Army Day meant little to me today—
until my Mausa ji stood at my door.
Eighty-one.
Upright.
Wearing a grey coat with red stripes,I’ve known all my life.
I complimented him, casually.
And suddenly, his eyes sparkled.
This is my IMA sports coat, he said—look
Football, 1969.
Basketball, 1969.
Neatly inscribed on front pocket along with logo .

In that moment,those weren’t numbers—
they were memories the Army never lets you forget.
Memories of grit, sweat, discipline, and brotherhood that most of the world has long moved past.
But not him…
And not my father either—
whose eyes shine the same way when he shows his war medals,or wears that cap that quietly declares:”Army Veteran.”

And somewhere in that moment,
standing between generations of uniforms and stories, I realise how deeply this fraternity lives within those who have been part of it .
You can leave the Army.
But the Army never leaves you.
It settles into your posture,
your voice,
your silences.
It becomes who you are…

And I feel it one more time —
how profoundly proud I am
to be a Fauji kid—
a BRAT: Born, Raised, and Transferred.

And Yes ….
For Fauji’s ..every single day is a celebration.
Because in the most uncertain of times,
seeing the next morning itself
is a blessing.

That’s the Army.
That’s the life.
….
Suvi’s Scribble (A proud BRAT)