A First for the SA Army

Two Brigadier Generals, previously in the SA Catering Corps, now Appointed in the SA Army Support Formation!

Venue: General Support Base Garrison, Pretoria, Gauteng
22 August 2008

Fltr: Brigadier General Amanda Ruziecki and Brigadier General Louise Rossouw		Parade

Brigadier General Amanda Ruziecki was appointed as the new General Officer Commanding of the Joint Support Base Garrison with effect of 1 July 2008 and promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. She was the Senior Staff Officer Hospitality Services at the Department of Defence Logistic Support Formation over the period 1 April 1999 till 30 June 2008. Brigadier General Ruziecki completed the Senior Command and Staff course in1997.

The news of her appointment came as a big surprise while she was on holiday in the Kruger National Park at the end of June when Chief of the SA Army, Lieutenant General Solly Shoke in person congratulated her with her appointment and promotion to be utilized in the SA Army.

As from April 2008, the Joint Support Base Garrison is under the command of the SA Army. She is therefore the 3rd appointed female general in the SA Army.

Brigadier General Amanda Ruziecki joined the Defence Force in 1981 in Windhoek, Namibia as part of the SA Catering Corps after she had completed her first four-year degree, the BSC Domestic Science, at the University of Pretoria.

Her career includes various catering and logistics appointments, as well as that of Adjudant of 911 Inf Bn, Procurement Officer for 101 Workshop, Grootfontein, and Public Liaison Officer at Northern Transvaal Command and Training Officer at the Directorate Catering Corps. She was appointed as the first fulltime female Directing Staff at the SA Army College in 1998. Since April 1999 until June 2008 she was the SSO Hospitality Services at the Department of Defence Logistic Support Formation.

Brigadier General Ruziecki is a committed student and she has various degrees, diplomas, certificates and conducted research for her M degree in Logistics in Italy.

The appointment of these two females as Brigadier Generals in the SA Army is a demonstration of the fact that you need not be in the operational environment or a fighter corps to be appointed in senior positions as part of the SA Army. It is essential to make use of each opportunity during your career and to be committed and dedicated to your work environment.

Brigadier General Louise Rossouw was the 1st appointed female general in the SA Army structure during 2006 as the Chief of Staff of the SA Army Support Formation wef July 2006.

Brigadier General Rossouw joined the SA Defence Force in 1979 as a junior officer in the SA Catering Corps after she completed her four-year B Domestic Science degree at the University of Stellenbosch. She then worked her way through the ranks as officer in the Directorate Catering Corps of the SA Army and the Chief Instructor at the School of Catering of the SA Army. She was integrated into the SA National Defence Force in 1994.

She successfully completed the previous Red Senior Command and Staff course during 1991 and was thereafter appointed as the Director SA Catering Corps from 1 February 1992 until 31March 1999, when the corps directorates close down as part of the new SA Army structure.

She was appointed the Senior Staff Officer Higher Order Logistic Education, Training and Development at the Logistics Division from the 1 April 1999 until 30 June 2006. She also successfully attended and completed the Certificate in Logistics at the University of Pretoria as well as the Defence Resource Management Course at the Post Graduate Naval School, California, USA.

Compiled by Brigadier General L.M. Rossouw, MMM