Relative Roles:Civilians & Military Officers

Relative Roles:Civilians & Military Officers

3.12

Four Questions

• What do we want to achieve? • Security

• How do we want to achieve it?• Which institutions will be required?

• What will their roles & responsibilities be?

• How will they be structured?

• How will they relate to each other?

• Who will staff our institutions?• All military?

• All civilian?

• How will individuals be selected?• Patronage v. Merit based systems

The importance of the desired output will influence the structure of the

institution, which in turn will

influence staffing.

Parallel Structures

• National defence

HQ: technical

military issues.

• MOD: largely

civilian | deals in

policy & finance.

MODMODNational defence

HQ

National defence

HQ

MINISTER

Parallel Hierarchies

• National defence

HQ: implements

policy.

• MOD: separate

military & civilian

hierarchies |

arranged by

functional area.

National defence HQ

National defence HQ

MINISTER

Policy & FinancePolicy & Finance Operations & CapabilityOperations & Capability

MinistersMinisters

Civil StaffCivil Staff Military StaffMilitary Staff

Competing AdviceCompeting AdviceCompeting AdviceCompeting Advice

Integrated Staff

Consistent Advice

Consistent Advice

…UK MOD’s Answer…UK MOD’s Answer

An integrated hierarchy

• National defence

HQ: implements

policy.

• MOD: mixed

military & civilian

organisations

arranged by

functional area.

MODMOD

National defence HQ

National defence HQ

MINISTER

2nd Permanent Secretary

Vice-Chief of Defence

Staff

Secretary of State for Defence

Permanent Secretary

Chiefof the

Defence Staff

Chief of Naval Staff

Chief of General

Staff

Chief of Air Staff

Defence Council

Chief Scientific Adviser

Chief of Defence Materiel

DG Finance

Tri-Service post Civilian postMinisterial post Navy post Army postAir Force postKey:

Minister of State for the Armed Forces

Minister for Defence Equipment, Support &

Technology

USoS & Lords

Spokesman on Defence

Minister for International Security

Strategy

Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare &

Veterans

The Role of Politicians

• Government Ministers:• UK: SofS, Min(AF), Min(DEST), USofS/Min (DPWV), Min(ISS),

USoS/Lords Spokesman

• Executive authority for:

Making key policy decisions

e.g. strategic direction, force structure, spending & operational commitments (i.e. issues that will attract active Parliamentary, public or international interest)

Ensuring policy implementation

• In the UK Ministers are accountable to Parliament for the conduct of Defence and Security.

Ministerial Responsibilities in the UK

Secretary of State for Defence (SofS)Rt Hon Phillip Hammond (Cabinet Minister)

Making & executing Defence Policy & Providing the Means by which it is executed, specifically:•Policy ▪Oversight of Acquisition and Industrial Policy•Operations ▪Media and communications•Personnel•Finance and Efficiency

Secretary of State for Defence (SofS)Rt Hon Phillip Hammond (Cabinet Minister)

Making & executing Defence Policy & Providing the Means by which it is executed, specifically:•Policy ▪Oversight of Acquisition and Industrial Policy•Operations ▪Media and communications•Personnel•Finance and Efficiency

Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare &

VeteransMr Andrew Rowbottham MP (C)

•Veterans Affairs•Civilian Personnel Issues•Recruitment & Retention

Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare &

VeteransMr Andrew Rowbottham MP (C)

•Veterans Affairs•Civilian Personnel Issues•Recruitment & Retention

Minister for Defence Equipment, Support &

TechnologyMr Peter Luff MP (Con)

•Defence Equipment Programme•Equipment cylce•Science & Technology•Defence Estates

Minister for Defence Equipment, Support &

TechnologyMr Peter Luff MP (Con)

•Defence Equipment Programme•Equipment cylce•Science & Technology•Defence Estates

Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Min (AF))

Nick Harvey MP (LD)•Operations & Operational Policy•Force Generation (includingLogistics)

Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Min (AF))

Nick Harvey MP (LD)•Operations & Operational Policy•Force Generation (includingLogistics)

Minister of State for International Security StrategyMr Gerald Howarth MP (Con)•Defence Diplomacy•Defence Exports

USoS & Lords Spokesman on DefenceLord Astor

The Role of Politicians

• Parliamentarians• Public Accountability & Transparency

• Parliamentary Committees

• Members of Parliament (MPs)• Represent constituencies with significant defence and security

interests

• Scrutiny of all aspects of security activity via Parliamentary Questions (PQs)

• Ensures Govt remains accountable to electorate

For this to work MPs must themselves be

accountable and operate within the

law.

The Role of Public Servants:Requirement v. Reality

An efficient, responsive, transparent and accountable public administration is a

central part of democratic governance….

(UNDP: Public Administration Reform, Practice Note, 2007)

Reality

• UNDP refers to two types of civil service system:• Patronage

• Merit

Patronage

• Perceived Benefits:• Allows for the establishment of a cadre of loyal

and efficient civil servants;

• Enhances democracy, as it enables the regular rotation of senior staff in accordance with the will of the people.

Patronage

• Perceived Limitations• Unfair system – It is not what you know, but who

you know.

