11 Sodobni vojaški izzivi, december 2015 – 17/št. 4
Contemporary Military Challenges, December 2015 – 17/No. 4
PROFESIONALIZACIJA	SLOVENSKE	VOJSKE	–
CILJ	ALI	POT
Igor Kotnik
PROFESSIONALIZATION	OF	THE	SLOVENIAN
ARMED	FORCES	–	A	GOAL	OR	A	PATH
Povzetek
Ključne 
besede
Kdor išče cilj, bo ostal prazen, ko ga bo našel,
kdor pa najde pot, bo cilj vedno nosil v sebi.
Those who look for a goal will remain empty once they find it,
but those who find a path will carry the goal inside themselves forever.
Nejc Zaplotnik, Pot
Projekt »Prehod na poklicno vojsko, dopolnjeno s prostovoljno rezervo«, s kratico 
PROVOJ, je bil začet leta 2003 in predčasno končan leta 2007. Ali je bila naloga 
profesionalizacije SV torej že opravljena? Ocenjujemo, da proces profesionalizacije 
SV še zdaleč ni končan. Pot od poklicne proti zares profesionalni SV nikakor ne bo 
kratka in lahka, prej dolgotrajna, zavita, strma in spolzka ter polna pasti in izzivov. 
V prispevku namenjamo posebno pozornost pravilnemu dojemanju temeljnega 
poslanstva SV, premagovanju zapuščine obvezniške vojske, razumevanju omejitev 
poklicne vojske, profesionalizaciji v pogojih finančnih omejitev, profesionalni 
integriteti pripadnikov SV, profesionalizaciji in obvladovanju interesnih nasprotij, 
zunanjemu in notranjemu nadzoru vojaške profesije, profesionalizaciji prek stalnega 
izobraževanja ter profesionalizaciji kot nikoli zares končanem procesu. V tem 
kontekstu moramo na področju profesionalizacije poklicne SV ohraniti ustrezno 
čuječnost in zavzetost, preden se na nekatere nedoslednosti in nepravilnosti, na katere 
opozarja prispevek, dokončno navadimo oziroma ohranimo nadzor nad nekaterimi 
do zdaj manj uspešnimi vidiki tega procesa in njihovimi posledicami.
Poklicna vojska, obvezniška vojska, profesionalizacija, PROVOJ, profesionalna 
integriteta, interesna nasprotja, nadzor vojaške profesije.
DOI:10.33179/BSV.99.SVI.11.CMC.17.4.1
12 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
Abstract
Key words
Introduction
Igor Kotnik
The project »Transition to Professional Armed Forces Complemented with 
Contractual Reserve« (PROVOJ) was launched in 2003 and concluded prematurely 
in 2007. Has thus the mission of Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) professionalization 
been completed? We estimate that SAF professionalization is far from being 
complete. The path from career to truly professional Slovenian Armed Forces will 
certainly not be short and easy, but rather time consuming, winding, steep, slippery 
and full of traps and challenges. In the article, special attention is devoted to a proper 
understanding of the basic SAF mission, the overcoming of the conscription system 
heritage, understanding of professional armed forces restrictions, professionalization 
in austerity, professional integrity of SAF members, professionalization and 
management of conflicts of interests, internal and external control of the profession 
of arms, professionalization through continuous training and professionalization as 
a never-really-completed process. In this context, a proper amount of vigilance and 
commitment should be preserved in the professionalization of career armed forces, 
before we completely adapt to certain inconsistencies and irregularities underscored 
in this article and not to preserve the same level of control over some hitherto less 
successful aspects of this process and their consequences.   
Professional armed forces, conscription armed forces, professionalization, PROVOJ, 
professional integrity, conflicts of interest, control of the profession of arms.
Since 2000, the Republic of Slovenia has faced serious problems in the organization 
of obligatory military service which gave rise to deliberations on transition from 
the conscript to a professional armed force. In this context, the project Transition 
to Professional Armed Forces Complemented with Contractual Reserve (PROVOJ) 
was launched in 2003. 
The project was divided into several sub-projects, some of which especially 
successfully appeased the consequences of a relatively fast transition from the 
conscript to a professional armed force. After five years, it was established that the 
project had achieved its purpose and the professionalization process was completed. 
The decision was based on the conviction that a career armed force is already 
professional and that professionalization is a goal, and not a path or process without 
a clearly identifiable goal. 
Has thus the mission of Slovenian Armed Forces’ (SAF) professionalization been 
completed, or would it be reasonable to be less self-sufficient and try to accomplish 
anything else in the field of the professionalization of the career SAF? 
