don’t be too quick to conclude that people
are behaving the way they are just to upset you .

Hindu Psychology and Stress Management

“Take it easy,” the Yogi says. Psychologists have shown keen interest in
the age-old techniques prescribed by the Hindu psychology as they help in going
deeper in analysing the causes of tension and in removing them. Hindu
psychology lays stress on development of will, and on the individuals potential
power of bringing out his inner strength. The success in coping with tensions is
related to the understanding of the goal of human life and to the power one
possesses for attaining it . To quote the Gita, “ The mind is restless and difficult
to control; but through practise and renunciation it may be governed.”

86
Therefore, one has to adopt a technique that prescribes psycho-physical
discipline . The Hindu psychological technique essentially has two aspects : one
is, the realisation of the supreme goal of life, and the other is the cultivation of
detachment and ceaseless effort to undergo the necessary discipline ( Avasthi,
1973 ).

Tensions will dominate as long as the primary end of human life remains
materialistic and hedonistic. Swami Akhilananda ( 1952 ) felt that tensions were
also created by wrong understanding of life in general.

The first aspect of coping with stress in Hindu psychology, therefore, is to

remove the causes of maladjustment and stress. The idea that all humans are
manifestations of God enables minimising the tension of interpersonal
relations ;Competition is minimised.

The second aspect is the technique for cultivation of the detached outlook
and the adoption of discipline. Here the mind and the body are considered
interdependent. Thus certain dietary regulations are suggested to keep the body
and in such a state that may assist in the development of the mind.

The third aspect prescribes specific mental training for the physical
health which is termed as yoga. Anxiety results from a perverted urge which
may become disproportionate and out of balance. By elevating the outlook to a
higher or spiritual level, the individual allots every urge its proper place, and
sets the balance right. Anxiety vanishes with the development of the will
through such practice, and the individual is transformed into an integrated
personality.

Self Control

Self control is the ability to control ourselves by being aware of and

directing our actions to achieve specific goals ( Karoly and Kanfer, 1988 ). It also
implies self-direction. Once people see themselves as having choices and
perceive themselves as being in control, they are most likely to deal effectively
with stress ( Fisher, 1984 ).

The self controlling behaviour can include internal, or covert, responses

(thoughts, images and feelings) and external, or overt, response. To maintain
self controlling behaviour, they need reinforcement. The reinforcement could be
87
by way of external rewards like social approval or financial gains, or it may
consist of self approval and encouragement from seeing the desired changes.
Raymond Novaco ( 1975 ) identified several key elements of these situations
and trained people to avoid being overwhelmed by their anger, by focusing on
their own reactions ( self-monitoring ) and by using task-oriented task. He
emphasised the following steps:-

 Preparation for Provocation. The person imagines situations in

which anger might arise and rehearses thoughts that would encourage
adequate coping .
 Impact and Confrontation. The person imagines that the
provocation is actually occurring .
 The Post-Impact Period . The person imagines that the
provocation has occurred, notices the emotional reactions that follow, and
rehearses thoughts aimed at reducing emotionality .
 Feedback. If being angry is highly stressful and to inadequate
coping, the person is encouraged to engage in thought redirection. If the
person does a Good job of avoiding intense feelings of anger, self
reinforcing thoughts are brought to mind.

The key ingredient in self control is being able to see yourself as more than
an object being pushed around by uncontrollable forces. We are not truly free
unless we have the option of engaging in a variety of behaviours. The concept of
self control implies the ability to free ourselves from present or past conditions
that have limited options. We have a greater sense of freedom if we think of self
control as an ability that we are capable of achieving, rather than as some
inborn trait ( Smith & Others, 1986 ).

Social Support

One of the key external influences to help cope with stress is our network
of social relationships. Social support implies close relationships with others
whether friends or relatives. The nature of social support determines both
vulnerability to stress as well as how one copes with it. As the social network
constricts there is more vulnerability to physical and psychological breakdown.
Sharing upsetting feelings and learning that other people are confronting similar
life stresses is very beneficial while those withdrawing from others in a crisis
are deprived of social support. Special support groups can lead to stronger

88
coping skills for persons undergoing intense, often prolonged stress ( Cowen,
1982, Pilisuk, 1982 ). Social support helps in times of relative calm. With
additional coping reserves, we are in a better position to handle demands,
frustrations, and challenges when they do arise.

13. The positive role of social support in a patients recovery is illustrated by a

study which investigated the relation between life stress, social support, and the
dosage of drugs necessary to control symptoms in adult asthmatics ( De Araujo
& Others, 1973 ). The group with many life stresses and few social support
needed the largest dose. Individuals with good social support seemed less
adversely affected by stress in their lives than those with poor social support.

Physical Exercise, Health and Stamina

There are many benefits when a life style includes physical activity.
Moderately strenuous jogging often reduces tension experienced by clinically
depressed and anxious people. Therefore, physiotherapists recommend
running, walking, or swimming programmes to many of their clients. The
beneficial effects of exercise might be due to physiological changes ( for
example, reduction in the amount of lactic acid, a by-product of exercise, and a
lowering of blood pressure), psychological changes ( for example, feeling
stronger and more in control ), or both.

As brought out in previous paragraphs, Brain produces hormones which helps

the body to get ready to face any danger/challenge. In case activity is done by
the body the hormones are used up, in case of no activity, the hormones can give
rise to various ailments like ulcers, heart attack etc. Hence brisk physical
exercise is required to burn out these hormones from the blood. Studies were
carried out at the University of Colorado which has revealed the following:-

 Physical Exercise lowers the level of Norepinephrine released in

response to stress.
 Improvers the immune system of the body.
 Reduces negative effects of stress, suppresses cell division, decrease
cytokines and increases production of proteins.

A persons ability to withstand disease, fatigue, or hardship might be called

stamina( Thomas, 1982 ). Psychologists are working towards and

89
understanding what contributes to stamina. The term psychological hardiness
has been used to describe people who are more resistant to stress and less
susceptible to illness than most people are ( Kobasa & Others, 1982 ). People
who are psychologically hardy tend to have a stronger sense of personal control
over their lives, feel more involved in whatever they are doing; and are more
open to ideas and change. All these help in coping with stressful situations.
Hence PT and games are a must for all troops in the serving in Insurgency
Environment.

