Is selfless service becoming a misplaced service ethic? Attitudes of officers serving in the South African National Defence Force

Abstract

This paper strives to determine the attitude of SANDF officers towards various aspects of military service, including their motivations for joining the Defence Force, the features of a preferred job, commitment to altruistic values and need for a representative association. An analyses of the responses reveal that while many officers are still committed to institutional values, there is a growing tendency towards self-interest behaviour signifying a decline in the commitment to selfless service. This shift in value orientations of officers is ascribed to the recent decline in status and relevance of the armed forces in South African society, coupled to organisational change such as the shift to a volunteer force, the changing profile of recruits, the downsizing of the armed forces and the decline in tenure and service benefits. The conclusion is reached that the commitment of officers to the normative dimensions of military professionalism is coming under considerable stress during this period of transition, with serious consequences for the military leadership and state alike.