RESERVE FORCES INTELLIGENCE
Your source of information about Allied military reserves
Reserves around the World
An interpretation of the 'One Force Concept' in the South African Army
Vote
| Rating
| 2 votes
by César Pintado
11/10/2009
An increasing number of armed forces are embracing the concept of "Total Force" or "One Force". This considers both active and reserve components as parts of a pool of capabilities, equally deployable and with the same standards.
Introduction
The term “one-force concept” has been increasingly used in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) since 1994 and has become common since the introduction of the voluntary part-time force system in October 1995. In fact, it appears in many documents, from the Part-time Force chapter of the Defence Review report to the White Paper on defence tabled in Parliament. In its original context and as used in these documents, it is meant to convey a specific meaning or approach in terms of the interrelationship between the Regulars and Reserves of the SANDF. The aim with this article is to give an interpretation of what is meant by the term “One Force Concept/ Policy” in order to aid users in understanding and therefore, hopefully, not to misuse it.
It is also important that the “One Force Concept” or idea should be converted into a “One Force Policy” or a plan of action, and then be implemented in the SANDF.
The application of the concept in other countries
The United Kingdom
The one-force concept has its origin in the philosophy by which the United Kingdom manages its Territorial Army (TA). To quote Major General (Ret) Edward Fursdon of the United Kingdom: “In the context of a shared military ethos, the same command structure, common doctrine and tactics, similar equipment and training, and above all the same regimental system, the “One Army” concept makes very good sense – and the Territorial Army volunteers know that their service is both essential and recognized as such by their country”.
The use of the words “same” and similar” in this quote is particularly relevant. This new role of the Reserves in the “One Army” was confirmed in the Reserve Forces Act of 1996. It is an accepted fact that the Territorial Army plays a key role in the UK’s national defence within the “One Army” policy.
The United States of America
The United States uses the same idea in its “Total Force” concept. One will find that in the USA throughout the Cold War, Reserve components or volunteers served with distinction around the globe, including the Korean demilitarized zone, the Berlin Airlift and Vietnam. It was only in 1973, as a result of the declining defence budgets that the then Secretary of Defence in the USA,
James Schlesinger, enacted the Total Force Policy, according to which Active, Guard, and Reserve Forces would share in worldwide missions, resource allocations and force structure. It also implied that all would be equipped and trained to the same standards.
The results of this decision were that throughout the last decade of the 20th century the Reserve component was significantly engaged in deployments in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Southwest Asia. Since September 11, 2001 the National Guard and Reserve have also been involved in the fight against terrorism. Worldwide, Reserve and National Guard members work alongside their active duty counterparts every day. According to Richard Myers, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the USA, a healthy Total Force is essential to winning the global war on terrorism”.
Norway
Even in Norway political guidelines were given to develop the Norwegian Home Guard as a modern force, tailored to new tasks as a sustainable organization and the quality of the Home Guard will be substantially improved with the implementation of the planned quality reforms within the Norwegian Defence Force. General Gerhard Back, Commander of the Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum, stated: “If reservists want to keep up with this new tempo they also have to increase their time in “active training duty” as, from a Commander’s perspective, in principle no major divergence in skills set between reservist and regular is tolerable”. All of this will not be achieved unless a One Force mindset is applied.
Application of the “One Force Concept” In the SANDF
What is envisaged by the one force concept in the SANDF? The following are aspects that must be included therein and are essential to maintaining our defence capability:
• In terms of the Constitution and the White Paper, the Regulars and Reserves form one force for the defence of the country.
• In the past and perhaps more so in the future, if one takes into account the restructuring of the SANDF, the Reserves (Part-Time Forces) form an integral part, particularly in the Army, of the SANDF’s Order of Battle. The two components are therefore complementary and essential partners in our defence capability doctrine and tactics. Similar equipment and training methods have been and will probably continue to be the SANDF’s approach.
• By their very nature, the Regulars and Reserves will have particular strengths, limitations and requirements. They are also governed in terms of different sections of the Defence Act and various general regulations and, because of their inherent differences they cannot be administered, trained or employed in precisely the same way. Therefore, being two totally different dispensations, the one-force concept cannot be interpreted to mean that there is no difference between the Regulars and Reserves.
The one-force concept therefore addresses those aspects that contribute to the establishment, maintenance and utilisation of a well-prepared, motivated and operationally efficient force whilst recognizing that the different components thereof are different and have different strengths, limitations, needs and requirements. It does not mean that service conditions, service benefits, uniforms, traditions and all other administrative and personnel aspects will, of should be, the same. It rather considers both active and reserve components equally as defence resources.
In a context in which expeditionary forces tend to be overstretched by taking part in multiple missions, the One Force Concept is the path to follow for most countries whose reservists are called to do their share.
Vote
| Rating
| 2 votes
Sections
Participate
Free Suscription
Recent Articles
Contact: editor@reserveintelligence.com