1 PROFESSIONALISATION OF (NON-)COMMISSIONED OFFICERS OR 
THE ENTIRE ARMED FORCE?
Until recently, it has been generally believed that the relationship between 
occupations and professions is dichotomous, both being characterized by opposing 
traits. Svetlik (1999) argues, however, that the two phenomena may not be as 
 13 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
PROFESSIONALIZATION OF THE SLOVENIAN ARMED FORCES – A GOAL OR A PATH
exclusive as they appear at first sight and suggests that the analysis of occupations 
and professions should be based on continuity. On the one side of continuity there are 
weakly expressed occupations, and on the other side there are ideal-type professions 
involving all of the implied traits. In this context, professionalization is regarded 
as a process where specific occupations gradually gain the increasing number of 
profession traits. 
Professionalism is hence the desired ideal-type end state of professional development 
against the described continuity, while professionalization is a never-ended process 
or path leading towards this goal. The SAF professionalization process remains, 
therefore, unfinished, particularly in the context of differentiation among individual 
categories of military personnel – officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers. 
Officers as being one of the classic professions, beside priests, medical doctors 
andjudges, are undoubtedly the most professionalised part of modern military 
organizations, where professionalization is no longer limited exclusively to this 
category of military personnel. 
OCCUPATIONS PROFESSIONS
Marginally placed in division of work within society Centrally placed in division of work within society
Members are disorganized Members have an organization of their own
Possess lower qualifications and receive short-term 
training
Possess high qualifications and receive long-term 
training
Experience-based activity Activity is based on a systematic theory
Consumer-based selection and evaluation of their 
products and services
Clients accept their expertise and service as 
unquestionable
Market-regulated position State-regulated position
Activity is based on technical instructions Activity is based on code of professional ethics
Possess no specific occupational culture Develop specific professional culture
Free entry into occupational activity Control mechanism for professional entry
Low autonomy High autonomy
Poor identification with occupation Strong identification with profession
Source: Svetlik, 1999.
In order to reduce differences in the officer – non-commissioned officer relationship, 
and even more in the officer - soldier relationship, it is not only admissible, but more 
and more necessary to gradually expand the professionalization concept from the 
officer corps across the entire military organization of developed industrial societies. 
This is also clearly evident in the following table, where it can be estimated that 
Table	1:	
Characteristics 
of occupations 
and professions
14 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
not only non-commissioned officers but soldiers as well are increasingly exhibiting 
professional qualities.
It might have been true once that soldiers without (non-)commissioned officer ranks 
are placed marginally in the societal division of work, are not specifically organized 
beyond their working environment, possess low qualifications, undergo short-term 
training, share no particular occupational culture, function without regard to the 
code of professional ethics and lack identification with their occupation, which is 
definitely no longer the case nowadays. Shifts are evident, but the path from a career 
to a genuinely full professional SAF will certainly not be short and easy, but rather 
time consuming, winding, steep, slippery and full of traps and challenges. Some of 
the major or more interesting ones will be explored in the continuation of the article.
2 CHALLENGE NO. 1 – APPROPRIATE PERCEPTION OF THE SAF’S 
BASIC MISSION
Viewed as a whole, the career SAF lacks sufficient combat orientation as a military 
organization1, which should be primarily directed towards the development of warfare 
power and combat ethos, where its stabilisation and humanitarian potential should 
be developed in parallel, although it is anything but that. In the long run, this may 
have an adverse impact on the self-image of the SAF and its members as well as the 
defence capacity of the state. Attention should also be given to individual occurrences 
of marginalisation and negative selection of career members with a distinct combat 
orientation or even their self-exclusion from the military organizations2 because of 
their frustration with an almost two-decade-long exclusion of SAF structures from 
real combat operations. The basic mission of any military is namely to provide 
realistic military force which, when other national power instruments fail to produce 
anticipated results, can protect, enforce and defend national interests.
Slovenian politics and public should be aware that the long-lasting obstacles in 
the evaluation of the training and readiness level of the professional armed force 
under realistic combat conditions prevent its normal development and impair its 
institutional integrity. Thus we are exposed to criticism that the Republic of Slovenia 
does not equally accept the sharing of burdens and risks in providing peace, security 
and stability within the international community, and hence increase the possibility 
of SAF’s inefficient provision of national or collective defence. 
1 Although this can no longer apply to individual SAF units trained in accordance with combat training 
instructions and manual, and undergoing the full operational capability system as well as appropriate 
verification process, we are still far away from the point when this will become common for the entire active 
component of the SAF, let alone for the members of contract reserve. 
2 Termination of employment relationship in the SAF which results from employment in private security and military 
enterprises performing tasks in global crisis areas is still a rare case. It can with potential concentration in 
individual military units nevertheless severely disturb their stability and development uniformity.