Massage

Massage reduces the levels of Glucocorticoids and Epinephrine in

depressed mothers and infants. It also relaxes the mind and induces sleep. It
gives relief on throbbing pain. Massage can be very helpful in reducing tension
and de-stressing the soldiers after any operation.

Breathe to Relax

Nature has provided a perfect way to activate our relaxation response, it

can be done by taking long controlled breaths. A few long breaths can de-stress
and calm a person in any situation. Increased blood pressure can also be
brought to normal quickly, with controlled breathing.

Uplifts to Balance Negative Events

Some positive events in life, which are termed uplifts can help the negative
events ( hassles ). A person with a very active life may have hassles but these
may get balanced by doing something that gives them great pleasure. Kanner
and his colleagues ( 1981 ) devised some scales to assess positive and negative
experiences. A few positive events which interestingly vary in different age
groups. Middle-aged subjects found pleasure and satisfaction primarily in their
family and in good health. However, the students preferred hedonistic(fun)
activities such as laughing, entertainment, music, and the like.

Stress Management through Nutrition and Weight Control

The relationship between exercise and stress has been studied for years,
but the relationship between nutrition and stress has only recently the attention
it deserves.

90
The Relationship Between Stress and Eating Habits .

People respond to stress in different ways: some smoke, some drink

alcohol, and some increase or decrease their food consumption. Can improper
eating habits actually cause stress ? Yes. If, over a period of time, one does not
consume adequate amounts of nutrients, the stores of these nutrients become
depleted. The person is then more susceptible to disease and less able to adapt
to other stressors. All too frequently, we see people who are stressed or feel
depressed and have a low self esteem because of their image, in such situations
proper eating habits can be a coping strategy.

What Makes a Healthy Diet.

No guidelines can guarantee health or well being because health depends

on many factors in addition to diet. Food alone will not make a person healthy-
but good eating habits, combined with regular exercise and stress
management, can improve your health. Some dietary guidelines to help in
effective stress management are as follows:-

 Eat a variety of foods .

 Maintain your ideal weight .
 Avoid too much fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol .
 Eat foods with adequate starch and fibre.
 Avoid too much sugar .
 Avoid too much sodium .
 If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation .

Religion- A Source of Strength

Religious fellowship, spiritual principles, and faith in something greater than

man can be major sources of strength for daily living and times of crisis. The
choice is ours for making. One very important facet in our units day to day
routine is the regular Mandir or Gurudwara Parade in which everyone gets an
opportunity to pray and seek solace. This acts as a great catharsis for relieving
us of our fears and stresses. It is often seen that men develop a great faith in
something supernatural in times of diversity. Dr H Koenig of America’s Duke
University School of Medicine, and a pioneer in scientific study of faith’s healing
potential, has compiled a powerful evidence that religious faith not only
91
promotes overall good health, but also aids in recovery from serious illness. “ By
praying to God,“ Koenig notes, religious patients “acquire an indirect form of
control over their illness.” They believe that they are not alone in their struggle,
and that God is personally interested in them. This safeguards them against the
psychological isolation that batters so many people with serious disease. In his
study he came up with the following observations :-

 In a study at the Dartmouth Medical School, found that heart

patients were14 times more likely to die if they did not participate in
group activities and did not find comfort in religion. Within six months
of surgery, 21 patients had died - but there were no deaths among the 37
people who said they were deeply “religious .”
 Researchers in Israel studied 3900 people living on kibbutzim over
a 16 year period. Their findings : the religious had a 40 percent lower
death rate from cardiovascular disease and cancer than their secular
peers .
 A Yale University study of 2812 elderly people found that those who
never or rarely attended church had nearly twice the stroke rate of
weekly church goers.

Harvard Medical School associate professor Dr H Benson has brought new

understanding of the physiology involved in such healing faith. He notes that 60
to 90 percent of doctor visits are for stress related illness- including
hypertension, infertility, insomnia, and cardiovascular disease. But Benson has
shown that the relaxed state brought on by prayer and meditation reduces the
impact of stress hormones such as noradrenalin and adrenaline. “ Repetitive
prayer slows a persons heart and breathing rates,” he says. “It lowers blood
pressure and even slows brain waves, all without drugs or surgery.”

Stress also impairs the immune system by making it produce an

inflammatory agent called interleukin-6, which is associated with chronic
infections, diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease. Koenig found high levels
of inter-leukin-6 in people who rarely go to church. Regular attendees had
significantly lower interleukin-6 levels, suggesting that they coped better with
stress, as evidenced by their stronger immune systems.

Professional Counselling

92
 Once a persons level of coping with stress is low and he is being
overwhelmed by the stress that he is facing and his day to day activities get
hampered then the individual needs expert advice to assist him in ways to
cope /overcome his stresses. For this technique to succeed it is extremely
important to note that the patient must accept the fact that he needs
professional help, if he has any resistance to the fact that he needs help, then the
treatment or counselling will eventually fail.

Battle Fatigue Prevention Techniques

It is extremely important for commanders at all levels to know and use

prevention techniques to reduce the incidence of battle fatigue. An effective unit
prevention programme must include participation from all officers, JCOs , NCOs,
and medical personnel. It should encompass the following:-

Unit Level

 Encourage unit cohesion: Help new soldiers to fit in; Give them
time to adapt to the unit; Allow soldiers to work in groups, i.e. “fatigue”
duties, PT, parade, sports, etc; Encourage unit centered social activities
;Get the unit together for functions and ceremonies.
 Help soldiers solve personal/ domestic problems: Know
soldiers’ personal background; write to civil authorities to solve disputes
at home; Encourage soldiers to write letters and ensure that mail is
delivered regularly; involve unit religious teacher for counseling and
religious guidance and weigh personal factor when assigning tasks.
 Impart unit pride: Teach history and transition of the unit ;Use
examples set by unit personnel particularly emphasizing their physical
endurance self sacrifice bravery and awards won by them.
 Ensure physical fitness.
 Conduct tough realistic training , that yields confidence.
 Practice effective management: Leaders must know soldiers
strength and weakness; identify important tasks and assign suitably
trained soldiers for them; Cross train soldier and assign two member to
do a critical task (task sharing); Discuss possible loss of leaders and
prepare juniors to take over; practice unit debriefings (after Action
Debriefing, Critical event Debriefing ) and keep information flowing
vertically and horizontally without compromising secrecy.

