European Models of Military Services Slovak Case Study

21 April 2023 1

European Models of Military Services

Slovak Case Study

Col. Boris SLODICKA

Vienna, 15th December 2010

21 April 2023 2

Current System of Military Service

• Fully voluntary Military Service since 2005 • Type of contract

– Enlisted – short term contract (3 to 5 years/max up to 10 years)– NCO Corps – long term contract – Warrant Officers – long term contract– Commissioned Officers – long term contract– Active Reserve – legal basis but not implemented yet

• Long term contract – Could be life long depends on promotion – Basic limits of service

• Max. physical age up to 55 years• Length of service up to 32 years• Length of service in rank (depend on rank)

„European Models of Military Services “Slovak case study

21 April 2023 304/21/23 3

BASIC TRAINING

Combat E – 1

Civilians after university

Cadets

ENTRY SPECIALTY OFFICERS COURSE

Bac. (Mg.) study at

Military school

O – 1

WO BASIC COURSE

CAREER COURSE (FOR LIEUTENANTS)

O – 1

SLOVAK CITIZENS

Registered recruited SELECTEDReserve soldier

E – 1

SPECIALIZED TRAINING

E – 2

WARRANT OFFICERS

V

WO - 1

WO - 2

WO - 3

SC

SC V

ENLISTED AND NCO

E - 2

V

E - 3

V

VTC

E - 4

VTC

E - 5

VTC

E - 6

TC

E - 7

TC

E - 9

SC

V

E - 8

V

OFFICERS

O–7ažO-10

O - 1

CC O - 2

O - 3

O - 4

O - 5

VCC

V

V

V

SC

SC

O - 6

V

LEGEND:

V Competitive selection

TC Training course

CC Career course

Main line of development

Adjacent line of development

SC Specialty course

APPLICANT

PREPARATORY STATE SERVICE

TEMPORARY STATE SERVICE

National Security Course

Higher Command Staff Course

Higher Officers Course

Basic Command Staff Course

Career and Rank Development

21 April 2023 404/21/23 4

9

9

Officer Military Career

23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62

P H Y S I C A L A G E

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

T I M E I N S E R V I C E

U1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 M

OF -3

VP OKF

M1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10U

V KKP

OF - 2

U1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 M

AP

V

OF - 1

1 2 3 4 5 7 8U

9 M

OF -5

VP

1 2 3 4 M

OF - 9

P

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8U

KK

M

OF -4

VP

P

OF - 10

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4 5 6 M

V

OF - 7

P

M1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

UV

OF -6

POKF

10

OF - 8

1 2 3 4 5 6 MP

V

6 9

9

4

A = Graduation on 30.6. -Annual Leave 21 days-Entry Specialty Officer Course, - 2-18 m onth starting on 1.8. - Service Entry on 1.1.

Explanations:

V = Selection for promotion and training

P = Promotion

M = Maximum Time in Service

F1 = TIS – Time in ServiceKK = Career Course

U = Retention Program

Z = Separation

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Current System of Military Service vs. Military Tasks

• Basic principle one set of forces for all task – Contribution to operation – NATINADs– NATO NRF/EU BG– Disaster Relief

• Homeland Security• Territorial Defence• Disaster Relief• International Crisis Management

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To establish - an effective, professional but affordable Armed Forces

organised, equipped and trained to comply with the Military (Defense) Strategy of SR,

- a modernised Armed Forces to be interoperable with

NATO military organisations, and supported by effective and efficient supporting activities.

Slovak AF Transformation

Model 2010/2015/2020


21 April 2023 7

1993 2009

Personnel 53037 14 800

Battle Tank 995 30

APC 1370 240

Artillery 1058 42

Aircraft 146 15

Helicopter 36 22


21 April 2023 8

16 5

94

53 0

37

45 7

11

42 6

20

40 6

50

35 2

75

39 3

47

37 7

00

32 9

57

24 5

81

23 0

42

20 2

22

19 0

82

18 7

54

16 7

73

16 5

64

1,62%

2,22%

2,07%

1,94%1,94%1,99%

1,78%

1,60% 1,63%

1,83%1,76%

1,87%

1,68% 1,70%

1,51%1,51%

0

10 000

20 000

30 000

40 000

50 000

60 000

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

sold

iers

1,00

1,20

1,40

1,60

1,80

2,00

2,20

2,40

%

Concept of the reform of the Army of the SR until 2000

Concept of the MoD reform Until 2002

Mo

del 2

010

Mo

del 2

015

Mo

del 2

020

1994Transformation division to corps

2000Transformation to1. a 2. mech brig.,, artillery brigHomeland HQ and 4 mob. base

