National College of Ireland “A Proposed Selection System for Officers of the Irish Defence Forces”. Defence Irish the of for Officers System Selection Proposed “A A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment for a MA in MA a for fulfilment in partial submitted dissertation A ua eoreMngmn . Management Resource Human Mayor Street, IFSC, Dublin 1 Dublin Street,IFSC, Mayor National College of Ireland of College National By Captain Sean Burke Sean By Captain June 2004 June TITLE l Authorship declaration I hereby certify that this material, which I now submit for assessment of the programme of study leading to the award of an MA in Human Resource Management is entirely my own work and has not been taken from the work of others save and to the extent that .such work has been cited and acknowledged within the text of my work.

Acknowledgments. 1 would like to offer my thanks to the following: John Brennan MA; My fellow Officers in the DF who participated in the focus groups; and Particularly my family; Clare, Paul, Karen and Sean who survived the process.

2 Table of Contents I...... ' Content Pase No ...... ( Title Page Page 1 j 1 i

Authorship, Declaration and Acknowledgements Page 2 | Table of Contents Page 3 | ! Abstract Page 4 Chapter No 1 Introduction Pages 5-7 i Chapter No 2 Context The Irish Permanent Defence Forces Pages 8 - 19 ...... ______- . 1 Chapter No 3 Literature Review Pages 20-29 j ...... f Chapter No 4 Methodology Pages 30-36 j l

Chapter No 5 Accession Systems Pages 37 - 52 | Used by Selected Foreign National Armies i : Chapter No 6 Primary Research Pages 53-71

Chapter No 7 Conclusion Pages 72 - 75 Chapter No 8 Recommendations Pages 76 - 80 Bibliography List of References Pages 81-84 Appendix No 1 Ranks in the DF Page 85 i Appendix No 2 Conditions governing the award of Cadetships in the | Page 86 \ DF 2004. j\ I

Appendix No 3 Sample of Educational Standards Service Members Page 87 j i Appendix No 4 Focus Groups, Participants Background Information Page 88

Appendix No 5 Power Point Presentation for Focus Groups ! Pages 89-92 1 ; i

Appendix No 6 Proposed Selection System Diagram. | Page 93 i

Table No 1 Percent of persons in full time education. | Page 19 Table No 2 Source of Commissions 2002 US Army Page 39 !

Table No 3 Educational Qualifications 2002 at Entry US Army | Page 41 Table No 4 Educational Qualifications Active - US Officer Corps Page 42 Table No 5 Summary of Criteria and Service Obligations. Page 42 Table No 6 Accession Method Focus Groups Participants Page 54 i j = Table No 7 Educational Qualifications Focus Groups Participants j Page 54

Table No 8 \ Sample Educational Standards NCO Service Members j Page 87 Table No 9 Sample Educational Standards Pte Service Members Page 87

3 Abstract The Defence Forces (DF) has gone through a decade and a half of unprecedented change. Changes have come about as a result of external forces and internal necessity. A number of reports and initiatives impacting on the DF during this period have led to a reduction in the overall strength of the DF and a decrease in the number of Officers vis-a-vis the number of enlisted personnel. A White Paper (WP) for defence, published in Feb 2000, set out Government policy on defence for the medium term (5-10 years). All the reports and initiatives made recommendations for the induction of Officers into the DF. Many of the recommendations made were not implemented. Sustaining Progress 2003-2005 includes a modernisation agenda that specifically requires a change in the induction system for Officers into the DF.

One of the roles articulated in the WP is DF participation in missions mandated by the United Nations in the cause of International Peace and Security. There has been a process of globalisation in international military operations while at the same time new tasks are being generated. Multinational military co-operation requires high levels of interoperability between contributing nations. Logic dictates, in this context, that foreign natio