I__. - International Military Testing Association

32nd Conference of the Miiitarv TestinP Association (MTA:
An officer, a social scientist, (and possibly A gentlematl) in the Royal
Netherlands Army (R!iLA).
Presentation by Co1 Dr. G.J.C. Roozendaal
Head, Behavioural Science Division
Directorate of Personnel RNLA
The Royal Netherlands Army
In peacetime the Royal Netherlands Army has 78,000 employees, consisting of
23,000 regular servicemen, 43,000 conscript personnel and aimost 12,000
civilian employees. The RNLA can rapidly reach its wartime strength of
200,000 men and women by calling up reserve personnel.
The Royal Netherlands Army is a volunteer-conscript army, with national
service (for men only) lasting 14 to 16 months. [!I
Women have the right to serve, but only as volunteers. In principle all
posts are open to women.
The Royal Netherlands Army has its own military psycholcgical and social
service, comprising around 20 regular officers in the ranks from major up to
and including brigadier-general.
All these officers have graduated from a Dutch University in either
psychology or sociology.
Virtually all of these officers were given their basic training at the Royal
Military Academy, after which they spent several years in active service as
a platoon commander, company commander and/or a staff ofticer with an ac,tive
unit.
Only then have most officers completed their training as social scientists.
Military behavioural scientists occupy various posts in different fieids of
work.
Allow me to give you some examples:
1. The personnel manager of the Directorate of Personnel RNLA is a
brigadier-general psychologist.
2. There are four colonels who act as, amongst others:
- Head of the Behavioural Sciences Division;
- Commander of the Didactics and Military Leadership Training Centrt;:
Instructor at the Royal Military Academy:
- Head of the Individual Assistance Section.
3. One iieutenant-colonel is Commander of the Seiyc:t.:luz Centre of the
Royal Netherlands Army.
In addition there are another fourteen officers in the ranks of ma:'-jr
and lieutenant-colonel who occupy a wide range o!: !r.+se;irch, policy 22.:
assistance posts.
I shall now endeavour to use some examples to make .ir. :.Lt?ar tc: yell what
exactly these officers do.