93
  Practice casualty care and evacuation: Ensure everyone knows
first aid and psychological first aid.
 Cycle units in and out of combat
 Instill good morale in the troops.

Need for Mental Conditioning

Commanders and troops must understand that they are operating in a ‘No
Win’ situation and their overall aim will always remain achievement of more
perfect peace. It simply implies that there is no such thing as quick military
victories. Conduct of counter insurgency campaigns will invariably extend to a
number of years. None should attempt to achieve ‘quick-end’ results,
particularly by resorting to excessive use of force. Excessive use of force is
counter productive and must be avoided. Patience, perseverance, warmth and
genuineness must be displayed. At the same time there is no room for ‘Zero
Error’ or ‘Live and Let Live’ approach to the problem. Such is the nerve racking
complexity of the problem that the need for ensuring correct type of mental
conditioning at all levels.

Positive Aspects

Loyalty to Comrades. First and foremost among the positive

psychological aspects is one’s loyalty to his comrades. One may not bother about
causes, country, even kith and kin, but one always cares for his close comrades,
their safety and welfare. This comradeship transcends all caste, community,
race, religion, language and almost all barriers. This should be nurtured
assiduously in times of peace, so that it will come in to save the battle in war.

Hope. Hope is the best preservative in war. If a man can look forward to
leave, re-uniting with his family or best of all winning a decoration and going
back home after the war as a hero, he carries on regardless. As Napoleon has
said “ Men are ruled by their vanity” and again “ What will a man not do for a
piece of ribbon ?“

Ego. Every nation gets the army it deserves. In a nation like ours where
there is no conscription, it is the bounden duty of every citizen to show utmost
regard and concern at all times for the welfare of the man in uniform. Then only

94
has he got the right to expect the soldier to risk his life and limb in battle. The
soldiers ego should be nurtured. Pride in uniform should assume something of
sacred proportions. Adolf Hitler in his speech declaring war on 03 September 39
said “ Today I have donned the uniform which is to me the holiest and most
beloved of garments. I shall take it away only after victory or I shall not live to
see the end.” If the soldier feels proud to wear the uniform, he can be expected
to live up to the ideals of valour and self-sacrifice in war. In many nations, Kings
and national leaders habitually wear the military uniform though quite often
they may not be military men. This is only to give prestige to the military
uniform and show the importance of soldier as saviour of the nation. Military
uniform should be a thing apart. Police and Para - Military forces should not be
allowed to wear uniform or badges of rank even remotely resembling those of
the armed forces. The prestige given to the military uniform and to the men
wearing it in peace time will pay rich dividends to the nation in war.

Morale. As Eisenhower had said “Attention to the individual is the key to

success.” Generally, a soldier who feels that everything possible under the
circumstances has been done for him and who trusts his superiors and
comrades and believes in the cause for which he is fighting is bound to have
high morale. Low morale will result from the opposite circumstances. High
morale reduces stress to a great extent as it reduces the effect of stressors on
the human mind.

Leadership

Good leadership and training are the real antidote for combating stress in a
counter- insurgency environment . Majority of the counter insurgency
operations are fought at platoon and company levels; hence platoon and
company commanders must plan and execute missions by leading from the
front and setting personal example. The leaders above company level must be
seen and their presence felt by all rank and file. A commanding officer must be
seen once in two or three days if not daily and Brigade Commander once a week
if not more often. Commanders must be able to plan ahead and defeat the
designs of militants by being pro-active. The troops should develop confidence
in the professional abilities of their commanders. When the troops move out for
operations they must be convinced that the operations they are involved in have
been planned and ordered after due deliberations and all assistance for their
success provided. During execution of operations, the men must see their

95
commanders facing the same hardship and dangers to life as being faced by
them. The living conditions of all ranks should be as similar as possible. Such
leadership, if practised, would generate a state of motivation of troops which
would negate all the stress of the battlefield.

Training

To kill is not the natural behaviour of a human being. To create the killing
instinct in a soldier, he has to be trained hard and realistically. Such training
would inculcate body reaction and develop in him a second nature whereby he
would do the unnatural act more as an auto-reaction leading to success. Success
in combat would generate confidence and a sense of superiority which is
essential to combat stress. If men are trained for all possible tasks and
situations, the stress of battlefield would reduce to a negligible level.

Numbers Game

While the task assigned involves numbers game, there is no need to be

obsessed with it and consequently drive the men to the state of exhaustion or
“burnout”. Efforts should be made to create a good intelligence network at the
tactical level and carry out operations based on specific information. This will
yield good results as opposed to pursuing the course of searching for a needle in
a haystack. Besides, it will save troops.

Casualties

The troops are involved in a live conflict. Therefore, if they inflict

casualties on the militants, it is obvious that they too will suffer some casualties.
While there should be concern for safety of our men, excessive fear of losing
them would make them defensive, Therefore, to imbibe an aggressive spirit in
the men, they should be mentally prepared to sustain casualties.

Cause

There is no need to debate the wisdom(or lack of it) of the political

leadership. For the soldiers the task is quite clear. The militants who have taken
up arms and recourse to violence against the legitimate government are anti
national and therefore need to be treated as adversaries. It must be emphasised
that the elimination of the militants or their apprehension is in our interest.

96
Use of Minimum Force

Our troops must respond with force and manpower necessary to deal
with the militants in a given situation without placing themselves at a
disadvantage. The commander on the spot is the best judge to decide the
quantum of force and firepower to be used and the higher commanders must
give due weightage to the wisdom of his judgement. They should also avoid
instituting inquiries as such actions demoralise leaders at the junior levels
inhibiting them in taking initiative and risks in the future.

Weapons and Equipment

Recognising the fact that the militants are equipped with better small
calibre weapons, the strength of our troops lies in better training to use
weapons and also the ground effectively. This qualitative edge must be fully
exploited to deter the militants engaging troops in combat.

Habitat

There is no excuse for poor habitat of troops. As Napoleon had said “ Treat
your men like horses. Drive them hard when they are out of barracks and groom
them well when they are back in the stable”. The men must be provided with
adequate shelter, proper clothing and good food. There cannot be any
compromise on sound administration.