• Lack of continuity

• Risk of corruption

Merit

• Perceived Benefits• Complies better with a rights based approach to

civil service management

• Allows for continuity and neutrality in public administration

Merit

• Perceived limitations• Difficult to implement without a broader cultural

change

• Upper echelons can still be subject to politicisation

“It is the politicisation of the Civil Service which has been perhaps the worst of the many crimes committed by Tony Blair and his colleagues.”

(Patience Wheatcroft, ‘The Real Blot on Blair’s Legacy is the Ruin of the Civil Service’, Sunday Telegraph 22/04/07)

Military & Civil Service

• Common responsibilities:• Public Service

to higher constitutional principles - beyond any particular administration, individual or Party.

• Obligation to Ministers

i.e. to elected executive representatives of the people

• Subject to Rule of Law

always - safeguards against abuse of power

Public Service Ethos

“ “ The Civil Service as The Civil Service as such has no such has no

constitutional constitutional personality or personality or responsibility responsibility

separate from the separate from the duly elected duly elected

government of the government of the day”day”

““The command of the The command of the armed forces rests armed forces rests

with the crown. with the crown.

The authority of the The authority of the crown is crown is

represented by the represented by the government of the government of the

day”day”British Defence Doctrine

Ethical Standards

• Hanbury’s Ethical Standards (2004: 191)

• Obligation to the Constitution• Obligation to Law• Obligation to Nation• Obligation to Profession and

Professionalism• Obligation to Family and Friends• Obligation to Self• Obligation to Middle-range

Collectivities (interest groups, churches, unions, etcetera)

• Obligation to the Public Interest or General Welfare

• Obligation to Humanity• Obligation to Religion or to God

• General Rules of Conduct (Civil Service Law of Georgia)

• Obligation to the law• Impartiality and

Conscientiousness• Collegiality• Cost effectiveness and efficiency• Obligation to the profession and

reputation• Obligation to state interests

Public Servants’ Role

• Military & Civilian - Common features:

• Advice to Ministers:

• Objective & Impartial: free from external personal consideration

• Unable to actively engage in politics

• Full & frank advice = confidentiality (both ways)

• Principal advisors:

• In the UK CDS (4* Military) - co-equal with PUS (4* Civilian)

• Efficient & effective execution of Ministerial decisions

• Delegated authority to take and execute certain decisions

Civil Service Role• Support to Ministers in

Parliamentary business:

• Responding to PQs, letters from public, preparing for debates, speeches, HCDC evidence, etc.

• Policy advice to Ministers:

• Enabling effective direction of defence

• Political aspects of operations (Policy Advisors in HQs)

• Dealing with Other Government Departments

• Resource issues - Financial Mgt / Mgt of Procurement

• International defence relations - e.g. NATO, UN, bi-laterals

The Basra political advisors team toast their achievements with Bill Jeffery

(centre, left).

Civil Service Role

• Expertise in administration of government

• Administrative & Financial Management• Accountable to Parliament (Checks & Controls)

• Public Accounts Committee

• National Audit Office

• Principal Accounting Officer:

• PUS (4*)

• Day-to-day budget management:

• Responsibility of Military Commanders (TLBs, HLBs & BLBs)

• Supported by Command Secretaries (2*) & Finance Officers

Civil Service Role

• Beyond core functions of Policy & Fin Mgt:• Output delivery:

• Estate management• Scientific and other research• Engineering• Policing and site security• Management training

• Balance between Civil or Military delivery of output?:• Operational impact• Value for money

Military Role

• MOD as a Department of State:• Undertake military tasks following direction from Ministers (principle of civil control

over military)

• Military advice to Ministers:• Operational commitments (balance forces to tasks (& vice versa))

• Military aspects of Crisis Management

• Capability requirements (Equipment & Personnel)

• Military implications of wider policy decisions

• Principal Advisor & Professional Head of Military: CDS

Military Role

• MOD as a Military Headquarters:

• Strategic Direction of Operations:• Contingency Planning

• Ensuring availability of forces for assignment (procurement & support)

• Overseeing conduct of ops (NOT Command)

• Coordinating Crisis Mgt Mil Response (DCMO)

Note: Force Readiness & Command of Operations is responsibility of Operational Commanders:

e.g. FLCs (FLEET, LAND, STRIKE) or CJO (at PJHQ).

Military Role

• Leadership of the Armed Forces in society:• Extends beyond professional operational competence

• As part of the ‘Fabric of the Nation’:• National Identity & Character

• Tradition & Ethos

• Subordination to Law & Civilian control

• Embodies certain national values

• Setting standards or following societal trends? (British Defence Doctrine…)

Military Role

“Apart from their primary roles in support of security and defence policy, the Armed Forces provide an important and distinctive strand in the fabric of the Nation.

They promote the ideals of integrity, discipline, professionalism and excellence …

They also embody much tradition, which helps to promote a sense of regional and national identity.”

British Defence Doctrine

Summary

• Common constitutional responsibilities to uphold the law

• Politicians - Key decisions & activity oversight

• Public Servants - objective & impartial advice to Ministers; execute policy decisions; manage & deliver services:• Civilians - Lead on Policy and Finance

• Military - Lead on Operations & Capabilities

• Integrated Staffing - Required throughout structure