Discrediting - Indian Armed Forces

The below write up is from the perspective of a civilian, trained in Protection & Counter Terrorism Tactics (at Israel). This is the closest a civilian can get to understanding both worlds - for those who stand guard and those who sleep well.  I hence qualify myself to be able to lash back at all those sharing videos that are being used to discredit the Armed Forces.  

I've watch many #Bollywood flicks based on the #IndianArmy since i was young. However, I found the hollywood more realistic in such genre. In the last 5yrs, I've had much closer interactions with the #ArmedForces (both serving and retired) personnel from various ranks. And my understanding of this elite force has gotten more clear by the day. 

I had only a fair idea of the enemy they face till I started my training at Israel in Protection & Counter Terrorism. While I did prepare myself physically for such training, I was no where near the standard required to fight today's Terrorism. Both Mentally and Physically. But the Israeli's have the knack of transformation at the speed of light.

In just a few months, I was way too confident to handle a wide range of security and counter terrorism portfolio. From being a Close Protection & Counter Terrorism Operative to being able to offer Instruction in the said domain. This write up speaks about 2 worst forms of torture that the Israeli's gave me. After reading this you will understand the true nature of the complaints that are coming from few elements from the armed forces. 

Torture #1 - NO SUFFICIENT FOOD ! 

When I checked into the hotel and entered the dining hall for the very first time, I choked. The menu was filled with Meat and Fish. Yes, I'm a PURE Vegetarian. There were no Roti's No Dal, No Panner NOTHING ! There was the fat rice, dripping of olive oil. There was Popatoes fried in olive oil (I presume) and salad. At this sight, I thought to myself - Waaaooo ! I will enjoy healthy meals for next few months. However this thought came crashing within an hour of the first days training. I blacked out twice with a severe knee injury that got worse as the days passed by.

Today, when I look back, I am grateful to my instructor for what he did to me. From that day onwards, every single day, I was broken and re-engineered more stronger than the previous day. As most Indian's do - I cribbed. He didn't give a shit. And I'm glad he didn't. With chocking meat smell in the dining hall + nothing that I could call my kinda food + daily physical and mental breaking sessions, the PERFECT conditions for creating a Warrior were created.

I have met many who have traveled abroad and found themselves starving due to lack of Indian/vegetarian food. The BURNT roti and Dal that the BSF element showed in his video would have been heavenly for me during my training. My purpose at that point was to grab anything that is vegetarian that can help me survive. For me it was WAR. The real Jihad if i can call it - War over oneself. I was at war with myself everyday. With my weaknesses. With my excuses. With my limitations. With my inability to perform due to lack of needed food. In the end, I won !

When i saw that video of the BSF element, where he spoke of dropping temperatures and in human conditions - I thought about those soldiers who were taking the pain to mix the flour and water in bare hands and make those roti's for them so THEY COULD SURVIVE. Those sharing these videos should once live a week of combat and tactics before they can call the Indian Army names and be shameful about them. 99% of you won't survive a day. I have spoken to high ranked officers and they tell me of the brillinat quality of food that is served to our forces most of the time. Even if there was a lapse at the commanding officer level, it is absolutely irresponsible of the soldier to post his complain on Social Media.

Almost towards the end of my training at Israel, I found and got time to visit a Punjabi Restaurant. My joy had no bounds. I hogged like I was starving.

This was me getting emotional after not having home food, added to feeling home sick. There is no age to feeling this way. Probably the same feeling that the BSF element experienced. Or may be he was one of those weak elements who lost his mental toughness to sustain and survive under tough conditions (the same conditions those cooking for him are going though) at that very same time.

I'm sure the BSF doesn't ship burnt roti's from Delhi or elsewhere. They are prepared in a camp close to them. So have some brains before you blame delhi for it ! Else you must blame Mr. TATA for a hair found in Taj food.  

Torture #2 - I got beaten up to pulp !

