AFVOA Newletters of Year 2008

Page 32 of 56 As the old song goes, ‘the best is yet to come’. It is exhilarating to think that there are a lot of new things yet to appear on this earth, to be confident that we are part of a great future of mankind. Let us enjoy that future to the fullest. There is only one requirement on our part to gain the maximum joy from this unfolding future and that is to remain healthy. So the editorial team wishes to remind all members and their spouses to remain active and to do your daily work-outs. Take to playing games. Any game which involves moving briskly on your feet is good. No matter how badly you play – just play. And talk to atleast five youngsters each day. I have always thought that the actions of men an the best interpreters of their thoughts Alexis De Tocqueville A Special Request to Members: In case you are changing your address, phone / cell number or your e-mail IP please do let us know so that we can update your information. Success is getting up one more time than you fall. Anonymous From the President’s Desk Hello Fellow Veterans, 6th Pay Commission The 62 nd Independence Day Celebrations, in its wake brought tidings of the long debated recommendations of the 6 th Pay Commission. The Prime Minister’s Independence Day address to the Nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on 15 Aug 2008 carried a message. The Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, Admiral Sureesh Mehta, as reported by the media, has informed that the various issues raised by the Chiefs of Staff have been by and large satisfactorily responded to as to arrive at an acceptable finality. However, the available information would indicate that primary issues raised by Veteran Organisations and particularly by the committee of officers from AFVOA who met with the Members of the 6 th Pay Commission at Chennai in March 2007 have been given the go-by excepting for the introduction of the Special Military Pay across the Services. In any case, since the long term suggestions for setting up a separate Pay Commission for the Defence Services, in recognition of their Primordial Role as the principal custodians of National Security, fixation of Salaries and compensations commensurate with this role and also the demands of the hazards of service of the personnel, ensuring pensions on the basis of one rank one pension to ensure equity amongst retirees over the various decades of pay revisions, have been given due consideration. It would be necessary that considered view points based on analysis and supporting data would need to be enunciated for a clearer understanding of the basis of the pleas made on behalf of the Armed Forces for a better understanding of the problem. May this be taken up as one of the investigative topics for analysis to be undertaken by AFVOA for creating an objective appreciation. Navodhava and Directory We are all looking forward to the release of our Guide Book “NAVODHAYA” aimed at enabling retiring officers and their next of kin to equip themselves for their continued happiness and fulfillment in their retirement. The Book is the outcome of the “Suryasthaman”