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Travail
pratique n°4
1. Welcome to the The
The
The
RMA forms officers who are capable of
leadership in varied, complex and
exceptional
circumstances, in the service
of the national and international community. Therefore we adapt our
education
permanently to the needs of the Armed Forces, integrate the values of
society
into our education.
The
organised
within the Polytechnics Faculty
and the Faculty Social and Military Sciences. More detailed information
is to
be found in the chapter: Academic Education. Both branches of studies
attempt
to provide the young officer with the necessary background to grasp the
technical, economic, geopolitical and social complexities of our
present world.
Anticipating, organising, commanding, managing, co-ordinating and
controlling
are the basic tasks of the future officer.
2.
The Studies
Studies
at the RMA are spread over a period
of 5 academic years in the Polytechnics faculty and
"Forming
military leaders". Here
you have in three small words the objective of the formation in the
who
continually adapts and who can manage
people.
Before
they begin the academic studies of
the first year, the candidates have to survive a period of military
initiation,
when they are taught the basic notions and skills of the
military
profession. At the same time
candidates are offered the chance to discover
whether
they will be capable of coping with
the requirements of their chosen profession.
The
RMA is in charge with that part of the
military basic training of professional officers that is common to all
components of the Armed Forces. In two cases, officers already start in
the RMA
with part of their specialised training: that is the case for
prospective
pilots
and
deck officers and technical officers of
the Navy. The military training in the RMA is concentrated in two
periods of
military camp in every academic year: one period of two or three weeks
in
January, and a second period of four weeks in July.
From
the third year onwards, students
systematically go abroad, to teach them to adapt their
work methods to ever changing and
exceptional circumstances: the mountainous terrain of the Czech
Republic, the
desert south of the High Atlas in Morocco, the tropical savannah of the
West-African of Benin completed with a stay in Ireland or Slovenia. And
"in between" he has obtained the elementary qualifications as a
parachutist and
commando
in the paratrooper-training centre
in Schaffen and Marche-les-Dames.
There
is a double aim to the physical
education at the
even
during examination periods- to
self-fulfilment in the field of sports.
A
good physical condition is a must for
every soldier. They are responsible for their own physical condition.
At the
RMA students are lent more than a helping hand: the available
possibilities
offered by the curriculum, sports infrastructure, coaching and the
whole
culture
of education at the academy are
evidently of overriding importance for the result. An attractive and
balanced
programme of physical education not only takes the students in the
course of
four or five years to a sporting high, but also teaches them to coach
others
sensibly during sporting activities.
Character
building implies a number of
aspects. It is not limited to polishing shoes or training your
endurance and
perseverance. At the RMA, students are prepared for their future tasks
as
leaders in the widest sense of the word. So, students are taught to
manage
their personnel and means in difficult circumstances (in the desert, in
the
mountains,
during
amphibious exercises), while at the
same time giving them modern leadership courses and training their
social
aptitudes.
An
officer must be capable of efficient
communication with his men and his superiors.
The
importance of this communication keeps
increasing, on the occasion of missions abroad, contacts with local
people and
adversaries. They must be able to negotiate with all sorts of people,
to manage
individual conflicts, plan the most diverse kind of operations,
be
creative with limited means, guide and
support the members of their personnel on all occasions, manage their
own
feelings of doubt, fear and uncertainty.
We
consider it a prerequisite for an
officer of the 21st century to possess all these characteristics. So,
we try to
prepare our students to it in a modern and experience-bases way.
More
detailed information can be found in
the section about
As
you see neither time nor means are
spared for the training of the future officers. The whole body of
character
building, the academic, physical and military training is a unique
training
experience where motivated young people can develop into responsible
soldiers
and civilians.
3.
The Daily Life
Just
like all universities that show
self-respect, the RMA enjoys a very intense student life. More than
elsewhere,
traditions play an important social role, as a catalyst for a steady
esprit de
corps. Behind a stern front an unsuspected environment lies hidden,
where youth
and uniforms go together very well.
An example:
In
the parade ground of the RMA, a promotion commander tries to escape
from a mob
chasing him. Besieged, the officer has no other choice than to
surrender. A
crowd of uniformed youngsters jump on him and willy-nilly drag him
towards the
swimming pool. Few seconds later, the promotion commander ends up,
fully
clothed, thrown into the deep end of the pool. On his soaking dress,
three new
gold stars are shining…
Such
insubordination within the armed forces is unexpected to say the least.
What
has happened to military discipline? At a civilian university, students
wouldn’t dare throw one of their professors into the pool! It's only
because we
are at a military university, that such an occurrence is possible. This
chase
is one of the traditions of the academy. Contrary to appearances, this
is a
sign of respect and recognition besides a signal of integration.
Actually, it
could be that the promotion commander would be very disappointed if he
was not
chased in honour of his appointment…
This
‘chase’ is but an aspect of the folklore of student life at the RMA.