It was time to learn unarmed combat. The task was 2:1. 2 guys beating one guy up. Initially not very hard but it got harder by the days. Punches, kicks, slaps, hits in my face, head, thighs, abdomen. Active shooter simulations with M14 paintball markers WITHOUT any body armor. Marks of which I still carry on my body even after 6 months. And I look at them during every shower and remind myself of the PAIN I endured and what it made me.

If you haven't done anything passionate that has left scars on you that you see everyday and remind yourself of the inner strength you have.......then you've probably waste your life. 

The objective was clear from the first day - You need to learn to get back up and fight, even after you get hit. The more your capacity to take pain, the less you fear. In less than 2 months the Israeli's got me trained to manage my fear to power myself. And not to let fear control my response. We were trained to charge into a terrorist/active shooter rather than run for cover and hide. Something a common civilian will not understand. Coz all you know is to run for your life when there is an attack (tactically the most idiotic thing to do).

I'm referring to the video that shows few elements from the Army (thought it is not clear if they are from the Army) caning who seemed like new recruits.But first you must understand the enemy these trainees will be facing in the battle:

Our Enemy: We all know who it is. We also know they are brutal and have in the past beheaded our men and chopped  their bodies. They are known for brutal human rights violations during interrogation and other times. With such a brutal enemy - our men fight. And to train to fight such brutality, we must create pain that will condition our men to charge into their enemy rather than run away.

Pain - It can either build you mentally and physically or it can make you complain like a wimp. Just like a dog. Some dogs attack you when you hit them, others run away. Now you tell me which one would you like to be guarded by ? 

I'm glad that I became a dog that would attack. And so must every soldier who intends to become one in totality. We need strong men to defend our nation. Not those who get scared of pain during drills. So if you are a civilian, first learn why these men are being beaten rather than blindly share the video by some asshole who has no clue what he's talking about or has other intentions to do so. If you have nothing to do in life then sleep or go get drunk. But stop sharing videos whose intent is being socially engineered to discredit our armed forces.

The Indian Army is about Pain, Sacrifice, Grit, Mental and Physical Toughness, Emotional Intelligence, Self Control, Self Discipline, Accuracy, Tenacity, Attitude and Warrior Spirit to name a few. And if you think men will be developed in such traits with 5 star food, accommodation and no pain then you aren't talking about Indian Army. You probably talking about rich brats.

The institution of the Indian Army is spotless. And I believe in it's integrity and honesty - completely. I'm just saddened and disappointed that I could not serve this great institution in this life time. But if I come back, my request to almighty is to dedicate me to this family of sorts for lifetimes to come.

My message to all those who read this - Plz stop sharing the videos. You are doing more bad than good. If you believe me, then know that this great institution is made up of good men with integrity toward our nation and its people. And they will not do anything to harm our freedom and sovereignty.

Right now, India is fighting the toughest war it has ever fought. A war where social media is being used to turn our youth against its own system by systematic 'Social Engineering' tactics. Such kind is called - Psychological Warfare. So I request you all to ask yourself if the video you are about to share is -

Legitimate ?

Will it have any adverse effect on public opinion ?

Will it create a distrust against the political system ?

Will it bring down the morale of those sacrificing their lives for our sleep ?

I hope you have found some points to ponder upon. I wish we all can stand together against the massive social engineering attempts to destabilize one of the fastest growing economies.

Jai Hind !

Take care & take charge,

Chakradhari Rowe

Pepper Spray, Tazer Guns.... Are they Legal?

The below apps/weapons have been reviewed keeping in mind the following points -

During an attack  you will be in panic unless you have been trained to stay calm.

During an attack your pulse is anywhere between 150 to 190 bpm, with irregular breathing, sending less oxygen to your brain narrowing your peripheral vision, your brain secreting neuro-chemicals that in most cases freeze your muscles (unless trained to respond accurately) and do not allow you to respond.

