SECURITY SECTOR REFORM (SSR)
SEMINAR
Military conscription vs. Professional forces
Advantages & Disadvantages
29 AUG 2007
DCAF-LESPERSSI-DEPHAN RI.
Jakarta
1
AGENDA
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I. ASSUMPTIONS/PREREQUISITES, CHARACTERISTICS.
 11. Assumptions
 12. Characteristics
II. CONSCRIPTION
 21. Advantages
 22. Disadvantages
 23. Risks
III. PROFESSIONAL (ALL-VOLUNTEER) FORCES
 31. Advantages
 32. Disadvantages
 33. Risks
29 AUG 2007
DCAF-LESPERSSI-DEPHAN RI.
Jakarta
2
« Draftees » vs. « Professionals » :
* a different concept
* a different context
I. ASSUMPTIONS/PREREQUISITES, CHARACTERISTICS
• 11. Assumptions/Prerequisites
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111. Conscription
 Well defined national territorial threat
 Existing infrastructure
 National will and support (citizenship vs. communal sense)
 « Equal opportunity » system
 Relative economical wealth
112. Professional force
 Military missions within national security policy
 Nation-wide legitimacy (link armed forces/public opinion)
 Financial back-up (equipments, status, career etc.)
 Follow-on reserve system
 Attractiveness (of career, mission & tasks)
29 AUG 2007
DCAF-LESPERSSI-DEPHAN RI.
Jakarta
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I. ASSUMPTIONS/PREREQUISITES, CHARACTERISTICS (cont.)
12. Characteristics (The latter assumptions granted - see slide # 3 - !...)
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121. Conscription.
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A force of « mass formations »
A « national » force ( notion of obligation )
122. Professional force
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A smaller force … (Technology vs. Mass)
Of professionals ( skills, craftsmanship, career and service )
29 AUG 2007
DCAF-LESPERSSI-DEPHAN RI.
Jakarta
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II. CONSCRIPTION
(1)
21. Advantages
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211. Military aspects
 Nation-wide military training
 Bigger pool of troops’ immediate availability (in case of major threat)
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212. Financial/budgetary aspects
 Lower costs in equipment (mass balances technology)
 Lower costs in training and daily life (draftees for support jobs)
 Lower costs in level of welfare
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213. Human aspects
 National enabler ( Motherland cohesion – defense/citizenship)
 Social integrator (social classes’ melting pot :« universal/equal»)
 Educational multiplier (school follow-on)
29 AUG 2007
DCAF-LESPERSSI-DEPHAN RI.
Jakarta
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II. CONSCRIPTION
(cont. 2)
22. Disadvantages
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221. Human aspects
 A maladjustment to nowadays’ youth expectations (dividends of
peace, growing dissatisfaction with authority)
 Limitation of possible selection
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222. Financial aspects
 A necessary sustainability ( less funding = selected draft )
 A more expensive infrastructure (more men = more buildings etc)
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223. Strategic/military aspects
 A « territorial- capable » force (suited to conventional threats)
 A limited skilled force (by nature, by need)
29 AUG 2007
DCAF-LESPERSSI-DEPHAN RI.
Jakarta
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II. CONSCRIPTION
(end)
23. Risks
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221. Human aspects
 A growing ( inescapable ? ) « unequal opportunity »
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222. Financial aspects
 A declining sustainability ( less funding = selected draft)
 A trend to buy cheap/inefficient equipment
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223. Strategic/military aspects
 A limited skilled force
 A « territorial- capable » force (unsuited to multi-facetted threats)
 Communal/confessional/terrorists/insurgents potential harbour
29 AUG 2007
DCAF-LESPERSSI-DEPHAN RI.
Jakarta
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III. PROFESSIONAL FORCE
(1)
31. Advantages
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311. Human aspects
 All-volunteer system (personal process. Notion of career )
 Freedom of the employer’s choice ( selection criteria )
 Internal enhanced cohesion
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312. Financial aspects
 Budgetary flexibility linked to evolving political choices
 Solid but limited infrastructure
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313. Military aspects
 Better training and discipline (notion of skills and service )
 Better equipment (smaller size and training allows more
sophisticated … but more expensive tools)
 Mission flexibility/adaptability, readiness and deployability
29 AUG 2007
DCAF-LESPERSSI-DEPHAN RI.
Jakarta
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III. PROFESSIONAL FORCE
(cont.2)
32. Disadvantages
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321. Human aspects
 Recruiting challenge
 Permanent challenge ( necessary retention rate )
322. Financial aspects
 Expensive human resource’s cost (promotion, family, pension etc.)
 Limited but costly infrastructure ( welfare, living conditions)
 Expensive peace-time logistical function
 Expensive training & equipment ( readiness, deployability etc.)
323. Military aspects
 Unable to face a major national threat ALONE
 Operational reserve back-up
29 AUG 2007
DCAF-LESPERSSI-DEPHAN RI.
Jakarta
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III. PROFESSIONAL FORCE
(end)
33. Risks
• 331. Human aspects
 Loss of individual motivation ( career supersedes service )
 Loss of attractiveness ( = declining human resource )
• 332. Financial aspects
 Victim of and subject to political choices ( cuts in budget )
• 333. Political/military aspects
 Pretorian syndrome ( National legitimacy vs. Government faithfulness)
 Pretorian syndrome ( Overestimate of national mission = King maker )
29 AUG 2007
DCAF-LESPERSSI-DEPHAN RI.
Jakarta
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CONSCRIPTION, PROFESSIONAL FORCES & TOTAL DEFENSE
(SOME QUESTIONS & ANSWERS)
CONSCRIPTION AND TOTAL DEFENSE (TD).
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Does it match TD’s end-state ? Yes, it can
What are the conditions ?
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Political consensus
Financial will and sustainability
Citizenship, sense of Nation within ALL communities
Universality
Strong backbone of officers & NCOs
Professional contingency units for readiness and external crises
PROFESSIONAL FORCES AND TOTAL DEFENSE
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Does it match TD’s end state ? Yes
What are the conditions?
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Strong legitimacy of the Armed Forces within public opinion
Country-wide recruiting opportunity
Clear division of labour (police : law & order ; military : national defense)
Strong Reserve & Volunteer components’ back-up
A FEW REMARKS
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All current examples of shift are similar : from draft to professional
A « dual-purpose sytem » (mix of draft and professional) is possible when:
 Conscription was initially the rule (and not the contrary)
 Comprehensive calling is no longer possible (budget, mentalities, education)
 Financial neans do not allow a all-professional force.
29 AUG 2007
DCAF-LESPERSSI-DEPHAN RI.
Jakarta
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QUESTIONS ?
DISCUSSION
29 AUG 2007
DCAF-LESPERSSI-DEPHAN RI.
Jakarta
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