Like
other traditions, its aim is
to
reinforce the team spirit among students, staff and lecturers. Of
course, the
RMA is not a university like all others. If individual achievement and
discipline play a major role, solidarity and team work are at least as
important. Customs and traditions at the RMA moreover encourage a
degree of
competitive spirit among the different promotions. Those are basic
values for
young officers who are to function within a professional and modern
army.
The
RMA is organised on the lines of a
boarding school. Students in the first two years
stay
in double rooms (from the third year
on: single rooms) in a brand new building.
These
comfortable rooms are perfectly
adapted to study and are equipped with ample
desks.
All are connected to the Internet.
This change reflects the evolution of the RMA in modern society. It
also
represents the major progress made in the field of individual freedom.
Yet,
even the old system (rooms with 12 beds) had its advantages… of course,
comfort
an privacy have much improved, but to some extent this will be to the
detriment
of
social life and the team spirit we now
have.
Some
students benefit from the ‘Living Out’
formula: those who are married, those who live together or live near
the
academy. Yet, the possibility to enjoy this situation is linked
to
study results. ‘Boarding’ is not a
synonym for ‘detention’. The RMA of today allows its students to lead a
normal
social and affective life. Apart from the camp periods (two or three
weeks in
January and the whole month of July) and the six weeks of initial
training, the
officer cadets of the first year have one evening off a week. They
return home
on
Friday
evening and are expected back on
Monday morning. Climbing the wall is no longer worth its wile… From the
second
year onward, the regime becomes more flexible. The student-officers
(from the
third year on) are free to manage their leisure time themselves. Of
course,
these privileges are linked to their study results. In the case of
failure or
inadequate behaviour, measures that restrict these freedoms could be
imposed.
Those
who are boarders at the RMA have a
large number of entertainment facilities at their disposal. Sports are
a major
feature: swimming pool, omnisports hall, ultramodern gym… All are
accessible
free of charge. The same is true for activities of a more cultural
nature :
reading, computing etc… The bar is open to all for a moment of
relaxation and
two student unions (Omega and Polytechnique) make sure a convivial
atmosphere
is maintained… but also support students with their problems. Whoever
faces a
difficulty can always turn to the student who acts as his godfather, or
to a «
caque ». « Caque » is an Indian word for chief; these
« caques » are students
who coach their peers. Their leader is the ‘grand caque ‘, an
officer-student
traditionally chosen from the 5th year Polytechnic.
To
become a « caque » is a highly sought
after honour.
In
contrast to other universities, where
students are left to their own devices and where attendance at courses
is
optional, the RMA has a policy of constantly monitoring its students.
Their
presence is obligatory at every course or activity. Moreover, their
progress is
regularly monitored. In this way, possible problems can be detected in
a very
early stage. In that case, the student may rely on the support of RMA
academic
or military staff for further explanation or supplementary exercises.
The RMA
has a cadre/student ratio, which is extremely favourable. In these
circumstances, the academy offers an environment that is particularly
conducive
to successful studies… and the training of officers at high level.
Within
a short time after the independence
of
4.
A Brief History
Already
at the beginning of the 16th
century there were academies in our region, where pages were trained in
such
skills as horseriding, mathematics and fencing, as a preparation to a
possible
career as an officer.
Between
1670 and 1830 the subsequent
authorities -
The
Until
1874 the academy was situated in the
"Rue de Namur", from whence it moved to the "
In
1914 the Belgian authorities disbanded
the
Hardly
a couple of months after the end of
the Second World war the RMA reopened its gates on 7 January 1946. It
was faced
with enormous difficulties: neglected buildings, a dispersed academic
staff a
thoroughly changed society and on top of that a different approach to
the armed
forces. During the war, new services had been created and others had
gained
importance. A commission was created to plot a new course: a scientific
formation at university level, complemented by a basic military
training. Also
the character building of the leader and his integration into a
democratic
regime were seen to be very important.
Two
streams of studies came into existence,
each with its own specific aims.
The
Polytechnic division (now Polytechnic
faculty) replaced the former Artillery-Engineering Section, with
courses
lasting five years. The pre-war Infantry-Cavalry section was supplanted
by the
All Arms division.(now faculty for Social and Military Sciences)
Laboratories
were equipped again for practical work and for scientific research.
Basic
military training was adapted to modern warfare and now started with a
stint in
the field. The academy introduced a new kind of discipline, which
allowed the
candidates to develop their personalities and moral defences. Also
"godparenthood" and bonds of friendship with foreign military
academies were to contribute to this aim.
The
new program of the Polytechnics division
answered four needs: a wide scientific
basis,
a thorough general education, a
practice-based orientation and an irrefutable military character.
For
the All Arms division, the commission,
in charge of reorganising the
roots".
In the end, a compromise was
reached: a three-year programme with exact and behavioural sciences.
Only three
promotions were to follow this programme. During the Korean War, the
After
World War II there were other changes
as well. In 1946, also the Air Force and
Navy
were faced with their officer
formation. As the armed forces were too small to
establish
a military academy for each
service, the