Now lets review the options available through applications & otherwise available in the market:

Option 1 - Pepper Spray

It is one of the WORST counter offensive you could think of. Here's why -

It takes a min of 4 to 5 seconds for you to take it out of your bag (if you are trained to stay calm) else its 15 to 20 seconds in panic. As shared earlier the neuro-chemicals freeze you.Where you use it is very critical for you and your adversary. If you are in a room or a cab then you dare not use it (specially if its in motion). If you are in open you'll have to first check the direction of the wind before you can use it. You don't want to use it when the wind is against you. A friend once sprayed a very small amount of pepper spray in a room we were and we could't get in till almost a few hours.

I sent many messages to the official Bangalore City Police twitter handle (@cpblr) inquiring if it was legal to use pepper spray. I NEVER got any response.You do not want to take it for granted b'coz the law can be used against you anytime.What i found online in a few places, said -  only the NSG was authorized to use it in some cases. Also - there are 2 kinds of Pepper Spray. One that sprays like a Deo and the other that sprays liquid. Out of the 2 - The liquid is more safe in case you wanna have some spice in your life. (Plz beware. I've experienced a very minute dose of this and my throat infection lasted a few days)

The last thing you need is to inhale the pepper and become an easy victim for your attacker.

Option 2 - Stun Gun aka 'Taser'

IT IS NOT LEGAL in INDIA. In India the use of stun guns are subject to legal restriction. Under the Indian Arms Act only  licensed police officials, NSG can use it under the situation where its use is found reasonable from the perspective of a reasonable officer who at the time was present in the scene. The law also limits the use to any dangerous individual and not those who passively resist arrest.It is also banned in a few states in the USA and some European countries.You could KILL a man; if you give too much of the current in the burst of anger.

Option 3 - Mobile Phone Applications (with or without bluetooth triggers)

We assume the attacker is a novice dumb f*^k. He don't know no technology, no brains, uneducated (dangerous to consider your enemy as such a guy). We also assume that you are kidnapped in a cab (driven out of route) the driver/attacker lets you hold on to your cell phone (any cab driver who gets his bookings by an app, today knows that phones can be and are being tracked). He lets you keep your phone and send repeated distress alerts to your loved ones. We assume there is Full Cell Phone coverage with internet 3G/Edge thought out the city and outskirts where your are being driven. We assume your cell phone is connected to a power bank 24/7 and you never forget to leave home with an uncharged phone or your magic Bluetooth device (watch, band, pendent etc) Most of these apps have similar features. They send your location to your chosen contacts.When your contacts get the info - They must be someone who check their phone every time it beeps. Else they will miss your SOS message. When you trigger an alert, most apps send the location at the time of trigger. So if your cab driver is taking you away from your destination, you'll have to keep sending them alerts at every 30 seconds for them to know which way you are heading. There is no option for live monitoring or tracking in most apps. 

Even before you buy that safety watch or that safety band you'll need to check your cellphone battery life. Leave your GPS and Bluetooth on for an entire day and see how long it lasts. Whatever the time divide it by nearly half as with the device there will be active communication and more battery usesage.When your chosen contacts get your location, they have to be able to get to you in time. With city traffic (in all major cities) jammed at all time, every second of yours with your adversary will count. Its not really as easy as they make it look in advertisements that sell these products. End of the day - The product company won't take any guarantee of your life just because you bought their product.  Most importantly - the trigger devices (watch, band etc) are just triggers. If your attacker gets rid of your phone then all you can do with that watch (nothing against the product in market) is count your last few minutes you have. There are a few apps that are quite innovative, like - they send your distress signal to anyone using that app around you. But I'm not very sure if that really works. 

Again if your movement is not being tracked live, then there is NO USE of that app. By the time help reaches that location, you could be at a different one.

So, trusting your life on only technology that has NO Tactics, is never my choice for my wife, sister or friend. I train my women to build their mind and body as their ultimate weapons. I train them on Personal Security Tactics.

If there are any apps, weapons, or safety devices you want us to review - send us details on cd@armoredspirit.com   or   WhatsApp us on +91 807 368 0835 and we'd love to share our take on them.

Your Personal Security is our Business coz You are a VIP for your family !