Igor Kotnik
 15 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
 3 CHALLENGE NO. 2 – ADDRESSING THE LEGACY OF THE 
CONSCRIPT ARMY
The career SAF has evolved through a relatively short and soft transformation 
process from the conscript army, which is the reason for only partial abandonment of 
the legacy of the former organizational format.
Self-restraint of the Slovenian politics and public regarding the use of professional 
armed force in high-risk international operations and missions is well-marked. 
Slovenian public in particular behaves as if the Republic of Slovenia has not undergone 
transition from the conscript military that is understandably highly sensitive about any 
victims, to a totally different format of a career army. As the entry into a professional 
armed force is voluntary, the character of which is expeditionary rather than territorial, 
its members are exposed to a higher risk as early as at the beginning. I do not wish to 
be misunderstood – nobody wants to have victims. However, the ever-present fear of 
politics and public about the issue of victims should not have a negative impact on 
the implementation of national interests or military professional qualifications of SAF 
structures for operations in international operations and missions. 
In the professional SAF structure, the ratio among individual categories of military 
personnel is still a clear indication of the legacy of the conscript army. Similarly, the 
target ratio of 1 : 2 : 5 between officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers laid 
down in planning documents has still not been attained. Achieving a more appropriate 
ratio is a highly demanding and long-lasting task, which must be maintained and 
sought by virtue of its significance.
The transition from the conscript to a career armed force led to a relatively quick 
downsizing of operational and military capabilities envisaged as part of the 
organization and mobilization development. Despite disbanding some of the 
commands, such as the military territorial commands3, the SAF command structure 
nevertheless remains oversized, not in terms of the number of commands but rather 
with regard to their manning levels and process duplication. Operational combat 
capabilities of the SAF career force are comparatively too moderate. 
With the abolition of the conscript army, the flow of the cheap workforce of conscripts 
doing military service came to an end. It is hence unacceptable to engage expensive 
career soldiers, for instance military police, not only because of their salary, but also 
due to the investment into their education and training, for simple tasks, such as 
reception service instead of outsourcing cheaper services. 
Loyalty in a modern career army does not necessarily mean absolute subordination to 
non-appellate authority. In accordance with new Military Doctrine (2006) principles, 
3 It becomes increasingly evident that their disbandment was not only illegal, but it also had a negative impact on 
maintaining SAF's integration into civilian environment, which was often discussed by the author of this article 
and others.
PROFESSIONALIZATION OF THE SLOVENIAN ARMED FORCES – A GOAL OR A PATH
16 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
the loyalty of subordinates to their superiors is reflected in the fulfilment of orders 
which implement the mission of the Slovenian Armed Forces, promote the interests of 
the Republic of Slovenia and strengthen its reputation in the international community. 
Loyalty is demonstrated through mutual trust and respect, as well as disciplined 
and accountable accomplishment of duties, and not through blind obedience and 
submissiveness, which is still not a widely applied practice in the career SAF. 
An important issue for the career SAF is the inappropriate organization of the daily 
working time, which can be partly related to the conscript army and the status of 
military personnel equal to civil servants in public administration, but also to the 
unwillingness of the SAF to transform as an institution into a conventional career 
armed force with a more functional working rhythm, allowing more flexibility within 
the work code regulating public administration.
An ever-present challenge for career armies is still the status of career military 
personnel upon termination of their contract relationship for a limited period of 
time or completion of age limit for professional soldiers (NCOs and COs excluded), 
which is set at 45 years in the Republic of Slovenia. When addressing this challenge, 
an adequate balance must be sought among the interests of individuals, the military 
organization, the state and the society. Seeking appropriate consensus in the interim 
period is impaired due to past experiences of the conscript army, when professional 
military service contracts for (non-)commissioned officers were, as a rule, concluded 
for an unlimited period of time, and the employees were not confronted with the 
challenge of a second career and a new job in the civilian labour market at the half 
of their length of service. The market is (still) unfavourable to former career military 
personnel compared to some countries with long-standing experiences of a career 
army. As a balanced and sustainable development of a career army is inevitable 
necessitated by contract relationship for a limited period of time, the challenge 
should be given more attention and adequate social mechanisms should be provided 
to reduce uncertainty and potential dissatisfaction of career military personnel. 
4 CHALLENGE NO. 3 – UNDERSTANDING THE LIMITATIONS OF THE 
CAREER ARMY
It is an undeniable fact that a career army can only be sufficient as a peacetime 
military instrument of the Republic of Slovenia. This, however, does not mean that 
it would be rational to supplement it with conceptual or even structural solutions 
following the very example of the former Territorial Defence Forces. We namely 
live in a new military strategic reality, which allows only reasonable use of former 
experiences and not their copies. 
