NEW DELHI: Colonel Dharamveer Singh Suhag, the serving Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag’s younger brother, has been receiving distinguished service awards for the last two successive years, while his Delhi-based unit has also been awarded the Chief’s Unit Citation, commending the hard work done by it. The colonel, an infantry officer posted as the Army Headquarters camp commanding officer, has been given Sena Medal for distinguished service this year, while he had received the VSM last year.
All 20 PVSMs and five UYSMs were given to Lieutenant Generals. Generals posted in peace stations have received 17 AVSMs of the total of 29, all three Bar to AVSMs (‘Bar’ means repeated) and four VSMs. This takes the figure of distinguished service awards to 187, of which 138 have gone to star ranks—almost 75 per cent, which comprise Lieutenant Generals, Major Generals and Brigadiers.
Military sources claim that only 25 per cent of these medals have been conferred on middle-rank officers. The selection of these distinguished services awards raises questions about the manner in which they were given mainly to top generals, though they at times have spent their times in trenches. It is the Honours and Awards Committee, headed by the Chief of Army Staff, which shortlist the awards.
Distinguished service awards are given for the “most exceptional, exceptional and high order” to all ranks of the armed forces while gallantry medals are awarded for action in combat.
An Army officer, on condition of anonymity said: “Why not recommend names of middle-level officers for these awards such as majors of engineers, who have built roads on inaccessible and tough terrain? That would be recognising true leadership.”
He also asked why the Army does not award hardworking, industrious and dedicated middle-level officers or JCOs. “Then the organisation would have shown that it really recognises selfless service. Or award a Subedar or a Subedar Major for distinguished service with an AVSM or PVSM,” said another officer.
Over 850 army personnel have died in the Operation Rakshak in the last ten years in counter-insurgency operations in the last ten years in Jammu and Kashmir only, including 75 battle casualties in the year 2016.