General

 

21. Selection standards have been established to ensure that Military Observers of the highest quality are selected for service with the United Nations. These selection standards represent minimum requirements and failure to meet one or more of these standards could cause repatriation of United Nations Military Observer at the expense of the providing Member State.

 

Selection Criteria/Requirements

22. Nationality. The United Nations Military Observer must be a citizen of the Member State he/she is representing. Non-citizens cannot represent a country as United Nations Military Observers. A United Nations Military Observer must hold a valid passport issued by his/her country.

 

23. Professional Status. The United Nations Military Observer must be a serving member of the Member State’s defence forces. This excludes retired military/defence officers. A military officer nominated as United Nations Military Observer should be currently working on a full-time military duty with a minimum of five years of regular military service as an officer.

 

24. Rank. The United Nations normally asks the Member States to nominate their officers in the rank of Captain and /or Major to serve as United Nations Military Observers. However, depending upon the nature of task, at times, senior officers such as Lieutenant Colonels and Colonels may also be assigned as United Nations Military Observers. The Chief Military Observer is generally a Brigadier or Major General. United Nations Military Observers nominated by the Member States must be of the rank requested by the United Nations. If an officer arrives in the mission area with a higher rank than requested, or is promoted during his tour of duty, the United Nations will not be obliged to take the higher rank into consideration in determining the officer's assignments.

 

25. Age. Member States must not deploy United Nations Military Observers who are less than 25 years of age. As a rule a United Nations Military Observer should not be over 50 years old. Any change to the above restrictions, if necessitated by special requirements of the mission, will be indicated by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. This rule is not applicable to the Chief Military Observer and selected senior positions.

 

26. Mental and Physical Health. United Nations Military Observers should be in excellent physical condition and must meet the established United Nations medical criteria outlined in the Medical Support Manual for United Nations Field Operations. They may have to live and work in conditions of hardship and physical danger. It may be necessary to investigate incidents on foot in rugged terrain with no roads.

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27. Professional Competencies and Experience. The desired professional competencies and expertise of United Nations Military Observers are mentioned in mission specific guidelines or in the request initiated by United Nations Headquarters. However, the officers must have essential competencies and expertise, which will enhance their performance on the ground and reduce the requirement of additional training in the mission area. The Training and Evaluation Service of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations has issued separate training guidelines for United Nations Military Observers. Some necessary professional competencies, considered essential for United Nations Military Observers, are mentioned below:

a. Previous field/troop unit experience in his/her national armed forces.

 

b. Knowledge of infantry organisations (force structure, equipment, and capabilities) and operations at company and battalion level.

 

c. Experience or training in light and medium weapons, support equipment, and common weapon, vehicle, aircraft, helicopter and ship identification.

 

d. Proficiency in map reading, land navigation (both ground and vehicle) and use of global positioning systems.

 

e. Use of tactical and basic commercial communications equipment and approved UN radio procedure.

 

f. Knowledge of basic skills in dismounted and vehicle patrolling.

 

g. Knowledge of basic negotiation, mediation and conflict resolution skills and basic interviewing techniques.

 

h. Knowledge of basic first aid and stress management techniques.

 

i. Ability to speak read and write the working language of the specific United Nations Peacekeeping Operation and other languages, if specifically described. Officers are required to write or type their own reports and to communicate on voice radio sets.

 

j. Be experienced vehicle drivers, capable of supervising the daily maintenance of light military vehicles and trained in employing self-recovery techniques. United Nations Military Observers should have at least two years recent experience in driving and be in possession of a national, military or international driving license. Many of the duties will involve driving four-wheel drive vehicles over rough terrain.

 

k. Additional Qualifications. The following qualifications are desirable:

 

(1) Combat experience or combat troop-training experience, in order to properly evaluate or analyse situations that may confront United Nations Military Observers in the cause of carrying out their duties.

 

(2) Staff training or staff experience.