This on the other hand does not imply a non-appellate and uncritical belief in the 
all-mightiness of the concept of collective defence. It needs to be understood that 
collective defence by definition is just a synergy set of national defence. Each state 
should be capable of ensuring its own military security and contributing at the 
Igor Kotnik
 17 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
same time to military security of allies and partners. Since in the event of extreme 
deterioration of security situation in the international community this objective 
cannot be met nationally solely with the help of career military, nations have to 
look for appropriate system and organization solutions facilitating the establishment 
of larger military capabilities in order to counter potentially bigger, intensified and 
long-lasting military threats. 
Slovenia is therefore developing a concept of military strategic reserve which would 
enable reorganization and growth of peacetime defence and military capabilities into 
those adequate for wartime. In this regard, comprehensiveness of social endeavours 
plays a very important role and should be given particular attention due to the 
specific relationship between the career military and civilian society. The SAF still 
ranks high in public opinion polls on trust, although the delineation process of the 
career military from the civilian society is clearly perceived.4 The adverse effects 
are still not visible for the time being, but at time of ease and complacency as well 
as ignorance of this challenge a sudden tectonic slide of social acceptability and 
popularity of career military may occur with little chances for subsequent mending.
 5 CHALLENGE NO. 4 – PROFESSIONALISATION IN SPITE OF 
AUSTERITY MEASURES5
The purpose and mission and tasks of the SAF, i.e. the ends of the defence system 
and the SAF, are clear. Since the means are, however, increasingly limited, we have 
for several years reminded about the need for deep reflection on the established ways 
of implementing national security and defence objectives of the state, and the search 
for new ones. 
Owing to dynamic changes in the strategic environment, the defence sector reforms 
are a cyclic necessity, which has been this time additionally spurred and impaired at 
the same time due to limited means. In a few years’ time, it will probably be impossible 
to achieve the planned level of defence expenditure and its adequate structure. 
As a result of a recent transition to a career armed force, this represents an even more 
difficult situation for the Republic of Slovenia with the transition from a working-
intensive form of conscript army to a financially intensive defence concept. This 
does not mean that the career aspect is in nominal terms costlier than the conscript 
system which is based on quantity, but its effectiveness relies more on armament 
4 The indicators of this process are as follows: through transition from the conscript to the career army, the 
system-based entry of the part of the population into the military through military service and participation in 
military exercises was suspended, the number of barracks was reduced, all military facilities had been removed 
from certain parts of the country (Bela krajina region, Koroška region, Soča valley region), military territorial 
commands (VTP) were disbanded, and the defence system, the SAF and civilian society activities (societies of 
particular importance for defence, logistic support of public events etc) received less support.
5 See also Kotnik, Igor (2012). Zmanjševanje finančnih sredstev za obrambo – Naloge enake, denarja manj. 
Obramba Magazine, February 2012, 4–8.
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 18 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
and equipment quality and availability of financial means for development and 
investment (modernization). Without the necessary financial means, the majority of 
positive effects of transition to a career armed force will vanish over the mid-term, 
while over the long-term the underfunded career SAF may turn into a caricature. 
Therefore, it is necessary to make a resolute deviation from the false impression 
that small countries can have everything the big ones have, be it in terms of the 
form and structure of defence capabilities. If such logic was partially acceptable 
during economic activity, it has become entirely unacceptable and irresponsible in 
the time of financial crisis and economic recession. The Republic of Slovenia should, 
similarly to NATO, develop generic planning security and defence scenarios and the 
associated requirements for defence capabilities of adequate quantity and quality 
in roder to pursue and defend national interests and ambitions during peacetime, 
emergency situations and wartime, which would be based on strategic political and 
development-guiding documents and credible analysis of long-term external security 
threats posed to the Republic of Slovenia. In the next step, a comparison of the needed 
and available defence capabilities should be carried out to identify their surpluses 
and gaps, determine priorities and abandon unpromising capabilities allowing us 
to free the financial means required for the maintenance of the existing prioritized 
military capabilities and development of the urgently needed niche capabilities. 
It should be understood that the time of austerity measures provides an excellent 
opportunity for investment into the organizational software, where along with various 
forms of education, training and exercises consideration should be particularly given 
to the improvement of psychosocial atmosphere and leadership as well as to the 
identification of innovative conceptual and doctrinal solutions which in spite of limited 
resources for the procurement of advanced armament and technical systems can 
function as multipliers of increased operational effectiveness of military capabilities.6
 6 CHALLENGE NO. 5 – PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY OF SAF MEMBERS
Professionalism also involves assuming responsibility for one’s own professional 
and social conduct. This includes professional, i.e. military in our case, and general 
social ethics and morale. According to Drinovec (2002), it is not only about the 
principle of doing good and not doing bad, but doing the right thing also for the duty 
and avoid doing wrong. 
