General Aspects

The Indian Armed Forces form a vast establishment comprised of a million plus personnel who are posted in units flung far and wide in the country in various commands and bases of the three Services. They are engaged in carrying out routine and critical operational assignments in the field. They are attached to peace units in administrative or training postings on transfers or are being sent for advance or specific training. They sail in ships and submarines for undisclosed periods of time and destinations.

New entrants – both direct recruit officers and officer cadets and the Other Ranks (ORs) are provided with basic military training as well as advanced education and training at various levels. They may be located in or close to urban areas and amenities or posted to regions which are not readily accessible by road, rail, or even air. The weather and climatic conditions and the terrains in some of the regions of military deployments are as formidable to bear as can be imagined. Some units are posted in islands like the Andamans, where there is neither agriculture nor a network of roads to convey goods and therefore everything must come from the main land by sea or air.