South African Military Academy

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The South African Military Academy is based on similar principles to that of the military academy system of the United States (United States Military Academy United States Naval Academy United States Air Force Academy). The academy is a military unit of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) housing the Faculty of Military Science of the University of Stellenbosch. It provides officers of all the arms of service an opportunity to earn a BMil or more advanced degrees. See Template:Section link.

History

The academy was established on 1 April 1950 under the auspices of the University of Pretoria and the South African Military College<ref name="Historia">Template:Cite journal</ref> (now the South African Army College) in Voortrekkerhoogte (now Thaba Tswane), with the goal of elevating students to a BA (Mil) or BSc (Mil) degree to meet the intellectual challenges of modern war.<ref name="Historia" />

In 1954 the newly elected National Party Minister of Defence, Frans Erasmus, wanting to establish the military academy as a separate, independent, all-service institution decided to relocate the academy to Saldanha, his political constituency.<ref name="Pan01">Template:Cite journal</ref>Template:Rp In Pretoria it had catered for army and air force students only. The military academy was organisationally divorced from the South African Army College on 1 February 1956. Its headquarters temporarily shifted to Stellenbosch, while suitable accommodation was built at Saldanha starting in 1956.<ref name=Pan01/>Template:Rp The headquarters of the military academy moved to Saldanha in December 1957 and in February 1958 the first students, second and third-years, reported at Saldanha.<ref name="Historia" /><ref name=Pan01/>Template:Rp It became the Faculty of Military Science of the University of Stellenbosch in 1961, who now awarded a B Mil degree to successful students.<ref name="Historia" /><ref name=Pan01/>Template:Rp

The South African Defence Force's increasing involvement in the Border War from the mid-1970s produced an increased demand for junior officers, with the result that the Defence Force decided that junior officers should be "task qualified" within their respective services before becoming eligible for admission to the military academy.<ref name="Historia" /> The degree course at the military academy was thus excluded from the development cycle of junior officers from 1976; admittance to the academy then became an option for those who wished to obtain a university degree.<ref name="Historia" />

Organization and administration

Faculty

There are 48 members of the Faculty of Military Science who form an integrated group of military and civilian lecturers. Brig Gen A.J. De Castro is the commandant of the military academy, and the dean of the faculty is Samuel Tshehla.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Campus

It is situated on the West Coast in the town of Saldanha, set against the scenic slopes of Malgaskop, overlooking Saldanha Bay.<ref name=Pan01/>Template:Rp

Academics

Programs

A three-year bachelor's degree in military science (B. Mil) is awarded to students upon graduation in December. The B. Mil is the generic title for the degree which may be undertaken in two different fields, these being natural science (equivalent to Bsc) and social sciences (equivalent to BA). Traditionally, natural science has been considered the premiere degree due to its highly quantitative nature of its course contents (i.e. mathematics, physics). After graduation, they rejoin their arm of service to serve as officers. Postgraduate qualifications at master's and doctoral level are also offered. After the launch of the PhD programme at the Faculty Military Science, two of the first graduates of this programme were Dr Evert Kleyhans and Capt (SAN) Dr A.P. Putter - both graduating with PhDs in Military Science (December 2018). Both Dr Kleynhans (specializing in Military History) and Capt (SAN) Dr Dries Putter (specializing in Counterintelligence) are now lecturers at the FMS.

Students

About 300 men and women represent the four arms of service.

Commandants

Until 1967 the dean of the faculty also served as commanding officer of the academy. In 1967 these roles were split, allowing a professional lecturer to act as dean and a military officer to act as commanding officer.<ref name="History">Template:Cite journal</ref>Template:Rp

Number Start of term End of term Name Branch
1st 1 January 1956<ref name="History" />Template:Rp 1967 Col Pieter J.G. "Vlakkies" de Vos<ref name="WhosWho59">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp<ref name="History" />Template:Rp South African Army
2nd 1968 11 December 1971<ref name="History" />Template:Rp Brig Magnus Malan Template:Post-nominals<ref name=Uys1992>Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp<ref name="History" />Template:Rp South African Army
3rd 11 December 1971<ref name="History" />Template:Rp Jan 1974 Brig Johan D. Potgieter<ref name="History" />Template:RpTemplate:Post-nominals South African Army
4th 1974 21 January 1977<ref name="History" />Template:Rp Brig J.P.B. van Loggerenberg<ref name="History" />Template:Rp Template:Post-nominals<ref name="DefRev91">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="History" />Template:Rp South African Air Force
5th 21 January 1977 1980 Brig Alex Potgieter<ref name="History" />Template:Rp South African Army
6th 24 January 1980<ref name="History" />Template:Rp 25 January 1983 Brig F. Shylock Mulder<ref name="History" />Template:Rp Template:Post-nominals South African Army
7th 25 January 1983<ref name="History" />Template:Rp 19 January 1987<ref name="History" />Template:Rp Brig S. Willie J. Kotze<ref name="History" />Template:Rp South African Army
8th 19 January 1987 29 January 1990 Cdre Robert Simpson-Anderson Template:Post-nominals South African Navy
9th 29 January 1990<ref name="History" />Template:Rp – Brig Fred E. Du Toit<ref name="History" />Template:Rp South African Air Force
13th – 1996 Brig Pieter O. Verbeek<ref name="Esterhuyze">Template:Cite thesis</ref>Template:Rp Template:Post-nominals South African Army
14th 1996 1999 Rear Adm (JG) Pieter Potgieter<ref name="Esterhuyze" />Template:Rp<ref name="History" />Template:Rp Template:Post-nominals South African Navy
15th 2000 2003 Brig Gen L. Solly Mollo<ref name="News24">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref><ref name="Esterhuyze" />Template:RpTemplate:Rp Template:Post-nominals || South African Army

16th Jan 2004 2006 Brig Gen Tawana Z. Manyama<ref name="Esterhuyze" />Template:Rp South African Air Force
17th 2006 2009 Rear Adm (JG) Derek Christian Template:Post-nominals South African Navy
18th 2009 2011 Brig Gen Lindile Yam Template:Post-nominals South African Army
19th 2011 date Brig Gen Lawrence Mbatha South African Army
20th 2017 2021 Brig Gen G B Pharo South African Army
21st 2021 date Brig Gen A J de Castro citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Annual awards

Sword of Honour

Citation for awards over period 1953-2008<ref name="MilAcad" >{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Div col

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Best Student – Army

Citation for awards over period 1957-2008<ref name="MilAcad" /> Template:Div col

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Best Student – Airforce

Citation for awards over period 1957-2005<ref name="MilAcad" /> Template:Div col

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Best Student – Navy

Citation for awards over period 1957-2008<ref name="MilAcad" /> Template:Div col

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Best Student - Defense Intelligence Division

  • 2001: J.C. Du Plooy

See also

References

Template:Reflist

Template:SANDFTemplate:Stellenbosch UniversityTemplate:Authority control Template:Coord missing

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