Advisory Board on Military Veterans Affairs
Ministry of Defence
Department of Defence
Directorate of Military Veterans
PUBLIC HEARINGS: THE DEFENCE REVIEW; SUBMISSION MILITARY VETERANS AFFAIRS
The attached submission dated 2 September 2004 prepared by the Department of Defence has been studied and is fully supported by the Advisory Board as an input into the Defence Review Process.
The main strategic issues concerning military veterans can be summarized as follows;
"Military Veterans. The initiation of a White Paper on Military Veterans' Affairs to govern the manner in which such affairs should be dealt with nationally and to structure a seamless process in support of the SA National Military Veterans' Body. This will determine the nature and locality of a dedicated Government Department or Agency for military veterans and the establishment of the necessary infrastructure and resources to provide a holistic and integrated service to military veterans. This will also require the full implementation of the Military Veterans Affairs Act, 1999, which manifests the political will regarding veterans."
Please advise timeously whether the Advisory Board will be required to give oral evidence before this Committee on 19 October 2004.
Yours faithfully, (D.S. MATHE) CHAIRPERSON: BRIG GEN
APPENDIX A TO
1 SEPTEMBER 2004
MILITARY VETERANS STRATEGIC ISSUES AND DESIRED END STATE
1. The MIL Vet Affairs Act, 1999, amended as required, which manifests the political will and is a Parliamentary imperative is fully implemented, including the oversight by designated Cabinet Committees.
2. A SA National Military Veterans Body, credible and fully representative of all Military Veterans is established.
3. A dedicated holistic Governmental or Agency Structure/s to direct and manage the process to ensure effective service delivery to all military veterans.
4. All outstanding integration and transformation issues have been resolved, also at political level
RESOURCES
5. A proper and effective Management Information System, including comprehensive Military Veterans data to manage Military Veterans Affairs and Military Veterans Development Programmes, is required.
6. Appropriate benefits for military veterans legislated and provided for within Government's affordability, including re-skilling programmes and medical support, should be available.
CHALLENGES 7. To initiate a White Paper on Military Veterans' Affairs and public hearings on the matter.
8. To determine the nature and locality of a dedicated Agency or state department for military veterans' service delivery and confirm a Ministry responsible for military veterans affairs.
9. To establish a systemic injErastructure with designated and dedicated personnel and resources to provide holistic and integrated services to military veterans.
10. To reach consensus among all Military Veterans Associations and groupings on a model for a SA National Military Veterans Body as an NGO also structured at provincial and regional level to speak: with one voice on behalf of Military Veterans and able to affiliate to the World Veterans Federation.
11. To determine at political level how to deal with those members of the Community who consider themselves to be military veterans and perceived to have been marginalized.
12. To have an effective Management Information System and data collection and data capture capability to be able to have available comprehensive data on all military veterans to enable their needs to be identified and met.
13. To make the DOD and all tiers of Government aware of the scope and depth of their responsibilities ito the Military Veterans' Affairs Act, 1999 to ensure its sustainable implementation in meeting the needs of the especially vulnerable sector of military veterans.
14. To initiate multi-layered supportive interventions through programme based military and public-private partnership to assist in the implementation of military veterans development programmes.
15. To establish in the short term a separate and dedicated Directorate or Chief Directorate of Military Veterans' Affairs with substantive support and adequate resources i.e. personnel, infrastructure, down to provincial level, and relevant expertise.
16. To give top priority to critical policy development and a strategy for identifying disparities, inequalities or unfair discrimination regarding the needs and entitlements of military veterans and implementing the rights and entitlements of military veterans and their dependants into new or existing legislation.
17, To review the previous flawed and comprised demoblilization process by the introduction of a range of transitional assistance programmes.
RISKS
18. Failure to reach consensus amongst Military Veterans' Organizations on the model, role and functions of a new South African Military Veterans Body will result in the continued fragmentation of military veterans groupings.
19. The delay in concluding Negotiations with the Departments of Social Development and Finance to introduce legislation to provide for military pensions at age 55 for female and 60 for male military veterans v/ill result in &e plight of vulnerable Military veterans not being alleviated.
20. The lack of a resourced, dedicated and capacitated ''Directorate" of Military Veterans Affairs will cause serious delays in effecting adequate service delivery to military veterans.