1999Establishment of services HQs

2001-2006Implementation of M2010


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Objective of the AF Reform:

• To establish a single, modern and effective military personnel management system

• To reduce personnel strength and change its structure


21 April 2023 10

2009

14 869

3139

2008

16531

3600

2004

18 170

7 568

2000

33 641

11 967


21 April 2023 11

Model of Strengths Development

Plan up to year 2006 : separation of 14 100 personnel, accession of 10 900 personnel

Officers

WO s NCO s

Enlisted

civilian personnel

Compulsory military service

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

45000

50000

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

21 April 2023 1221.04.2023 12

AF SR Personnel StabilizationRelease

Recruitment

YearProfessional

SoldiersCivilian

personnelTotal

2002 1 600 1 720 3 3202003 2 700 2 350 5 0502004 1 870 1 540 3 4102005 1 290 1 300 2 5902006 830 590 1 4202007 690 170 8602008 270 230 5002009 900 800 1 700

10 150 8 700 17 150Total

Year Recruitment School Total2002 1 330 420 1 7502003 1 290 290 1 5802004 2 240 250 2 4902005 1 540 230 1 7702006 1 040 180 1 2202007 770 100 8702008 350 10 3602009 70 0 70

8 630 1 480 10 110Total0

500

1 000

1 500

2 000

2 500

0

500

1 000

1 500

2 000

2 500

3 000

2002 2004 2006 2008

2002 2004 2006 2008

21 April 2023 13

Lieutenants

18

86

220

425

894

17952009

Colonels

LT Colonels

Majors

Captains

Lieutenants

Generals

18

519

1527

1480

2009

17122001

Colonels

LT Colonels

Majors

Captains

Generals

Personnel Transformation – Rank Structure


21 April 2023 14

Political and Strategic Consideration leading to the Current System of

Military Service

Former conscript vs. Current Fully Voluntary

• More Effective and Efficient use of public spending• Current security assessment does not require use of large armed

forces based on mobilization • As a member of the NATO and EU we are consumer of security and

in the same time we have to be provider (contribution to NATO/EU led operation) and conscript service do not allow their deployment

• Current operations of the International Crisis Management required well prepared, equipped and motivated soldiers

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Critical Elements of Implementation

- Reduce a legacy “top heavy structure” with excess senior military personnel

- Significantly change the roles of Officers from “specialists” technicians to “generalists” leaders

- Create a new kind of Warrant Officer Corps (broad based technicians)

- Build a NCO Corps to replace officer technicians

- Centralize personnel management under the Chief of the General Staff

- Ensure “Civilian Oversight”

- Build a legal framework that does both


21 April 2023 16

Social and Economic Side-effects

• Military service is receding from the minds of society

• Military service is gradually being perceived as one of many professions

• Budget cuts

21 April 2023 17

Budget consequences of the change of military service

Short term

• Severance pay

• Transition assistance

• Marketing cost

• Recruitment bonuses

• Training cost

Long term

• Early retirement cost

• Service outsourcing cost

• High personnel turnover

21 April 2023 18

Main Lesson Learned with regard to implementation process

• What should be considered?– Political support– Personnel reform cant be isolated. Should be accompanied by others changes –

structure, doctrines, SOPs– Meticulously tailored social compensations (amount, time)– Synchronization with other reforms

• What should be avoided?– Overshooting of social compensations – long term consequences– Dismissing quality personnel– Canceling vacant positions rather than whole units– Extensive civilianization – not to truncate the flow of military know-how

• Time lines– Detailed planning – 1 year– Fast execution – 2 years

• Recruitment Process– Recruitment system and personnel management managed by the same authority– Balanced recruitment goals – to avoid waves in personnel structure

21 April 2023 19

Thank you for your attention

Documents

European Models of Military Services Slovak Case Study