Rest and Recreation

This is a concept which was successfully tried out in Sri Lanka. A rest and
Recreation centre was established by the division where units came in rotation
for two to three weeks. This period was devoted by men to maintain their
weapons and equipment, for personal administration and recreation making
them fresh for undertaking operations for another six months to one year.

Leave

There is a tendency to curb leave during counter insurgency commitment.

While restricting leave may be justified, denial of leave to deserving cases could
only add to the frustration of the men. Therefore leave should be granted to
troops when due.
97
Officer and Men Relationship

There is no substitute to the officers regularly interacting with their men.

Provision of colour TV’s and VCR’s cannot be a substitute for this very important
aspect. Officers must share the hardships and deprivation of their men. Senior
officers should remain in constant touch with the units through regular visits to
encourage and resolve their problems. With such close interaction, the officers
committing suicide and soldiers running amok will reduce considerably.

CHAPTER VII

CONCLUSION

98
 Indian Army with its midcourse corrections have ensured that
Kashmir does not become anther Vietnam. The Statistics show that the Indian
Army has a suicide rate much lower than India’s National average – 10.8 per
lakh population compared to the National average of 14 per lakh 11 . Stress has
taken its toll in the foreign armies as well. In 2007 US lost 108 soldiers while
more than 300 Russian soldiers were lost due to suicides 12.
One of the major drawbacks which needs attention is the shortage of
middle rung officers(Lt cols and Majors). The shortage reported in the Internet
by Josy Joseph, on 23 Nov 2006 was 10,000 which has now become 12000, as
reported in “The Week” dated 25 Jul 2010 . The yearly wastage rate of the
officers is 10,000 while 12000 officers are joining the Army every year 13, at this
rate it will take quite a number of years to make up the deficiency.
The Officers of the Armed Forces are still not happy. Reason could be
dissatisfaction in compensation package, when compared to that of
multinational companies. It is understood that the Government cannot increase
the pay further, however the perks, like Priority to Army personnel in
Government offices, Educational Institutes, priority in allotment of houses in
Government housing schemes, etc. could be ensured. Certain other
concessions like - substantial part of the salary being exempted from Income
Tax , liberal concession in Air and Rail travel, etc, also can be introduced.
At present Army is making up the officers’ strength, by increasing the
intake in various Army Training Institutes like Indian Military Academy,
National Defence Academy and Officer’s Training School. This will definitely
increase the overall strength of the officers, however, unless the Exodus of the
Middle Rung Officers is checked, in near future, a stage will come when there
will be a void of officers between 8-12 years of service ; we may find
commanding officers with 16-17 years of service while Second in command and
company commanders would be of 6-8 years of service. Instead of freeing
himself to devote more time to his troops, the commanding officer would be
busy doing the job of second in command and other multifarious tasks of the
Unit.

A temporary measure to sort out the problem of shortage of Officers

may be, reduction of officers on staff duty from Higher Head quarters in
11 Josy Joseph, Army Plans to Shoot Stress, 21 Oct 2006, Daily News and Analysis(DNA)

12 Associated Press, Suicides in US Army Highest in Two Decades, The Times of India, 30 May 2007

13 Josy Joseph, Army Plans to Shoot Stress, 21 Oct 2006, Daily News and Analysis(DNA)
.
99
peace/field areas to be posted to units in Insurgency Areas for short period of
18-24 months as normal posting( as being done for RR Units).

Another Important measure identified for dealing with Stress

Management is the requirement of additional numbers of Psychiatrists / trained
mental health professionals. As per “The Week’’, dated 25 Jul 2010, DIPR
(Defence Institute of Psychological Research) has recommended one
psychologist for every one thousand soldiers. Currently there are 29 Psychiatric
centres in the three services , how ever there is no psychiatrist posted to any
Field Hospital, which looks after a division(about 10,000 troops). Although
Medical Corps has trained 90 paramedical staff as psychological counsellors,
there is a requirement of many more to be useful in managing Stress in the Army
, specially in Insurgency Areas . The number of Psychiatrists may be augmented
by recruiting officers in the education corps with psychology background. They
can further be trained as health professionals by defence training institutes.

It is now quite clear that India may not fight another conventional war
with its adversary. Insurgency and militancy are the ones which will have to be
dealt with effectively. Keeping this in view, the most important point to ponder
about is – bringing changes in the adhoc system of working/functioning of the
Army in Insurgency Areas(Specially in J&K). Presently the Army is managing
with the rules, regulations and General aspects of day to day working with Pre
Independence standards. Over the decades no major changes have been
instituted; only modifications have been made to suit various situations arising
out of various wars fought in between, or difficulties encountered. For example –
Changes brought in from Lorried Divisions to Infantry Divisions, from mountain
Divisions to Infantry divisions, etc.

There is now a requirement to convert some force into Counter

Insurgency Divisions to suit operations in Insurgency areas. There are static
formations which are dealing with Insurgency(like “Romeo” Force etc), however
they have RR battalions under command and are not properly equipped for their
task ; also they are probably of a temporary nature. There is a requirement of
permanent Organisation fully equipped with specialised arms, ammunition,
equipment, vehicles and manpower and controlled by specific rules and
regulations to suit their operation in J&K ( keeping the counter insurgency
warfare and the rules and regulations of J&K Government, in view). Re-
designation of the family/non family areas , leave authorisation etc, may have to
100
be rehashed to make the troops comfortable, to be able to fight and spend a
stress free tenure, in insurgency torn Jammu and Kashmir. Over and above this
a number of aspects, like training(should be realistic and specific) , creating
peace in field areas , decentralising command and control, delegating more
power and accountability to junior leaders to carry out important tasks
independently , etc, may have to be looked into.

Over and above the foregoing, there are a few other aspects which need
the Government’s attention, to ease the Stress in a soldier’s life, further. These
are given below:-
 The Political will to resolve the situation.
 The living conditions in J&K should be made more hospitable, as in the
case of Assam Rifles.
 There should be accountability of the civil administration set up, to
ensure a positive contribution in reducing stress levels of the fighting
soldier.
The Political will is most essential to get started in earnest. The
situation is still in hand and can be easily controlled at this stage.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ANNEXTURE - I

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Book : Stress Management ; Coping With Militancy Situations by Kiran Sumbali Bhan
(1998 ) .

