on meritocracy, recruitment and retention · military veterans, looking at the difficulties they face in reintegrating back into society and finding gainful employment · gender equality and mainstreaming · the rise of military unions and why a confrontational, instead of a more corporatist approach to labour relations has emerged · HIV/AIDS and the consequences this holds for the military in terms of its operational effectiveness. In closing, the author highlights key events that have caused the SANDF to become ¿lost in transition and transformation¿, spelling out some lessons learned. The conclusions she draws are pertinent for the future of defence, security and civil-military relations of countries around the world.