BDF contracts must come to an end

Richard Moleofe | Friday April 8, 2016 14:57

His answer was, “he is now Mr Pike. He is working on contract at the European Command (EUCOM) in Stuttgart.” 

The world over, military establishments make use of retired officers. A large majority of retired officers go home with vast experience on several aspects of the military and retaining them is a necessary evil at certain times. Military training is expensive by nature and one matures like wine over the years. So like old wine, retired officers are an essential element in retaining the effectiveness of the military establishment.

When America was fighting two wars on different fronts, the need for experienced and qualified retired officers to work in such units as logistics and personnel became even greater. They were involved in planning and delivering to the frontline troops. These are the officers that carried America’s war effort. Having been a guest of the US military in Stuttgart, Germany in 1992, I realised that they place professionalism high above anything in the way they do things. 

In short, contracts in the US military are an inseparable aspect of their way of life. However, these officers always make sure that they are properly understudied by their younger colleagues who are still serving.

This is not the case with Botswana Defence Force (BDF). Of late it has become a habit at this military establishment that senior officers who retire are placed back into the system for something I would rather call human recycling. Unlike in Western countries and particularly the US, African senior officers never want to retire and even if nature tries to dispose them off, they still find a way of coming back into the system.

The tendency at BDF has now reached epidemic levels and this must come to an abrupt stop because it is hurting the taxpayer unnecessarily. For all the four retired commanders at BDF, two were placed on contract. General Fisher retired and was immediately placed on contract for an unspecified time. The issue is, very few in the force knew about his retirement because the transition was so covert.

Later General Masire took over the reins and before long, age caught up with him and he was also transitioned into serving under contract. Some have justified his prolonged stay at the helm of the army as necessary.

Their argument is based on the fact that their succession plan was rattled and hence the need to stay longer. The two possible successors at the time were General Mokgware and General Tiroyamodimo.

I seem to differ with this line of argument for the following reasons; the departure of Mokgware was celebrated by the high command at BDF and was a clear indication that this was a planned move by those high in the echelons of power. Even then, the rate at which events started turning against the only man standing, being Tiroyamodimo, is highly suspect.

At the moment BDF is holding the highest number of contract officers who have been retired from service. The difference with the US Army is that Africans are doing this contract exercise to serve their own ends. The interest of the nation comes second to their personal wants.

There are two major departments within BDF HQ whose officers have been given contracts after they retired their commission. There was absolutely no need for the institution to have renewed the contract of the head of the legal division. When he retired he was holding the rank of brigadier. What was interesting in the days of his service was that he did not show any keenness in grooming a successor. The next rank that followed his was that of major.

It was not one major but several ones queuing up to be elevated to the rank of lieutenant colonel. 

This did not come to pass in the days of his active service. Most of those majors are scattered all over elsewhere in the civil service while others have given it a try in private practice.

The fact that the same senior officer has returned to the department and the unit,  means he is still breathing heavily on the shoulder of the man who took over from him. The poor young fellow is not given sufficient space to grow and develop in his career and leadership skills.

Worse still is the Chaplaincy Directorate. Like the legal department, they are lead by a retired officer. At the rank of colonel, his second in command is a major.

This appointment was not done with the interests of the force at heart and it is really a mockery of what rare skills BDF should be retaining.

Other officers in these directorates as well as in other units, are surely not happy with the arrangement. With this practice, BDF is simply rewarding mediocrity. One of the important hallmarks of a successful leadership is the grooming of future leaders.

That is what Moses in the Bible achieved after raising Joshua to take over the leadership of the children of Israel.

What baffles my mind is the fact that the military emphasises so much on leadership and the grooming of a new leader is fundamental to the passing on of customs and traditions of this institution. These are officers who have gone through Staff College and yet their leadership qualities are far from desirable.

Retired Brigadier Maseko had a different and interesting philosophy on this issue. He believed in promoting as many of his juniors in order to be pushed over the bar to the next rank. His approach favoured him and the officers he lead and left both parties happy. This was very important because it kept their moral high.