Roland de Vries
Roland de Vries
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Allegiance | South Africa |
Service/ |
South African Army |
Years of service | 1963 – 1999 |
Rank | Major General |
Service number | 01506948PE[1] |
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Spouse(s) | Henriette |
Other work | Businessman |
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]
Early life
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Military Career
Roland de Vries joined the South African Army in January 1963. He was commissioned in January 1964. He served in various training and operational positions. He commanded amongst others, 61 Mechanised Battalion Group, the South African Army College, 7 South African Division and the Joint Training Division of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).[2]
His operational experience included various military operations in the former Rhodesia, South West Africa (Namibia) and Southern Angola. Some of these were Operations PROTEA (1981), MODULAR (1987) and PRONE (1988) in Southern Angola.[2]
He was a major contributor to the development of the Ratel infantry combat vehicle (ICV) 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]
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]
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
General de Vries was awarded the following:[2]
- Southern Cross Medal (SM)
- Military Merit Medal (MMM)
- Good Service Medal, Gold (30 Years)
- Good Service Medal, Silver (20 Years)
- Good Service Medal, Bronze (10 Years)
- Parachute Wings (South Africa) (Advanced, Freefall)
References
Further Reading
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Military offices | ||
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Preceded by | Deputy Chief of the SA Army 1998 – 1999 |
Vacant
Title next held by
Les Rudman in Oct 2011 |
New title Established in April 1997
|
Chief Joint Training 1997 – 1998 |
Succeeded by Ashwin Hurribunce |
Preceded by
Unknown
|
OC 7 SA Div 1992 – 1995 |
Succeeded by Koos Laubscher |
Preceded by | OC SA Army College 1987 – 1990 |
Succeeded by Anton van Graan |
Preceded by
Unknown
|
Commander Formal Training Wing - Army Battle School 1983 – 1985 |
Succeeded by Unknown |
Preceded by | OC 61 Mech Bn Gp 1981 – 1982 |
Succeeded by Gert van Zyl |