Formally, the area of professional military ethics in the Republic of Slovenia is 
adequately regulated in the Code of Military Ethics of the Slovenian Armed Forces 
(2009). The issue is, however, whether this ethics has already been fully internalised 
and whether it, consequently, as professional morale of SAF career soldiers fully 
6 At least minimum financial means should be provided for the procurement of test examples of key advanced 
armament and technical systems as well as for training of key personnel responsible for their analytical use, as 
we should not lose contact with the development in defence field, if we are unable to follow it adequately.
Igor Kotnik
 19 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
meets ethical standards through their judgment and activity. I believe that in the 
Republic of Slovenia functional military professionalism is quite well developed, 
although there is still significantly more room for development in the field of ethical 
and moral military professionalism. Let me substantiate this opinion with two 
examples: professional values and professional integrity.
Drinovec (2002) points out insightfully that the mission of professions is not only 
to protect vulnerable population, but also vulnerable social values. According to 
Military doctrine (2006), the values of the Slovenian Armed Forces are rooted in 
general civilization values, the values of Slovenian society and specifics of the 
military activity character. 
The fundamental common value shared by the members of the Slovenian Armed 
Forces is patriotism, on the basis of which the military also develops military values, 
such as honour, courage, loyalty, comradeship and commitment. It is probably 
generally agreed that these values are among the more vulnerable also in our society, 
hence the example set by military professionals in their protection and strengthening 
becomes even more important.
Although professions entail the required collective responsibility, even when 
pursuing and protecting vulnerable institutional and social values in the military 
organization, comradeship should not be in the service of concealing and protecting 
the individuals incapable of meeting of its ethical and moral standards, which brings 
us to the domain of professional integrity.
Rutledge (2011) believes that in terms of respecting moral principles people can 
be divided into two groups – those respecting and those ignoring the principles. 
The first group has developed a moral core composed of fundamental values. If 
these values represent a consistent whole in an individual, they are referred to as 
integrity. People, however, with no moral core, possess no personal integrity and 
behave in accordance with moral relativism. As already explained, definitions of 
professionalism commonly refer to the required existence of ethical codes, although 
it should not be ignored that the influence of ethical code is only as powerful in 
practice as it is powerful the moral foundation of an individual. 
 7 CHALLENGE NO. 6 – PROFESSIONALISATION AND MANAGEMENT 
OF THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST
It is often assumed that professionalism involves quality in a non-appellate manner, 
or, inversely, that poor-quality services are often considered unprofessional. 
Professionalism is aimed at developing and providing goods and services of special 
quality, which meet the key needs of people (Svetlik, 1999), in our case (military) 
security. When fulfilment of the key needs requires subordination of individual 
needs and interests, we are entering the field of altruism which is also one of the 
characteristics of professions.
PROFESSIONALIZATION OF THE SLOVENIAN ARMED FORCES – A GOAL OR A PATH
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The above, although in a more moderate form, is also summed up in the SAF Code 
of Military Ethics SV (2009), where SAF members »/.../ adjust their personal interest 
and goals to the interest of their unit and the Slovenian Armed Forces« In terms of 
pursuing individual interest goals, this is by all means a highly interesting dynamics 
which cannot be clearly established in each case. Depending on the character of 
individual’s interests and goals, it can involve subordination, adjustment or just 
coordination, yet it is, by all means, unacceptable and wrong to give individual 
and narrow group interests and goals greater preference over general collective, 
institutional, state and national interests. The establishment level of the latter 
principle within the SAF is a matter of subjective consideration, although some 
objective indicators, such as the absenteeism level, particularly during prolonged 
field exercises, imply quite some development potential in this area. 
Managing the conflict of interest represents one of the more complex professional 
development areas, since through the professionalization process clients increasingly 
regard professional expertise and services as unquestionable, thus justifying the 
expectations and demands of the representatives of a specific profession for a 
more advantageous social position. At this point specifically, maturity and social 
responsibility of a profession becomes evident, at the same time raising the question 
of its willingness to be exposed to various forms of external and internal control in 
as transparent and unforced manner as possible. 
8 CHALLENGE NO. 7 – EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL CONTROL OF 
MILITARY PROFESSION
According to Drinovec (2002), professions are beyond the limit of necessity inclined 
to exploit the monopoly of maximizing economic and other interests of their 
members, potentially leading to decline or weakening of professionalism as a result 
of omitting control within the profession. 