101
Book : Hindu Psychology by Akhilananda, Swami - 1948 .

Book : Behaviourally Conditioned Immunosuppression. Psychosomatic Medicine, 37, by

Ader, R & Cohen, N , Pages 333-340 .

Book : The Sepoy, Lancer Publishers, New Delhi, 2008 by Edmund chandler

Book : Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics by Thomas C B , 1982

Book : military Leadership : The Global Soldier Perspective by R K Solanki, D N

Tripathi , Defence institute of Psychological Research.

Book : Mental Health : challenges and Perspectives in Armed Forces by K Srivastava ,

Department of psychiatry, Armed Forces Medical College Pune

Book : Military Life ” The psychology of serving In the Peace and Combat”,by Amy B
Adler, Pentagon Press, 2008.

Book : Stress from Burnout Balance, By Vinay Joshi , Response Book, 2007

Book : Hand Book on Stress Management, 160 Military Hospital , May 2010

Periodicals

 USI Journal, Fear- Genesis and Coping Strategies, Dec ( 1985 ),P Gautam

 Combat Journal, Psychological and Motivational Factors Affecting Soldiers,

Aug1988 , by Lt Gen SC Sardeshpande

 Combat Journal, Some Reflections on Approach to Counter Insurgency in the North-

East, 1989, by Brig GB Reddi, AVSM

 Military Review, Leadership for the 21st Century, Jan - Feb 1997,by Gen D J
Reimer, U S Army

 Indian Journal of Psychiatry , Vol 48 ,issue -4,2006 , Psychological effects low

Intensity Conflicts(LIC)Operations, by Chaudhary S, Goel DS,Singh H,

 The Times of India, ‘Suicides in US Army highest In two decades’, 30 May 2007,
Associated Press.

 Stress Prevention in Armed Forces Eastern Command , Medical Branch, Calcutta ,

Letter No. 231319/5/M-5(B)/PC, dated 13 Mar 2010

 The Week , Every Third Day an Indian Soldier Kills Himself , 25 Jul 2010

Internet Site

 Anshu Gupta, - A psychological Perspective

102
 ‘Stress in Indian Army’ of present scenario and Needs,
15 Feb 2008, www.mind.in

 Renu Agal, - BBC Hindi Service, New

‘Indian Army’s biggest enemy Delhi, 14 Dec 2008
Stress’ bbc.co.uk,

 Indo-Asian news service, - PM urges Officers, Troops

Relate as ‘Trained Professionals’ 10 Dec 2007
www.indiaedunews.net

 PK Gautam, - IDSA strategic comments

‘Conscripts is not the answer’ www.idsa.in, 25 Jan 2008

103
 ANNEXTURE - II

SYNOPSIS

ON

STRESS MANAGEMENT IN THE

ARMY, IN INSURGENCY

ENVIRONMENT, WITH SPECIAL

REFERENCE TO JAMMU AND

KASHMIR

104
 SYNOPSIS

“STRESS MANAGEMENT IN THE ARMY

IN INSURGENCY ENVIRONMENT WITH
SPECIAL REFERENCE TO JAMMU AND
KASHMIR”

SUBMITTED FOR THE PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF

MBA(DLP) DEGREE

Under the supervision of : Dr. Shakthi Prathaban

By : Lt Col(Retd) A K Gupta
Roll No. 07D-075

To : College of Materials
Management,Jabalpur
( MP)
105
 STRESS MANAGEMENT IN THE ARMY
IN INSURGENCY ENVIRONMENT WITH
SPECIAL REFERENCE TO JAMMU AND
KASHMIR

SYNOPSIS

INTRODUCTION

Stress is the state of mind caused by ones thought, environment at place of

work, present circumstances, and pre-occupation of mind due to domestic problems
or fear of being incapacitated due to some ailment or perceived internal fear of
grievous injury or death. It is the phenomenon of being stretched by the demands
made on an individual, beyond the limits of his/her potential to cope. In present times
everyone seems to be stressed at some time or the other, be it a busy bureaucrat, the
perplexed politician, a pestered administrator, a worried businessman, the para-
military or the armed forces personnel.
The Defense personnel, specially the army personnel, are the ones who are
constantly facing challenges due to war like situations caused by the long drawn-out
106
counter insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East. A very
few peace stations are extant which is also a cause of stress to army personnel due to
frequent deployment in various sundry non military duties like Aid to Civil
Administration over and above the stress caused due to myriad routine professional
and administrative problems. These may be due to various reasons ranging from
perpetual shortage of strength – both of officers and PBOR (Personnel Below Officer
Rank), unplanned / impromptu requirements imposed on officers, Junior
Commissioned Officers and soldiers, the semi closed system of initiation of annual
confidential reports, denial of leave on chosen dates (due to various operational /
administrative commitments), multitude of inspections / VIP visits etc.
The onset of ‘stress’ in the Army has been evident in some form or the other,
right from the time of the 1962 Chinese aggression. It has gradually increased
through the insurgency in the North- East, and 1987 Sri Lanka operations. Beyond
this period the stress on the Armed Forces personnel progressively increased, so
much so that it caused many a personnel to resort to the extreme step of suicide. Till
1987 the peace stations for the army units acted as places for recuperation from
the stressed state of their period of stay in the field area. Post 1987 a large
number of the army units in the peace stations had to leave for Sri Lanka to
participate in the Peace Keeping Operations – Operation PAWAN (which later
converted into war). After this, in continuation, the militancy in Punjab, followed by
the insurgency in J & K in a big way, has stressed the army personnel even more.
This is probably due to an amalgamation of a multitude of reasons to include a
perpetual state of uncertainty, long wait for insurgents, difficult living conditions,
battle fatigue, unseen threats, extended field tenures, absence of recreational avenues,
domestic feuds, leave and other countless administrative problems.
Another viable reason for the existence of high levels of stress in the army is
that since there has been a drastic improvement in communication system, the soldier
is very much alive to the problems at the home. A number of times his call for duty
takes priority over his responsibilities of home front and he feels himself as
desperately helpless. This state can increase his level of ‘Stress’ all the more. All
these reasons are responsible to induce multitude of stresses in the soldiers.
The increasing No. of suicide and fratricide cases has already triggered the
thinking of the ‘Red Tabs’ of the Army and the Government. A few steps have
already been taken to prevent the onset of STRESS in the troops. A few of the
measures already implemented in the army are as under:-
Improvement in living conditions keeping in view the constraints of the
operational area.
Introducing ‘buddy’ system, in which, the buddy, who is a person of your choice,
in the unit, keeps an eye on you as well as helps you out in times of crisis.
Improvement in the quality of rations.
Employment of Counselors (placed at Divisional Headquarters) for counseling
any person who requires it.

