Professional military instructor identity in the South African National Defence Force

Abstract

In 2015, the chief of human resources at the South African National Defence Force
(SANDF) ordered the improvement of the instructional quality and military ethos of
military instructors. This article, based on a comprehensive study in this regard, reports
on the perceptions of a sample of military instructors in the SANDF on the existence
of a construct, known as the professional military instructor identity and its effect on
military ethos and instructional quality. A qualitative approach was followed, using an
interpretivist/constructivist paradigm, involving data collection by means of a focus
group discussion and expert interviews and using thematic networks analysis as data
analysis method. A conceptual framework for the professional military instructor
identity, consisting of sub-identities, influencing factors and identifying indicators, was
constructed. Findings suggest that the professional military instructor identity is not
recognised as a construct in the SANDF; however, the elements are known, although
only vaguely. The findings also support the view that this situation may have affected
the current declining military ethos and instructional quality of military instructors. It
is concluded that the institutionalisation and popularisation of the professional military
instructor identity, as well as professional recognition of military instructors in the
SANDF, could improve the current situation.