MARS meets MERCURIUS

11 Apr 2013

Lieutenant General F. HENDRICKX, Ir

Aide-de-Camp to the King

Director General Education

1

The point of view of MARS…!

1. Why do we need good education for officers ?

2. How does Defence try to face this challenge ?

3. Opportunities for outplacement after a an officer’s (shortened) career?

2

We live in a “Globalization” context!

For as for

becomes

3

Need appropriate response

4

Friend

Foe

BE

400 Km

20 years ago!

5

BE

4000 Km

Now!

6

What about the future??? 7

Technical & economical challenges

Mobility

Payload

Protection

PRICE

8

Environmental & Ecological challenges

• Management of « waste » and obsolete stock

9

Cultural challengesThe enemy provides always new challenges!>>> Permanent necessity to review our way of

working!

“It’s not the strongest of the species that survives, or the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” Charles DARWIN (1809-1882)

10

Budget challenges

“Gentlemen,We have no money,

now is the time to think!”

Admiral Lord FISHER (1841-1920)

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Challenge ~ Procedures

“Yes, we have ‘All You Need To Know About The Belgian Public Procurement and Well-being Legislation’ but it is part of a twelve volume set”

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Manpower challenges

– Ageing– Need for technicians – Evolution of the society and the family– Ethics – Facebook, Twitter generation – ….

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Conclusion

It is essential for an officer to be a good tactical leaderleader,

but he also has to be a performant manager...!

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Is an officer a super(wo)man ?

? OSMEAL(Q), PDCA, Ack, Wilco…

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No of course, “Super(wo)man “doesn’t exist! but..a modern officer has to...

• Learn from the past to prepare the future

• Learn how to manage the complete panel of decision factors in real time !

• Learn how to delegate tasks

• Learn team working

• Learn how to stimulate initiative and creativity!

• Learn how to plan and make good strategic choices (Including investments –

“more often is only one tentative possible”)

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How does Defence try to face the new challenges?

A. By a strong (and legal) selection (open to all social classes) regarding1.Physical and mental fitness2.Intellectual capacity: the access to the Royal Military Academy is the result of a competition not only an examination… 3.Psycho-technical selection regarding team working & potential leadership skills

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B. By a strong education1. Professional Education (Incl Military initiation, self

protection skills, team working …)

(y>y+5) – Univ. level

+ other specialized or shorter educations

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« Mens sana in corpore sano »EXEMPLO

COURAGEEFFORTRESPECT

DISCIPLINEPRIDE

PRO

GRE

SSIV

E

ACDEMIC

CHARACTER

PHYSICAL

MILITARY

RIG

HT

to E

RRO

R

19

(...)

Strong education2. Continued education

Technical Staff Course (y+8), Higher Officer Course (y+15), High Staff Course (y+>19), Mil Administration Course (y+>19)….

3. Complementary education» Language(s)» Drivers» Certificates» Specialties» ….

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C. Training & experience on the job• Oriented to the optimization of the system• Working without financial goals• Management of people, means and risks within strong

budget constraints and legal restrictions• Military culture (loyalty, confidence in the organization,

discipline and obedience, yearly individual evaluation)• Responsibilities in foreign and international operations • Career with real opportunities for all officers

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What can an officer offer in case of outplacement?

Some capacities below can be offered as they are also valuable in a civilian environment

• Individual skills as result of education (discipline, loyalty, altruism, punctuality, sense of hierarchy, resistance to stress, sense of responsibility, code of ethics…)

• Operational or technical experience• Sense of organization (command principles,

management of processes, scientific work organization, audits, restructuration, …)

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• Knowledge of international organizations• Mix of military principles and academic education• Experience in human resources and behaviour• Structured analysis oriented to defined goals• Sense of clear command and communication to a soldier’s level• Skills to adapt to a changing environment• Experience of crisis management and security• Management of material resources (if experience in integrated

material management), budget, logistics reality, …• …

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CONCLUSIONS• The challenges for MARS and MERCURIUS in the XXIst century are similar

but their goals remain fundamentally different.• Defence is a non-profit organization. Motivation and efficiency have to be

achieved by other means than money.• Outplacement is possible but a priori not desirable. • A successful outplacement will in any case be influenced by

• The individual potential of the candidate (selection)• The timing of the career change• The reason for change• The suitability between the new job and the acquired skills of the candidate

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Questions ?

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