Life in the armed forces can be challenging. Along with pressures of raising a family while stationed at remote locations with little or no communication networks, these formidable military men are expected to go through laborious fitness routines as they train for the rigors of deployment at tougher terrains. But, what years of coaching and disciplined living do not prepare them for are the bumps and hurdles of civilian life, which they have to retire to when their service terminates. This is where Uber has stepped in.The ride sharing app had started a pilot project called UberFAUJI exclusively for ex-servicemen in November last year to enrol them as drivers. Six months on, the company has over 10,000 veterans on its platform and counting. And going by the experiences of two ex-Army men Chinappa P S and Rakesh Solanki , the program may just be a hit with its new partners."I joined the Army in 1987 and served for 20 years. I grew up in Coorg where it is quite common for people to join the forces," says 51-year-old Chinappa. "I retired seven years ago, most of which I spent doing odd jobs here and there. That changed after I collaborated with UberX," he said. Things took a pleasant turn for Ahmedabad-based Rakesh Solanki as well after the 41-year-old joined the company in January this year. "I retired in 2011 and had worked as a security agent with SBI before I got the offer to join Uber. I underwent for a 10-day training program after which I was absorbed as a full-time partner with the company," he said.Service tenure of most military men end at an average age of 35 years - significantly earlier than most other jobs. But with UberFAUJI, they can reportedly earn almost 10 times as much as their basic pension. "In addition to this, with uncertainty still hanging over the issue of OROP, this program will provide some succour to many who are not earning enough after early retirement to live a good livelihood or support families," feels Chinappa. The company aims to empower these soldiers as entrepreneurs, targeting driver-partner opportunities for more than 1 lakh ex-servicemen.For this, Uber has signed an agreement with the Army Welfare Placement Organization AWPO ) under the Ministry of Defence . "They make up some of the country's most talented leaders. They have trained hard, weathered adversities and risked their lives to protect us. We thus feel indebted to give them distinct advantages over other partners," said an Uber spokesperson. "From ex-servicemen looking for flexible part-time work while they look for another job, to the ones looking for a full-time opportunity, we have room for all," he added.They can either drive themselves or manage a fleet of hired drivers on the Uber platform. They are also offered flexible working hours and are free to drive as per their wish and financial needs. "Working with Uber feels like being self-employed," says Chinappa. "On any given day, I drive between 7 to 10 hours and comfortably make enough to pay for the education of my two children," he adds.They can also avail special schemes for better loans with competitive interest rates and insurance covers. "We financially assist service members who don't have their own cars by helping them buy vehicles at lower prices," said another spokesperson of Uber. The EMI will be deducted from their earnings and the vehicle will be theirs in less than three years. Apart from this, there are also special helpline numbers to expedite their on-boarding process and address all apprehensions."We are also offered various packages by Uber based on the number of hours we put in at the job," says Solanki. "I have consistently used one where I get Rs 3,600 if I complete 12 rides a day, which gives me roughly Rs 2,700 in hand after commissions are deducted. By the end of every month, I'm easily taking home Rs 35,000 after cutting fuel costs," he adds.UberFAUJI was replicated on the model of UberMILITARY flagged off in the US back in September 2014. The program was well received and has over 10,000 military veterans driving for the company. "We believed that this program could create a positive impact in India as well," says an Uber spokesperson. "We aim to continue and strengthen it in India going forward," he adds.