For more info on Personal Security Training, visit us at www.armoredspirit.com 

Women's Day is Everyday !

 Women's Day - Short and Sweet !

Disclaimer: The Truth Shall Set You Free....But First - It Shall Piss You Off !

For some reason, 8th of March seems to be THE day when the gender that the creator decided to create in their image, is given utmost importance. It is on this auspicious day that women are recognized as fellow beings. On this day, the MNC's set aside time that they want to give to their women workforce, to organize training that are related to them could be their hobbies, additional work skills, dealing with stress of delivering excellence at home and at work or even their personal security or self defense. To organize some fun events.

It doesn't matter if you are a girl or a boy but the moment you opened your eyes the first person you saw was a woman. And from that day to your death bed there will always be a woman in your life in one role or the other. Starting from a Mother, Sister, Friend, Aunt, Grand Mother, Lover, Wife, Daughter. Our lives have revolved around them since evolution.

In fact, in the South Indian marriage tradition, post the actual ritual when a couple is pronounced married, the priest escorts the couple under the open sky to show them a star. Known as the Arundhati and Vasistha star. It is shown as a reminder that even though the couple stars look like one star to the naked eye, in reality they are 2 and that they revolve around each other. It is done as a reiteration to the the couple that they must too be like that.

With so much importance given to the relationship between man and woman, both choose to celebrate the woman only on this ONE DAY. The other days, she is just another being trying to meet the timelines of family and work. And it don't end here, she is abused every single day in each of the roles that I mentioned above and we do nothing about it. When I say WE, I include the woman in it. Women today have become complacent. Unfortunate but true. I have been speaking to a lot of women since my entry into the personal security domain. And I've been speaking about the issues that have been hurting them most. 

Most of these discussions have ended reiterating that MOST women have got into a habit of debating about the social evils that hurt them time and again but when I made them realize that it was in their hands to take control of the situation MOST said - Yeh lets see ! 

This Must Change ! 

There is no point in extremism. Being overly feminist will do no good. There are very few women who can be extremists. And if you do not have many women who are such, then you are but a minority. What is needed is a massive external push. As a society, we have destroyed the self esteem of women. I have met well read women with little self esteem. It will take a collective effort by all women to break the glass ceiling that is holding them down. I have proved many time to those who disagreed to my statement that 'The greatest enemy of a women is another women'. Such an attitude must be eliminated. Each women will now have to CARE for another in her circle of influence. Even at work. You might be competing professionally but as women you must stand by each other. You must push each other to break that which holds you down. 

 #BeBOLDforChange - Train for Personal Security.

International Women's Day this year has this message for you all ! Its time to be BOLD. And your first step towards being BOLD is by you learning to secure yourself against malicious intent and action. Train yourself to identify pre-crime indicators. Learn that it is wise to avoid a conflict than to get into one and show your are a fighter. One of world's greatest general said - A Wise warrior will defeat his enemy even without drawing out their sword. Learn the importance of #Deterrence. Keep yourself FIT. Building muscles is not fitness. You could simply start with PRANAYAM every morning. Say no to junk food. 

Every Day is a Women's Day !

Don't wait for your company or institution to organize a security training for you. Most companies and institutions won't. Very few really care. Even if they do, it would be around a Women's Day. Could be 2017 or even 2018 or even later. You take an initiative. Find the right program that can train even those who are physically weak. Get your friends together. Don't just discuss social evils, discuss possible solutions to kill them. Get some expert help. Social media has a vast network of people willing to help (me included). Make every women around you feel you have her back covered. No criminal can mess with a bunch of awakened spirits. 

Armored Spirit would like to celebrate 2017 as an year that will mark - The Awakening of the Spirit. 

The entire of 2017, Armored Spirit will work on training a min of 500 women in a manner that they can NEVER become victims EVER in their lives. Let everyday of 2017 mark a Women's Day. 

Wishing you all a powerful awakening today ! 

Take Care & Take Charge,

Chakradhari Rowe

www.armoredspirit.com