Occupations are typically controlled externally, while professions are at the same 
also exposed to internal control. In case of military profession, the external control 
is two-fold – the control of the state is performed through various institutionalized 
mechanisms, and the social control through public opinion. One of the main priorities 
of the military profession is, therefore, to maintain appropriate relations both with 
the political state and civilian society, where confidence of the state and society in 
military profession is of fundamental importance. 
Such confidence depends primarily on the appropriacy of military profession activity 
and effectiveness of fulfilment of functional and social imperative, which demands 
from the military organization to develop and apply appropriate self-regulatory 
mechanisms of internal control. This should also involve adequate disciplinary 
and improvement mechanisms, and in the extreme case also the exclusion of those 
members who have failed to meet or respect professional standards.
Igor Kotnik
 21 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
The key challenge is to ensure appropriate synchronization of external and internal 
control mechanisms and guidance for a career army as being a highly complex social 
structure in its character. If external control is too strong, problems may arise as a 
result of impaired professional autonomy, or in the opposite case, a career army 
may become a highly unpredictable and unmanageable social structure. It can be 
concluded that internal military professional control and SAF guidance are still not 
fully developed in terms of function and structure, and the commanders still lack an 
appropriate set of tools of positive and negative sanctions to help them efficiently 
manage the career army.7 
 9 CHALLENGE NO. 8 – PROFESSIONALISATION THROUGH 
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Military profession, or increasingly the profession of arms, has been exposed to 
a continual adjustment and modification need, which stems from the changing 
political security, technological, military strategic, doctrinal and social determinants 
of contemporary world. Svetlik (1999) believes that professions have to develop 
appropriate mechanisms of internal adjustment to respond to changes in the 
environment, with those of education bearing the major importance.
Owing to the speed and scope of changes faced by professions, Svetlik argues 
(1999) that it is increasingly impossible and unreasonable to train new members 
for the accomplishment of concrete professional tasks during their initial training. 
He suggests instead to focus the initial training on general and widely applicable 
qualifications and knowledge providing a solid basis for subsequent continuous 
adjustments to the changing professional work. 
Maybe some would oppose such a view, which however does not change the fact 
that the ability for efficient performance of professional work demands from all 
military personnel to participate in continuing education. It is essential to understand 
and accept that continuing education is no longer an advantage for officers and 
non-commissioned officers, but rather a necessity for soldiers as well. In the long 
run, the mere training and exercises will not, without appropriate education, equip 
them satisfactorily with the competences needed for task accomplishment in the 
increasingly complex environment sensitive to mistakes. A leap in philosophy cannot 
be immediate, but rather demands a gradual and comprehensive approach, where a 
personal professional example of the superiors and colleagues will be supplemented 
through formalized educational topics. 
7 The only SAF disciplinary body is the Chief of the General Staff, who may transfer his authority to 
commanders, originally without this power. In contrast to the practice of the majority of career armies, SAF 
commanders cannot order custody for soldiers and also have more limitations in terms of remuneration than 
their international counterparts.
PROFESSIONALIZATION OF THE SLOVENIAN ARMED FORCES – A GOAL OR A PATH
22 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
10 CHALLENGE NO. 9 – PROFESSIONALISATION AS THE PATH 
WITHOUT END
The project group in charge of the project Transition to Professional Armed Forces 
Complemented with Contractual Reserve (PROVOJ) was established in May 20028 
with the task of launching the project no later than in February 2003. In accordance 
with the final report of the project PROVOJ (2009: 15), the SAF professionalization 
was aimed at fully addressing the issues of the emerging career army in the following 
17 areas of sub-projects:
 – PP 1 and 2: Project management and management plan,
 – PP 3: Recruitment measures,
 – PP 4: Manning of the Slovenian Armed Forces,
 – PP 5: Military service – retention and dismissal,
 – PP 6: Care for the welfare of SAF members,
 – PP 7: Dismissal of SAF members from military service,
 – PP 8: Education and training,
 – PP 9: Equipping with weapons and military equipment,
 – PP 10: Further adjustments of legislation,
 – PP 11: Infrastructure adjustments,
 – PP 12: Funding,
 – PP 13: Formal and legal advancement of military professions,
 – PP 14: Cooperation with other ministries,
 – PP 15: Slovenian Armed Forces and civilian environment,
 – PP 16: Leadership,
 – PP 17: Cooperation with economic sector.
