AFVOA Newletters of Year 2004

Page 61 of 153 achieve the following:- a) Honour veterans, award winners or the disabled. b) Commemorate events of military significance. c) Draw on the unique experience of these personnel for the deeper understanding of problems and issues which may feel new to serving personnel. d) Celebrate occasions of regional or local significance with appropriate pomp and show. e) Invitations to local retired personnel to station events. 98. The above activities ought to be adopted by serving personnel and bureaucracy from Station to the National levels, treating retired personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force, BSF, intelligence services and Police with suitable respect, dignity and honour. 99. These activities require the following resources:- 1) Allocation of funds and appropriate time. Till date the Government has failed to allocate any funds for ‘welfare of ex-servicemen’ except Pensions. Maybe the accounting Head needs to be called “Dignity and Honour of the Dead and Departing”. 2) Creation of media i) Printed articles or tape recorded interviews for magazines, adjuncts to Regimental histories or for writing books. ii) Films and photographs for training or publicity or historical records. iii) Compilation of equipment or trophies. iv) Appropriate assimilation in libraries or museums. v) Development of appropriate websites. 3) Support for any associations or organisations of these personnel, to give them a collective voice; empowering these beneficiaries to make their own decisions & address collective issues; recommend suitable policies to the Ministry. 4) Preservation or creation of memorials & commemorative buildings honouring the dead or in memory of significant events. 5) Participation in International commemorative events where Indians were involved overseas or foreign personnel fought on Indian territory or waters. This is needed for the future as well as the past. Obituary 100. The members of AFVOA mourn the demise of Major JL Ratan, one of our respected members, who passed away on 10 th June 2004, at the Sri Ramachandra Hospital. He lived at 9, Defence Officers Colony, Chennai – 600 032; Telephone: 2234 6483 / 2234 2709/mobile 3100 6998. ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ ˵ They conquer who believe they can. ~ John Dryden PVC Winners 101. As mentioned earlier, brief accounts about Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav, 18 Grenadiers and Rifleman Sanjay Kumar, 13th Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, the last two of the