Youth and military service: exploring the effects of military socialisation, reintegration and employment

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Military Skills Development System (MSDS) was adopted to rejuvenate the ageing force of theSouth African National Defence Force (SANDF), and has an additional function to provide socialuplifment to the youth by alleviating unemployment and providing the youth with skills to assist themin finding gainful employment in the civilian labour market. To date, little is known about the youththat enters the SANDF via the MSDS program and how military socialisation affects the youngmillennials recruited into the military. Similarly, research on youth reintegration after military service,especially for those that serve for shorter periods, is lacking in South Africa. Equally, how youngveterans manage in the civilian work place is also largely neglected in the literature.In this study, I aim to fill this void by exploring the experiences and perceptions of military socialisation,reintegration and employment status. Focus groups and interviews were conducted with MSDSinstructors, current and former MSDS members and employment agencies. Discussions were framedaround the three key themes this study sought to investigate, namely the effect of military socialisationhas on young recruits and how this influences their ability to adapt in civilian life and find gainfulemployment.The conclusion is reached that the values and aspirations of the millennial youth joining the militarydiffers fundamentally from what the military requires. This is owing to this youth cohort being definedas more individualistic, lacking in discipline, selfish and opinionated. In terms of work preference, theyprefer working in flexible work environments, flatter organizations, that are more participatory and lessauthoritarian, do not necessarily like team work unless it is collaborative and are typically risk adverse.The above character traits and work preferences stand in sharp contrast in terms of what the militarydesires in recruits and what the organisation can offer in terms of the work environment. The militarytherefore has to re-socialise young recruits in order to instil the values required by the military totransform these young civilians into soldiers.This socialisation occurs via the total institution that changes recruits fundamentally with effects thatare long-lasting as it creates a military habitus which reproduces their military identity in civilian life.The results of this study show that, initially, young recruits experience this as a culture shock, but asthey assimilate the military culture that they become more authoritarian, aggressive and masculine. Thisthey convey with them as they reintegrate back into civilian society when they leave the military.However, this is not the only affect that military socialisation has on them. Given that the military is atypical total institution, the loss of institutional support and command structure results in feelings ofloss, anxiety, depression and alienation when they leave.Their military habitus and dependency on the command structure in their work effects how and wherethey obtain employment. These effects are not similar for all military personnel. Combat branchesexperience finding employment more difficult as they have little skills to peddle on the labour marketbesides 'military skills'. Those in the technical and support musterings, find employment easier, butbecause it is not accredited often have to start their second careers right at the bottom of the ladder.However, irrespective of branch, their military habitus has an impact on how well they integrate intothe workplace. These findings raise concerns in terms of the effect that militarization has on the youth,their ability to reintegrate back into society and whether the military should be used, or considered as atool for social upliftment in a country like South Africa, which is beset with violence.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University