Mrinal Suman - Of Matters Military: Living the Olive Green

In an article written two days before the swearing-in of Barack Obama, his wife Michelle devoted 515 out of 863 words to the soldiers and their families: So as I watch Barack take that oath, Ill be thinking especially about those members of our American family who stand guard across the world and the loved ones who await their safe return.. My husband and I are deeply grateful for the sacrifices that these families make to protect all American families. And we join them today and every day in praying for their loved ones and their safety.

It is very rare to come across such an expression of compassion and sensitivity for the soldiers families. Whereas soldiers are always eulogized for their acts of bravery, their women remain unsung and unrecognized. Very few realize that their suffering is no less severe than the hardships faced by the soldiers in war.

Undoubtedly, soldiers have to endure extreme privations and risks in war and insurgency-infested areas. Harsh environment of remote, uncongenial and glacial areas also poses threat to their safety. Although self preservation is a strong natural instinct, the soldiers are trained to cope up with the overwhelming odds. Peer support helps them in subordinating personal safety to group interests. For them, it becomes a matter of honour not to let their group, unit and country down.

Being present in the combat zone, soldiers remain fully cognizant of the evolving hostile environment. On the other hand, their families are far removed from the scene of action. Dearth of information, sense of insecurity and the fear of the unknown generate agonizing apprehensions and trepidations. Resultantly, the families undergo acute physical, emotional and societal stresses.

In an allegorical sense, the term stress is often used to describe acute challenges faced by an individual. When stress surpasses ability to handle, it becomes a threat to both physical and emotional well-being. Therefore, the army families have to be strong enough to withstand all the stresses. They cannot afford to be weaklings. In fact, they must suffer their fears and disquiet in silence to keep the household environment in good cheer. Every army wife has to raise her family like a single parent. It is a grueling task, especially with growing up children, their education and health-care issues.

The worst time for the army families is when the soldiers go to war. Trauma faced by them can neither be described nor appreciated. Only the families who suffer the ordeal know what it is to live on the edge with a constant prayer on their lips. The agony becomes far more nightmarish for the families who have more than one members fighting the war. Let me exemplify it by recalling the personal experience of an army wife as narrated to a group a few years ago:

My husband, a young Captain, was at the battle front during the Indo-Pak War of December 1971. I was 22 years old and expecting my first child. I had come to stay with my parents.