107
 Providing better communication system e.g. aircraft facilities twice a week from
Srinagar/Leh to Chandigarh and Delhi.
Liberalization of leave.
Introduction of specialized Pre Induction Training (PIT) to troops in specialized
Corps Battle Schools before entering service in the J & K.
Implementation of provisions of Sixth Pay Commission, which has enhanced the
pay of Army personnel considerably.
In spite of all efforts by the Army, to prevent the onset of STRESS, a number of
cases of suicides, over staying of leave by jawans, cases of fratricide, alcoholism etc
are still occurring. This calls for more drastic changes by the Army and timely
positive intervention by the Central Government, to solve this problem once and for
all. State Governments should also render all possible help to the serving, as well as
retired army personnel, in their rehabilitation, as well as looking after the interest of
the family members.
In the present times, if a nation has to survive, it needs to prove itself as a global
power, for which there is a requirement to develop and maintain strong armed forces.
To achieve this aim we as a nation must overcome the existing hurdles which armed
forces are currently facing. On this very premise we need to reiterate that problems
facing the armed forces are indeed the problems facing the country. Therefore the
Government machinery has to get involved to address them conscientiously.

DEFINITION OF THE PROBLEM

To study the manifestation of STRESS in troops in the Army and its

management, with special reference to Jammu and Kashmir.

JUSTIFICATION FOR THE STUDY

There have been a number of cases where middle rung officers have
committed suicide, while a few soldiers have lost their patience and shot their
colleagues and superior officers. These incidents appear to be the preliminary
symptoms of a serious malady that appears to be plaguing the troops engaged
in long drawn counter insurgency operations. The media reports are highlighting
these incidents, which is not only having an adverse affect on the morale of the
soldiers but also maligning the image of the Army. It is therefore a matter which
cannot be ignored by military leadership. Some concrete steps need to be taken to
arrest this trend. Since such incidents are mostly as a result of ‘stress’, due to
prolonged exposure of troops, to an insurgency environment, military leaders must
analyse the nature of this problem and find ways and means to create an
environment, which helps in the successful management of STRESS.

108
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The following is proposed –

Sample size – 100 (officers/ junior commissioned officers (JCOs)/ Non
Commissioned Officers NCOs)/Other Ranks (ORs).
Sampling Method – Random Sampling.
Data Collection
Primary - Through Questionnaire and structured interview.
Secondary Data - Through books periodicals, articles etc.
Limitations Of the Study -
 During these study views of more number of officers than JCOs and
NCOs was taken since officers can provide information which is
more authentic and covers wider perspective.
 The ground reality and information was not possible due to security
reasons.
 Major part of the information is by way of books, periodicals,
magazines which are as per the perception of the writers.

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Book : Stress Management ; Coping With Militancy Situations by Kiran Sumbali Bhan
(1998 ) .

Book : Hindu Psychology by Akhilananda, Swami - 1948 .

109
Book : Behaviourally Conditioned Immunosuppression. Psychosomatic Medicine, 37, by
Ader, R & Cohen, N , Pages 333-340 .

Book : The Sepoy, Lancer Publishers, New Delhi, 2008 by Edmund chandler

Book : Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics by Thomas C B , 1982

Book : military Leadership : The Global Soldier Perspective by R K Solanki, D N

Tripathi , Defence institute of Psychological Research.

Book : Mental Health : challenges and Perspectives in Armed Forces by K Srivastava ,

Department of psychiatry, Armed Forces Medical College Pune

Book : Military Life ” The psychology of serving In the Peace and Combat”,by Amy B
Adler, Pentagon Press, 2008.

Book : Stress from Burnout Balance, By Vinay Joshi , Response Book, 2007

Book : Hand Book on Stress Management, 160 Military Hospital , May 2010

Periodicals

 USI Journal, Fear- Genesis and Coping Strategies, Dec ( 1985 ),P Gautam

 Combat Journal, Psychological and Motivational Factors Affecting Soldiers,

Aug1988 , by Lt Gen SC Sardeshpande

 Combat Journal, Some Reflections on Approach to Counter Insurgency in the North-

East, 1989, by Brig GB Reddi, AVSM

 Military Review, Leadership for the 21st Century, Jan - Feb 1997,by Gen D J
Reimer, U S Army

 Indian Journal of Psychiatry , Vol 48 ,issue -4,2006 , Psychological effects low

Intensity Conflicts(LIC)Operations, by Chaudhary S, Goel DS,Singh H,

 The Times of India, ‘Suicides in US Army highest In two decades’, 30 May 2007,
Associated Press.

 Stress Prevention in Armed Forces Eastern Command , Medical Branch, Calcutta ,

Letter No. 231319/5/M-5(B)/PC, dated 13 Mar 2010

 The Week , Every Third Day an Indian Soldier Kills Himself , 25 Jul 2010

Internet Site

 Anshu Gupta, - A psychological Perspective

‘Stress in Indian Army’ of present scenario and Needs,
15 Feb 2008, www.mind.in

110
 Renu Agal, - BBC Hindi Service, New
‘Indian Army’s biggest enemy Delhi, 14 Dec 2008
Stress’ bbc.co.uk,

 Indo-Asian news service, - PM urges Officers, Troops

Relate as ‘Trained Professionals’ 10 Dec 2007
www.indiaedunews.net

 PK Gautam, - IDSA strategic comments

‘Conscripts is not the answer’ www.idsa.in, 25 Jan 2008

ANNEXTURE -III

PRASHANOTTAR

VIDROH GRASHT VATAVARAN (INSURGENCY ENVIRONMENT) MEIN

TNAAV MUKAT PRABANDH
(INSURGENCY ENVIRONMENT MEN REHTE SAMAY AAP KE
VICHAR)

