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71. Gaming for peace: Gender awareness training and the Polish military

Author:
Anne Holohan, Justyna Pyz, and Kamila Trochowska
Publication Date:
12-2018
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Security and Defence Quarterly
Institution:
War Studies University
Abstract:
Despite regulatory and legal changes, women are persistently underrepresented in military organisations on peacekeeping missions. This article argues that part of the reason for this can be found in persistent stereotypical ideas about gender roles, and looks at the attitudes and experience of Polish military personnel who have been deployed on peacekeeping missions as evidence of this. However, witnessing other militaries stance on gender, where such stereotypes are still there, but not as entrenched, can cause personnel to contextualise if not question their own organisation’s stance on gender. Sixteen Polish military peacekeepers were interviewed in-depth about their experiences on peacekeeping missions as part of a European H2020 project, Gaming for Peace (GAP). The interviews were used to build scenarios for a digital role-playing game to develop soft skills among peacekeeping personnel, and these soft skills included gender awareness. This article analyses the interviews to explore the experience of gender for both men and women in the Polish military, and shows that there is an urgent need for the type of training in gender awareness that is part of GAP.
Topic:
Peacekeeping, Women, Training, Peace, Stereotypes, Gender, and Military
Political Geography:
Europe and Poland

72. Contemporary challenges in military logistics support

Author:
Marta Pawelczyk
Publication Date:
09-2018
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Security and Defence Quarterly
Institution:
War Studies University
Abstract:
Nowadays, the most important factors that cause global market activity and have a big influence on logistics processes are: globalisation and rapid development of new technologies. In that environment, military logistics are operating incessantly alongside the supply of goods in times of war, peace and crisis. These logistics are focused on finding solutions for being more effective and economically profi table. Because of this, logisticians try to reduce costs and supply good faster, as well as trying to provide the right quality and service.. The current challenges in military logistics support have changed. The biggest challenge for all logistics processes is to provide services according to the 7R formula (right time, right product, right quantity, right condition, right place, right customer, and right price). A logistics leader is important for every operational mission. Thanks to the leader making quick and smart decisions, successful termination of a mission is possible. The article is based on the example of logistics support for the Polish contingent in Kosovo. In the light of the above, the aim of the article is to identify and estimate the situation of military logistics. The research problem is as follow: What are the biggest determinants of logistics processes in military area?
Topic:
Security, Logistics, Supply Chains, and Military
Political Geography:
Europe, Poland, and Kosovo

73. Exigencies of Future Deployments: What Canada must Exact from its Military Partners

Author:
Hugh Segal and Jessica McLean
Publication Date:
06-2013
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI)
Abstract:
An increase in global threats, failing states, and crisis prone regions around the world, coupled with shrinking defence budgets in the US, as well as budget cuts in Canada’s most loyal joint deployment partners – France, the UK, and The Netherlands – indicates there will be no less of a demand for Canadian deployable capacity over the next few years. In this context, understanding the ‘political’ requirements for various kinds of deployments is important and a key planning area for defence policy makers as well as military and strategic practitioners. To better understand the future of Canadian military deployments it is first necessary to examine the historical context of our post-war NATO and UN deployments as well as Prime Minister Harper’s 2006 commitment that required all significant military deployments to have parliamentary approval. Each deployment since WW II has been unique. The command structures, intelligence-sharing, mission design and assigned areas of responsibility for Canada, whether under the UN or NATO, have varied by the deployment itself and the nature of the mission. This requires our political and command requirements to adapt to the mission at hand. But whether or not Canada will participate in future deployments relies on not just being able to answer the question of “why”, but also “why us”. Reticence on the part of NATO allies will continue to be a problem in the future and so Canada must be capable to ensure it only takes part in “coalition of the willing” deployments to ensure realistic burden sharing. The pivot towards the Pacific will also require fresh and deeper intelligence cooperation with Australia, other Commonwealth partners in the region and enhanced interoperable capacity with our American allies.
Topic:
Security, Defense Policy, International Cooperation, Troop Deployment, and Military
Political Geography:
Europe, Canada, North America, and United States of America