Given the previous reasonable arguments of describing professionalization as a path 
and not as a goal, it may be agreed with the conclusion that it is a unique project 
(Final project report, 2009: 18, 23), yet not at all with a statement that it is a timely 
limited process. Moreover, the project, which was initially planned for the period 
up to the end of 2010, was officially concluded already at the end of 2007 without 
reaching some of the major project goals. The Final project report (2009: 42–90) lists 
the following working packages (ID) and task (N) or object (PR) goals: 
 – PR 3.19: Satisfied SAF members9;
 – N 4.2: Recruitment and selection of candidates will be carried out in the manner to
achieve the end states of the manning level of permanent and reserve SAF structures;
 – N 4.7: Units manned with contract reservists will be manned with former active
duty members;
8 Document-no. 802-00-8/2002-1, dated 28. 5. 2002.
9 Although the Service in the Slovenian Armed Forces Act addresses some of the negative trends, notably salary 
stagnation and welfare care, the following challenges still remain unresolved: emplyoment relationship for a 
limited period of time, distance from work, gap between expectations and reality (e.g. initial information and 
subsequent workload, prolonged abseentism etc.) and negative trends of labour market in terms of increased 
competitive offer of more attractive or safer jobs (Final report PROVOJ, 2009: 43). The latter is less evident 
during the period of austerity measures and economic recession, while all other trends are still topical.
Igor Kotnik
 23 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
 – N 5.20, PR 5.19: Agreements on employment of former SAF members will be 
concluded with other ministries and major employers; 
 – PR 5.6: Conditions will be established to address the lack of appropriate personnel 
in SAF units and commands; 
 – PR 5.18: The organization of professions of former SAF members will be established; 
 – ID 651: Medical care will be provided; 
 – N 6.3, PR 6.3: The self-help system for family members will be introduced; 
 – N 6.6, PR 6.5: In accordance with resources, basic medical care will also be provided 
for family members of SAF members as part of the military medical service; 
 – PR 8.5: The acquired rights for issuing official deeds, certificates of education and 
qualification will be treated equally as those of related civilian professions; 
 – PR 8.6: Education and qualifications acquired during education and training in 
the SAF can be utilized for jobs upon the termination of employment in the SAF; 
 – N 11.7: Priority in adjustments or construction of housing units will be given to 
single members;
 – ID 378: Educational programmes for standard professional knowledge and skills 
will be drafted and verified; 
 – PR 13.5: Arrangements will be made for the issuance of certificates and licences 
to all SAF members. 
The Final project report (2009: 47) also states that the implemented task and object 
goals of the project have not been yet introduced into life and work of the constituent 
units of the Ministry of Defence and the SAF, or at least not sufficiently enough. 
All of the above – the early completion, unsuccessful implementation of a significant 
number of major task and object goals as well as conclusions on incomplete 
implementation of some PROVOJ results in practice – leads us to consider the 
necessity of the project continuation, which is rather cautiously and secretly, yet 
undoubtedly, also indicated on page 27 of the Final project report. In the table 
presenting the final stage of the PROVOJ project, the Final report PROVOJ is 
followed by another two, Continuation of professionalization programmes and 
PROVOJ II. As specific areas of professionalization requiring further or continued 
attention, there was an explicit mention of salaries, infrastructure, family, welfare, 
leadership, relations, adjustments of legislation and SAF promotion, which, based on 
daily experiences, could be at least expanded with the career path, care for welfare of 
members, adjustments of legislation, cooperation with ministries10, complete system 
of criteria and programmes for selection and education and training in military 
leadership11 and relations with civilian environment12. 
10 Following the example of some other countries with career armies, it would be at least sensible to seek agreement 
with other ministries and introduce practice, whereby a minimum of one completed contract period in the role of 
professional soldier would be the required career step for employment in some other state instiutions or professions.
11 Example: A team-department for military leadership development is established, whose formation table and size of 
personnel, however, does not facilitate complete implementation of the tasks set. (Final project report, 2009: 93)
12 This is particularly important in the context of, first, limitations of the role of military territorial commands and, 
subsequently, their disbandment as well as social expectations and the increasing pressure on reducing defence 
expenditure. 
PROFESSIONALIZATION OF THE SLOVENIAN ARMED FORCES – A GOAL OR A PATH
 24 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
The Final project report becomes more explicit about the need to continue the process 
of professionalization in the SAF on page 97: »We believe that SAF professionalization 
is a process requiring the further goal-orientation and implementation through all 
necessary projects« In the continuation of the final report, emphasis is laid upon the 
argument that professionalization mind-set is still inadequately introduced into the work 
of the Ministry of Defence and the SAF General Staff, necessitating the continuation 
of project work in order to achieve a proper perception and understanding of career 
military and military professionalism in all SAF structures and other environments 
which influence the status and functioning of the military organization.
