IFSA participated to the Round Table “System of changing the military career to professional civil career as an integral part of defense institutions and society”

On June 3 in Kyiv was organized the Round Table “System of changing the military career to professional civil career as an integral part of defense institutions and society”. The main task of the event – discussion of further activity of the Trust Fund and development of military career transition system (MCT), which is funded by a few countries and Norway as a main Program Donor (70% of funds).  In the Round Table participated the representatives of NATO Headquarter, the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, NGOs, universities and other agencies engaged to the solving of problem of social adaptation of the military officers in Ukraine.

NATO Trust Fund in amount of 430 thousand Euros originally finalized its activity on March 31, 2018. During three years it organized the researches do develop the effective system for transition from military career to civil career which completely will match the Ukrainian legislation.  The international experts were engaged to research. In result was elaborated the variant of the system which was presented to the Round Table on third of July 2018 by Christopher Staudt, Head of Program of NATO-Ukraine Trust Fund on formation of the system of transfer from military to civil career. Aim of the presentation and discussion of findings is to ensure the benefit of such activity, which was not finished due to the changes in policy of distribution of responsibilities between the ministries of Ukraine related to this problem solving and creation of the new Ministry on War Veterans, and continue the Trust Fund financing for the next three years.

The Round Table attracted the interest of Ukrainian experts. Especial interest was devoted to the results achieved during three years with financial support of NATO countries.

During participants` speeches and final discussion the majority of representatives agreed that:

• the developed model of the Program has no practical impact and does not fit to the acting Ukrainian legislation.
• currently the state does not pay relevant attention to the problem of social adaptation of the military officers in Ukraine. Most governmental agencies entrusted with this issue have no relevant experience, system approach, motivation.
• the problem is partially solved due to international projects (Ukraine-Norway and NATO-Ukraine Program on Retraining of Military Personnel),  charitable organizations and NGOs.
• the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine should be the main responsible state agency on this issue.
• Existent State Service of Ukraine for War Veterans and Anti-Terrorist Operation Participants does not operate in a proper way as entrusted by its mission.
• Most important issue in social adaptation of the former military officers (especially combatants) is an activity not only with military officers but with their families as well.
• Problem of social adaptation in Ukraine is really burning and requires the proper attention from the state and international organizations.

Materials on NATO Trust Fund researches were received by the IFSA before the Round Table and disseminated to all regional contractors of Ukraine-Norway Project. The Fund reached the consolidated opinion on the results of the Trust Fund three-year activity.

Olga Filina, Coordinator to Ukraine-Norway Project, voiced the general opinion on the results reached by the Trust Fund. After the short presentation of the of effectively operating, during 15 years, system of social adaptation of the military officers, ATO/JFO participants and their family members, was stated that the development of the model for social adaptation of military officers in Ukraine is really important, but it requires the studying of particular practical experience of organizations acting exactly in Ukraine and develop the system using practical experience.  IFSA proposed the Trust Fund with its permanently acting partner network to be used in researches and practical exercising of model for social adaptation of the military officers.