1. Pad (maujuda) -
2. Naam-
3. Unit -
4. Vidroh grast sthano par ki gayi seva
(a) Seva ka varsh
(b)
(c)
5. Vivahit / Avivahit ? -

111
6. Patni shikshit /Ashikshit (Dusvi se neeche athwa upar ) ?-
7. Bachhon ki shiksha
(a)Ladka - Shiksha –
(b)Ladki - Shiksha –
8. Bachhon ka school ghar se kitni duri par hai ?
9. Kya aap sanyukt pariwar mein rah rahen hain athwa nahi ?
10. Yadi sanyukt parivar men reh rahe hain to aap ke pariwar mein kaun
kaun hai?
(a) Pita-
(b) Maata-
(c) Bhai- Behen-
11. Kya aap ke paas koi bhumi sampatti hai ?
12. Bhumi dwara varshik aaye kitni hai ?
13. Kya aap ke paas yatayat ka sadhan hai ? Vivaran –
(a) Car -
(b) Scooter / Motor Cycle-
14. Aap ke pariwar mein kitne vaktiyon ke paas mobile phone hai ?
15. Kya aap ke ghar mein Bhumigat telephone seva hai ?
16. Sthaniye parshashan ka seva niwart /sevarat sainikon ke prati kaisa
vayavhar hai?
17. Kya shthaniye prashashan sainik pariwar ki shikayaat par turant karwahi
karte hain?
18. Sathaniye police ka sevarat / sevaniwrat sainikon ke prati kaisa vayavhar
hai ?
19. Aap ke gaon mein rehan sahan ki sthiti kaisi hai ?
20 Aap ke gaon mein kitne pratishat vaykti shikshit hai ?
21. Gaon ke anya vayktiyon ka aap ke aur aap ke pariwar ki taraf kaisa
vayvahar hai ?
22. Aap ke gaon mein chikitsa ki kya suvidha hai ?
23. Aap ke gaon se Sainik aspatal kitni duri paar hai ?
24. Kya aap ke gaon mein ECHS (Sevaniwrat Sainik Chikitsa Seva) ki
suvidha hai ?
25. Kya aap ke nivas sthan ke najdik Sena Sahayeta Kendra hai ?
26. (Insurgency environment men) Ek sal men apko Kitni baar avkaash
milta hai ?
27. (Insurgency environment men ) Kya aap ko avshakta anusar avakash
milta hai ?

112
28. (Insurgency environment men ) Kya aap ne kabhi aisa mehsoos kia ki
kuch vyaktiyaon ke saath avkash svikrati mein pakashpat kiya jata hai?
29. (Insurgency environment men) Unit se ghar phuchane mein aap ko kitna
samaye lagta hai?
30. (Insurgency environment men )Kya aap ko avakash ke samaye atirikt
yatra samaye diya jata hai athwa yatra samaye bhi usi avakash mein samallit
hota hai ?
31. (Insurgency environment men ) Kya aap ke unit aur company mein sainik
sammelan ki padhtti hai ?
32. (Insurgency environment men ) Kya aap ke Company Commander aur
Commanding Officer all ranks ke sath mel milap rakhte hai?
33. (Insurgency environment men ) Aap ke Platoon aur Section Cdr ka aap ke
taraf kaisa vyavahar hai?
34. (Insurgency environment men ) Kya aap ke Section, Platoon aur Company
Commander ka vyavahar aap ke prati nishpkash aur nayaypuran hai ?
(a) Section Commander
(b) Platoon Commander
(c) Company Commander
35. (Insurgency environment men) Aap ko bhojan taza aur garam milta hai ya
basi aur thanda ?
36. (Insurgency environment men ) Jub aap duty se wapis aate hain to apkoo
garam athwa thanda khana milta hai ?
37. (Insurgency environment men ) Kya aapko Ration ki maatra prayaapt
milti hai ya aap ne kabhi ismen asantushti ka anubhav kiya hai?
38. (Insurgency environment men ) Aap ko jo Ration milta hai uski quality
“average”, “above average” athwa “Below average” hai .
39. (Insurgency environment men) Kya aap purntaya sahamat hain ki aap ke
cook house men ration, scale Ke mutabik hi aata hai, kam nahin aata ?
40. (Insurgency environment men ) Aap ke mutabik apki Khadya samgri men
kisi tarah ki koi kami to nahin hai ?kya aap ismen badlav chahte hain?
41. (Insurgency environment men ) Aap apne bhojan aur khadye samgri men
kya pariwaratan chahte hai ?
42. (Insurgency environment men ) Aap ki Unit lines mein rahan sahan ki
suvidha kaisi hai ?
43. (Insurgency environment men ) Saptah mein aap kitne din unit lines se
dur rahte hai aur sainiye gatividhi mein vyatit karte hai ?
44. (Insurgency environment men ) Sainik gatividhi samanyata kitne din tak
samaapt hoti hai ?
113
45. (Insurgency environment men ) Sainye gatividhi ke doran kya garam
bhojan prapt hota hai?
46. Aap Kis hathiyaar ka prayog karte hai ? Kya aap ko apne hathiyar par
vishvaas hai ?
47. Aap ka apne hatiyar ke bare mein kya vichaar hai ? Kya yeh
Insurgents Ke Mukable men unnat hai, saman hai athwa ugravaadi ki apeksha
kum hai ?
48. Kya ugravaadi / Vidrohi firing aur Yudh vidya mein kushal hote hain ?
49. (Insurgency environment men ) Vidhrohiyon ka saamna karne se pahle
aap ko kitna intzaar karma parta hai ?
50. (Insurgency environment men ) Vidhrohiyaon ki pratiksha karte samaye
aap ke mashtishak main kis prakaar ke vichaar aate hai?
51. (Insurgency environment men ) Vidhrohiyon ki pratiksha karte samaye
aap kis prakaar ka anubhav karte hai ?
52. (Insurgency environment men ) Unit lines mein aap ki dincharya kya hai ?
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
(e) (f)
53. (Insurgency environment men ) Kya aap ki unit mein niyamit mandir
karyekram hota hai ,Ek Saptaah mein aap kitni baar mandir jate hain aur pooja
karte hain ?
54. (Insurgency environment men ) Kya kisi salahakar ne aap ki unit mein
vichhar sabha ke liye doura kiya hai athwa kisi jawan ko salah di hai, kya aap
tanaav mukaat prabandhan par niyamit Baatcheet / salah mashvira karte hai
55. (Insurgency environment men ) Kya aap ki unit mein’ Yoga’ ki shiksha hoti
hai ?
56. (Insurgency environment men ) Kitne jawan vashtav mein pratidin ‘yoga’
kar paate hai ?
57. (Insurgency environment men ) Kya aap ko aap ki Formation me hui kisi
bhi aatmhathya tatha apne sehyogi ki hathya ki ghatna ke baare mein jaankari
hai , aap ke vichar men Unke asamanya vyavhaar ke kya kaaran the ?
58. (Insurgency environment men ) In dinon men apne sathion ki Hathya aur
Atmahthya ki vardat itni tiwrta se kayun badh rhi hai ? Aap ke vichhar mein inke
kya kaaran hain ?
(a) Atmahtya : -
(b) Hatya (apne sathion ki): -
59. Bhavishya mein Hatya aur Atmhtya ki ghtnao ko rokne ke liye aap ke
vichar men kya- kya karvahi karne ki zaroorat hai ?
114
 Signature--
Name ---

