Brigadier Peter Vorhofer is Head of Attaché Affairs and Military Diplomacy. A conversation about the tasks of military attachés, the growing importance of military diplomacy and the increased willingness to cooperate.
Mr. Brigadier, the security policy environment of the EU and Austria has tended to deteriorate at almost all levels in recent years. Are we right in assuming that diplomacy and military diplomacy are therefore gaining in importance?
The importance of military diplomacy cannot be attributed solely to a deterioration in the security policy environment, but rather to the exponential increase in cooperation and negotiations. This means that the security policy environment has become more complicated, faster in its sequences and much more extensive in its networking. As in the civilian world, networking sets in motion a spiral of mutual consultations that explodes diplomatic processes …
… and increasing the importance of military diplomacy?
That’s right. Many more players need to be coordinated or brought into agreement on more and more processes. This seems to be a paradoxical process when we talk about a “unified Europe” and “globalization”. In our day-to-day work, however, the coordination processes with nations are constantly increasing. As a result, the speed of bilateral processes in particular is producing a form of “quick-response diplomacy”. This is clearly at the expense of a medium-term policy or strategy for specific regions or countries.
What is the difference between diplomacy and military diplomacy? What can be understood by military diplomacy in concrete terms?
Military diplomacy has its historical origins in the exchange of messengers, envoys and liaison officers of armed forces. Until the end of the First World War, it was primarily the armed forces of the individual nations that played a key role in determining foreign policy. It was only afterwards that this area was handed over to the civilian experts of the foreign ministries. Today, therefore, military diplomacy and military attachés as an instrument of implementation on the ground actually represent a special area of diplomacy, such as that carried out by a cultural attaché or a trade delegate and others. The importance of the military attaché is also recognizable in the Austrian embassies. In addition to the ambassador and the first appointee, the military attaché is in third place.
What specific tasks do military attachés perform?
At the beginning of their assignments, military attachés are given a comprehensive and detailed catalog of tasks that they have to carry out for the Austrian Armed Forces and the Republic of Austria. This can be divided into four main areas: firstly, the pursuit and initiation of interests in the receiving states, which are specified by the highest political and military leadership. Secondly, the procurement and processing of information on events in the accredited receiving states. Thirdly, to support the Austrian embassy on the ground in all security and military matters. Fourthly, assistance for Austrian and EU nationals abroad, especially in crisis situations, for example in the event of evacuations.
Where are Austrian military attachés working?
Austria currently operates 23 military attaché offices, with each office being assigned two to a maximum of four other countries as areas of responsibility in addition to its headquarters. This enables Austria to maintain bilateral relations with 70 nations. Where and to what extent bilateral areas of cooperation are established is derived from the policy and strategy documents, whereby the following criteria are applied as examples: current crisis areas and the resulting threats to Austria, regions with intended cooperation efforts and/or joint action in multilateral organizations.
Who decides which countries military attachés are sent to?
The decision to set up a military attaché office is largely based on internal analyses, but is also carried out in coordination with the Foreign Ministry. With the current number of 23 offices, Austria is in line with the average of comparable other nations. It is important to be able to react to current developments.
Will the network tend to be expanded or streamlined?
The network of attachés has been significantly reduced in recent years. This was mainly due to the available resources. Currently, the network has regained importance, as in a globalized world the representation of interests abroad is an indispensable prerequisite for the top leadership to recognize dangers for Austria at an early stage and to pursue the Republic’s own interests with vigour in the receiving states. Globalization in military diplomacy means that the BMLV has to deal with problems on the other side of the world in a matter of hours.
How do you deal with current developments in the training of military attachés?
The training of military attachés takes around one year and is therefore the most comprehensive preparation of all ministries for such a foreign assignment after the training in the Foreign Ministry. In addition to languages, security policy, intelligence, economic, military and even protocol and interministerial aspects are taught. Certain training sections deal with specific dangers in the host country, behavior in the event of threats and even special training such as vehicle control in extreme situations. The program will also be offered to all ministries in Austria.
What other challenges do you face?
A significant part of military diplomacy is dedicated to negotiating cooperation activities. It should be noted that the Austrian Armed Forces have to carry out between several dozen and, in extreme cases, several thousand cooperation activities with partner states every year. There is currently a phenomenon that I would like to call the “negative capability spiral”. This describes the fact that most nations have reduced many capabilities in their armies in recent decades due to cost-cutting.
Is this also one of the reasons for the increased willingness to cooperate?
Yes, many nations are trying to compensate for this shortcoming through cooperation. As a result, special capabilities are extremely overloaded. Secondly, even larger countries with more capabilities have reached the limits of their capacity and can no longer cope with the rush to cooperate. Any cooperation from which both sides derive an advantage requires an increased commitment of resources, especially at the beginning, in order to turn it into actual cooperation. If this could not be guaranteed, we would only be talking about “security policy development aid”. Cooperation is therefore only profitable for both sides if it is possible to talk to the respective partner on an equal footing. In cooperation with other nations, changes to such relationships must always be based on a horizon of one to two years. Short-term changes are a particular challenge in diplomacy, as in most cases they can permanently disrupt existing relationships due to short-term influencing factors. Sensitivity and foresight are of great importance alongside specialist knowledge.
About the person
Brigadier Peter Vorhofer, born in 1967, graduated from the Military Academy in 1991 (class of Mentenuovo) and completed the 15th General Staff Course in 2000. From 2000 to 2002 he was Head of the Tactics and Leadership Department at the Military Academy, in 2003 Head of the Security Policy Unit and Deputy Head of Public Relations KBM, then from 2004 to 2006 Security Policy Advisor to the Minister of Defense. 2009 NCC AUTCON EUFOR ALTHEA and Chief Joint Military Affairs HQ EUFOR; since 2009 to date Head of Attaché Affairs and Military Diplomacy, 2011 to 2012 Commandant of the Army Troop School.
