An army environment is very protected, a walled city kind of environment, where everybody has the same income, you have the same birthday parties, you are given return gifts - everything is the same. Everybody is moving up at the same pace.

In this quote, Nimrat Kaur describes the structure of an army environment, highlighting its sense of uniformity and safety. She compares it to a walled city, suggesting that it offers a highly protected environment where everyone’s life is controlled in a similar, predictable manner. In such an environment, there is little room for individuality, as everything is structured to be the same—everyone has the same income, celebrates their birthday parties in the same way, and even receives return gifts in a standardized manner. The idea is that all members of the army share common experiences and milestones.

Kaur further emphasizes the idea of a level playing field, where every individual is moving up at the same pace. In an army environment, there is a sense of equality in terms of advancement and life progression. The steady, regimented nature of army life ensures that no one gets ahead faster than the others, creating a sense of fairness and shared experience, but also limiting personal variation and growth outside the norms of the system.

The quote also touches on the concept of conformity, where the structure of the army discourages divergence from a standard path. While this can be seen as a positive factor in terms of security and predictability, Kaur subtly suggests that this environment may not provide the same level of freedom or individual expression that one might experience in other aspects of life. Everything is tailored to maintain a specific order and rhythm, which may not allow for personal exploration or deviation from the norms.

Ultimately, Kaur's quote captures the essence of the army environment as a controlled, secure, and highly structured setting, where everything is designed to ensure uniformity. While it fosters stability and fairness, it also highlights the tension between structure and the potential for personal growth and unique life experiences.