ANNEXTURE – IV

QUESTIONNAIRE

STRESS MANAGEMENT IN INSURGENCY ENVIRONMENT

Please answer the questions with Asterisk-For Officers only(Your
Insurgency Experience)

1.* Rank -
2.* Name -
3.* Unit -
4.* Which all Insurgency Areas you have served in .
(a) Period served with years-
(b)
©
5.* Whether Single/married? –
6. * Whether Wife Educated or not(above or below Tenth )? –
7.* Children with Education
(a) Sons- Education-
(b)Daughters- Education-
8.* How far is the School of the children from home ?–

115
 9.* Whether Staying in Joint Family or not ? -
10.* If YES in Question 9, then who all are in the family –
(a)Father -
(b)Mother-
© Brothers-
(d) Others
11.* Do you possess any landed Property-
12.* What is the approximate annual income from your land?-
13.* Do you possess a conveyance? Enumerate-
(a) Car-
(b) Scooter/Motor Cycle-
14.* Who all in your family possess Mobile Phone(s)?
15.* Do you have a land line Telephone in your House?-

16.* What is the attitude of the local Administration towards retired and serving
soldiers?-
17.* Does the local Administration take prompt action on soldiers/family’s
complaint ?-
18. What is the attitude of the local Police towards the serving /retired Army
personnel ? 19.* How are the living conditions in your village/town?-
20.* What is the percentage of educated persons in your village/town?-
21. * What is the attitude of the other residents of the village/town towards you/your
family?
22. * What Medical facilities do you have in your village/town?-
23. * How far is the Nearest Military Hospital from your village/town?-
24. * Do you have an ECHS(Ex Service men Health Scheme) clinic in your
village/town ?-
25 * Do you have any Army Help line nearby?-

26.* (in insurgency environment) How many times do you get leave?-
27.* (in insurgency environment) Do you usually get leave when you require it?-
28.* (in insurgency environment) Do you ever get a feeling that partiality is being
done with few people for grant of leave ?
29. How long does it take you to reach your home from Unit location?-
30.* Do you get journey period over and above your leave period or is it included?-
31.* (in insurgency environment)Do you have a system of Sainik Sammelan in your
Unit and Company, give its periodicity.
32.* Are your Company Commander and Commanding Officer approachable?
33.* What is the attitude of your platoon and Section commander towards you?-
116
34. Are your Section ,Platoon and company commanders fair and just towards
you?-
(a)Section Commander
(b)Platoon Commander
© Company commander
35.* How is the food being served to you (in insurgency environment)?-
36.* Do you get hot food or cold food when you come back from your duty in (in
insurgency environment)?-
37.* Is the quantity of rations in insurgency environment, sufficient, or do you at
any-
time feel that you are not satisfied?
38.* (in insurgency environment)How is the quality of rations issued to you?
39.* Are you in complete agreement that you are getting your total entitled rations
in your cook house (in insurgency environment)?
40.* (in insurgency environment)What in your opinion is lacking in your rations ?-
41.* (in insurgency environment)What changes would you like in your food and
rations?-
42.* (in insurgency environment)How are the living conditions in your Unit area?

43.* (in insurgency environment) How many days in week are you away from your
Unit area and committed on Operations ?-
44.* (in insurgency environment)How many days does the Operation last usually?-
45.* (in insurgency environment)Do you get hot meals during operations or not?-
46.* (in insurgency environment)What is your opinion about your weapon system?
Is it better, Equal or inferior than those of the Insurgents.-
47.* (in insurgency environment)What weapon do you carry? Do you have faith in
your weapon ?
48.* Are the militants/insurgents well trained in firing and tactics?-
49.* (in insurgency environment)How long do you have to wait before contact is
made with the insurgents?-
50.* (in insurgency environment)What all thoughts come to your mind while you
wait for the insurgents ?
51.* What type of feeling do you get while waiting for the insurgents?-
52.* (in insurgency environment)What is your routine in the unit while you are in
the ?-
(a) (b)
© (d)
(e) (f )

117
53.* (in insurgency environment)Do you have regular Mandir Parade in your unit?
How many times do you go to the Mandir in a week?-
54.* (In insurgency environment) Does any Counselor visit your Unit to
deliver any lecture or to give counseling to your Jawans ? Do you have regular
talks/lectures on Stress Management?
55.* (in insurgency environment)Do you have yoga classes in your Unit ?-
56* (in insurgency environment)How many Jawans are actually able to do yoga
every day ?
57.* Are you aware of any suicide or fratricide cases which took place in your
formation
while serving in insurgency area? What were the causes for their abnormal behavior?
58.* Why do you think the suicide and fratricide cases are taking place in such
intensity?
What may be the reasons in your opinion?-
(a)Suicide:-
(b)Fratricide:-
59.* How do you think these suicide and fratricide cases can be avoided?

Signature&Name

118
119