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going on humanitarian missions. Soldiers have to rise up to difficult challenges, offer succour
and battle with life and death - all this amidst great expectations from people. If you relish
challenges and like to live on the edge of life, then this is the job for you.

Life in the Armed Forces also gears you to rise above individual aspirations, forget differences
and work as a team towards a common aim. It calls for great leadership skills and fosters the
spirit of camaraderie which shall stand in good stead in any walk of life.

4) Broadening of horizons (Lateral education)

Armed Force personnel get posted in a variety of places - islands, forests, mountains and
even deserts. They come in contact with varied flora and fauna, heritage, cuisines, people
and culture - which is like lateral education for their children and families. They get to dine
with the kings and sup with the commoners, so to say. Such kind of living makes them truly
cosmopolitan. After a while, the distinction of race, caste and creed disappears and they
assume truly homogenous identities.

In a country like India, with its diversities, inter-caste marriages in the Armed Forces are
rampant and you get to see national integration at its best, here.

5) Travel

While they get posted in interesting and remote places, the personnel also get great opportunities
to travel. The Indian Navy’s motto has been: “Join the navy and see the world”. But that holds
true of all the three services of the Armed Forces. Today, as the world is shrinking, there is a
lot of interaction and as such the military personnel are constantly touring foreign countries
for expositions or exercises, whether it is air shows, fleet reviews or peacekeeping missions.
Many go on diplomatic postings or are sent for undergoing certain formal courses.

6) Pay and perks

The pay scales in the Armed Forces are fairly competitive and in most cases, the perks include
accommodation. The living quarters - the cantonment areas or the designated townships -
invariably have good surroundings and are ordered. The officers are the cream of society, and
they have an unmistakably enhanced quality of life.

Contrary to some notions, the Armed Force personnel are not war-mongers; they are simply
conscientious soldiers carrying out the duty of defending their nation against external threats.
But there are facets to their work which many of us do not know. A career in the Armed Forces
makes for a wholesome personality, and indeed, a wholesome life.

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