Farewell to arms is a necessity for all military personnel in one way or another. Be it:

• A personal choice, when a military career no longer meets one’s aspirations;
• A disability linked to the consequences of a health problem that led to the reform;
• A normal retirement, i.e., an end-of-career process due to age limit or other, as provided for in military statutes or in accordance with the terms of Decree N° 2012/387 of September 14, 2012 to lay down the organization and functioning of the Secretariat of State to the Ministry of Defence in charge of Ex-Servicemen and War Victims, which defines what an Ex-Serviceman and a War Victim are (ACVG).

         This transition, which is not the end of one’s life, but simply a switch from a military career to another in the civilian sector, requires reconversion.  This reconversion implies a willingness by the retired serviceman to consider a second career, with the aim of maintaining, if not improving, his essential sources of income and his usual level of social life. This is why professional reconversion is a major step towards reintegration. As such, it becomes a right for every soldier. This right, which is enshrined in a number of regulations, notably Decree No. 2007/199 of July 7, 2007, article 80 of which provides for reconversion leave, should be further developed and improved in line with the current context of the ACVG.

Whatever the reasons for reconversion, a structured approach is needed. This is why it is imperative to put in place a coherent process that takes into account the specific realities of our armed forces, and which necessarily involves capacity building through prior training. Accordingly, several vocational training courses are organized each year, along with the relevant authorities such as the Practical Schools of Agriculture and Livestock and the Agency for the Promotion of SMEs, for the benefit of ACVGs.