Major General Roland de VriesSDSMMMM was a South African Army officer. He served as Deputy Chief of the South African Army before his retirement in 1999.[2]
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Military careeredit
Roland de Vries joined the South African Army in January 1963, was commissioned as an officer in April 1964 and retired as the Deputy Chief of the South African Army in April 1999. He served in various training and operational positions.
His operational experience included various military operations in the former Rhodesia, South West Africa (Namibia) and Southern Angola. Some of these were Operation Protea (1981), Moduler (1987) and Prone (1988) in Southern Angola.[2] The latter two mentioned high intensity conventional battles subsequently led to the peace accord being signed between South Africa, Angola and the Cubans in New York on 22 December 1988.
Ratel Programmeedit
He was a major contributor to the development of the Ratel IFV infantry fighting vehicle and its subsequent combat system and doctrine during the seventies.
His book on mobile warfare, Mobile Warfare – a perspective for Southern Africa, was published during August 1987 in South Africa, while he was a colonel. This book outlined his thinking on the development of operational concepts and military doctrine for mobile conventional warfare within the Southern African context. He is credited with being the main driver behind these concepts within the South African Army.[2]
With the SANDFedit
Gen de Vries led the Transformation Team of the newly created South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in 1997 in developing a new integrated Leadership, Command and Management Concept for the Department of Defence.[2]
In 1997 he was appointed Chief of Joint Training and in 1998 as Deputy Chief of the SA Army. This role entailed developing a new military strategy for the SA Army as well as planning and managing the army's transformation process.
He retired as the Deputy Chief of the South African Army in April 1999.[2]
Life outside the militaryedit
Gen de Vries is married to Henriette and they have four children Roland (Jnr), Elmarie, Melanie and Pieter.
He currently manages his own business, but remains engaged in advisory support for corporate security services and the transformation initiatives of armies in Africa. His memoirs, entitled Eye of the Firestorm, was published in May 2013.[2]
roland, vries, major, general, south, african, army, officer, served, deputy, chief, south, african, army, before, retirement, 1999, major, generalsd, mmmborncalvinia, cape, provinceallegiance, south, africaservice, branch, south, african, armyyears, service19. Major General Roland de Vries SD SM MMM was a South African Army officer He served as Deputy Chief of the South African Army before his retirement in 1999 2 Major GeneralRoland de VriesSD SM MMMBornCalvinia Cape ProvinceAllegiance South AfricaService wbr branch South African ArmyYears of service1965 1999RankMajor GeneralService number01506948PE 1 Commands heldDeputy Chief of the SA Army OC 61 Mechanised Battalion Group OC South African Army College GOC 7 South African Infantry Division Chief of Joint Training DivisionBattles warsOperation PROTEA 1981 Operation MODULER 1987 Operation PRONE 1988 AwardsSpouse s HenrietteOther workBusinessman Contents 1 Early life 2 Military career 2 1 Command 2 2 Operations 2 3 Ratel Programme 2 4 With the SANDF 2 5 Life outside the military 3 Awards and decorations 4 References 5 Further readingEarly life editThis section is empty You can help by adding to it January 2015 Military career editRoland de Vries joined the South African Army in January 1963 was commissioned as an officer in April 1964 and retired as the Deputy Chief of the South African Army in April 1999 He served in various training and operational positions Command edit He commanded amongst others 61 Mechanised Battalion Group the South African Army College 7 South African Infantry Division and the Joint Training Division of the South African National Defence Force SANDF 2 Operations edit His operational experience included various military operations in the former Rhodesia South West Africa Namibia and Southern Angola Some of these were Operation Protea 1981 Moduler 1987 and Prone 1988 in Southern Angola 2 The latter two mentioned high intensity conventional battles subsequently led to the peace accord being signed between South Africa Angola and the Cubans in New York on 22 December 1988 Ratel Programme edit He was a major contributor to the development of the Ratel IFV infantry fighting vehicle and its subsequent combat system and doctrine during the seventies His book on mobile warfare Mobile Warfare a perspective for Southern Africa was published during August 1987 in South Africa while he was a colonel This book outlined his thinking on the development of operational concepts and military doctrine for mobile conventional warfare within the Southern African context He is credited with being the main driver behind these concepts within the South African Army 2 With the SANDF edit Gen de Vries led the Transformation Team of the newly created South African National Defence Force SANDF in 1997 in developing a new integrated Leadership Command and Management Concept for the Department of Defence 2 In 1997 he was appointed Chief of Joint Training and in 1998 as Deputy Chief of the SA Army This role entailed developing a new military strategy for the SA Army as well as planning and managing the army s transformation process He retired as the Deputy Chief of the South African Army in April 1999 2 Life outside the military edit Gen de Vries is married to Henriette and they have four children Roland Jnr Elmarie Melanie and Pieter He currently manages his own business but remains engaged in advisory support for corporate security services and the transformation initiatives of armies in Africa His memoirs entitled Eye of the Firestorm was published in May 2013 2 Awards and decorations edit61 Mech Operational Service Badge Service nbsp Black on Thatch beige Embossed Rectangular bar upright with a black dagger and three black lightning flashes angled diagonally across the blade Free Fall Paratrooper Qualification nbsp Advanced Freefall Black on Thatch beige Small Black wings General de Vries has been awarded the following 2 nbsp Southern Cross Decoration SD nbsp Southern Cross Medal 1975 SM nbsp Military Merit Medal MMM nbsp Pro Patria Medal nbsp Southern Africa Medal nbsp General Service Medal South Africa nbsp Unitas Unity Medal nbsp Good Service Medal Gold 30 Years nbsp Good Service Medal Silver 20 Years nbsp Good Service Medal Bronze 10 Years References edit SADF SWATF SAP Veteran Members Roll sadf info Retrieved 5 January 2015 a b c d e f g h Senior Offisiere in Bevel Senior Officers in Command sadf info Retrieved 5 January 2015 Further reading editScholtz Leopold 2013 The SADF in the Border War 1966 1989 Cape Town Tafelberg ISBN 978 0 624 05410 8 de Vries Roland 2013 Eye of the Storm Strength Lies in Mobility Tyger Valley Naledi ISBN 9780992191252 Steenkamp Willem 1989 South Africa s border war 1966 1989 Gibraltar Ashanti Pub ISBN 0620139676 Wilsworth Clive 2010 First in last out the South African artillery in action 1975 1988 Johannesburg 30 Degrees South ISBN 978 1920143404 Military offices Preceded byGilbert Ramano Deputy Chief of the SA Army1998 1999 VacantTitle next held byLes Rudman in Oct 2011 New titleEstablished in April 1997 Chief Joint Training1997 1998 Succeeded byAshwin Hurribunce Preceded byUnknown OC 7 SA Div1992 1995 Succeeded byKoos Laubscher Preceded byBertie Botha OC SA Army College1987 1990 Succeeded byAnton van Graan Preceded byUnknown Commander Formal Training Wing Army Battle School1983 1985 Succeeded byUnknown Preceded byJohann Dippenaar OC 61 Mech Bn Gp1981 1982 Succeeded byGert van Zyl nbsp This biographical article related to the South African military is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Roland de Vries amp oldid 1176855725, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