This involves in particular the aspect of so-called functional professionalization13 or 
the development and introduction of an appropriate way of thinking, planning and 
functioning, which, due to the inertia of human mind, represents one of the major 
challenges of any large-scale and profound system-wide changes, what transition to 
a career army and professionalization definitely is. This aspect of professionalization 
is especially important during this period of restricted defence funds, as the changed 
way of thinking commonly requires only little resources compared to its general 
positive effects. 
A lot has been achieved along the twenty-year-long path from the Territorial Defence 
Forces, through the conscript to the career SAF and its professionalization, but the 
time has not come yet to rest on our laurels. 
As any other social process, professionalization of a military organization is an 
oscillation. It should, therefore, be carefully controlled and guided as well as ensured 
that the internal oscillation is as little as possible and that the main activity despite 
occasional problems and stops stays predominantly positive. 
At the beginning of the third decade of our independent state it is time to re-evaluate 
whether the development of defence and military capabilities has indeed reached the 
expected stage given the normative, development-guiding and planning documents 
as well as military-strategic and social reality. We should be honest in explaining 
why we maybe somewhere else, not to judge about the past, but rather to prevent 
repetition of mistakes in the future. Encouraged by the negative impact of economic 
recession and financial crisis reflected notably in the reduction of financial means 
for defence needs of the state, we have to be prepared to take decisive, yet prudent 
action.
Most likely we have found ourselves at the point when at least for some time we will 
have to get used to the idea of a less ambitious vision of the future SAF development 
in terms of its modernization and financial means. At the same time, all of its positive 
potential which has been over ignored in the past needs to be skilfully activated. 
13 The PROVOJ project took into account and specifically emphasized the difference between functional and 
structural professionalisation, which enables the creation of adequate personnel, materiel and organizational-
structural base of a military organization. 
Conclusion
Igor Kotnik
 25 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
The potential should be directed towards a determined quest for ways and methods, 
tolerant to minor mistakes and time- and circumstance-adequate, for accomplishing 
mission and tasks of the SAF.
In this context, professionalization of career military should involve the maintenance 
of appropriate vigilance and commitment, before finally yielding in to some 
inconsistencies and irregularities pointed out in the article, and control of some of 
the previously less successful aspects of this process and their consequences. 
The Slovenian Armed Forces represent the operational core of Slovenia’s defence 
system. Based on full social efforts, appropriate conditions for the further 
development of military professionalism should be established. The foreground of 
these endeavours, however, should be reserved for all those professionally dealing 
with defence matters, in particular the current and future SAF members, united and 
motivated by the motto: »The SAF and me – together on the way to professional 
excellence!«14
1. Drinovec, Jože, 2002. Profesionalizem in zdravnik. Zdravniški vestnik, 71: 751–756.
2. Kodeks vojaške etike Slovenske vojske, 2009. Uradni list RS, št. 55/2009 z dne 17. 7. 
2009. 
3. Korez, Simon, 2012. SV s profesionalno odličnostjo in stabilnostjo v novo desetletje. 
Revija Slovenska vojska, št. 3, 9. 3. 2012, 18.
4. Kotnik, Igor, 2012. Zmanjševanje finančnih sredstev za obrambo – Naloge enake, denarja 
manj. Revija Obramba, februar 2012, 4–8.
5. Rutledge, Andy, 2011. Design Professionalism, Online Edition ISBN 978-0-9836578-2-8.
6. Svetlik, Ivan, 1999. Sodobni izzivi profesionalizmu. Knjižnica 43 (1999) 2/3, 7–18.
7. Vojaška doktrina, 2006. Furlan, Branimir (in drugi). Defensor, Ljubljana. 
8. Zaključno poročilo projekta PROVOJ, Ministrstvo za obrambo – Generalštab SV, številka 
802-00-4/2005-166, z dne 29. 5. 2009.
14 The text is an adaptation of Korez's (2012) highly attractive proposal of a new SAF motto: »The SAF through 
professional excellence and stability towards a new decade.« The initial proposal was a little shortened and 
simplified, with stability being a necessary element of professionalism. Moreover, the modified motto involves 
a development aspect, as a path leading to a goal, at the same time through »me« incorporating the idea of 
personal involvement and responsibility. As such, the motto follows the argument of Korez (2012) even closer 
than the original one, and it functions on two levels: as a recognition of all of the employed staff for co-creating 
professional excellence, and as encouragnment to those contemplating to join the SAF on its way towards 
excellence.
Bibliography
PROFESSIONALIZATION OF THE SLOVENIAN ARMED FORCES – A GOAL OR A PATH