Overall role and missions

The "Support and Documentation Division" (DAD) has two main roles:

1- In liaison with the Groupement de Soutien de la Base de Défense-Ecole Militaire (GSBdD-EM), the DAD is responsible for providing administrative, financial and technical support for the CDEF. The DAD manages all the civilian and military personnel of the Center, manages the running budget and ensures the application of all laws and regulations in terms of discipline, safety and prevention.

2- The DAD undertakes typesetting work and ensures the distribution of hard copies of official documentation and of general audience operational doctrine reviews produced by the Center in French and English. To this end, the DAD proposes guidelines concerning the production and presentation of documents, and monitors the publishing process of all reviews and doctrine reference documents. It also runs and updates the Center's Internet and intranet sites. Lastly, the DAD organizes and conducts updating of Army reference documents in the doctrinal area, and of the doctrinal e-library, in close liaison with the Doctrine Division (DDo).

Organisation

Support

Information Systems Management Service (BMSI)

The Information Systems Management Service provides users with the IT equipment and systems needed to perform their tasks. Responsible for the IT projects and applications of the CDEF (except simulation), the BMSI identifies the needs of users and ensures that they are met. The BMSI is also responsible for the security of the IT systems under its control.

Finance service

Funded directly by the Army Staff, the CDEF has a financial service which manages the running budget of the Center. This service handles technical and administrative procedures, and is also the financial link with the Groupement de Soutien de la Base de Défense-Ecole Militaire.

Human resources service

In liaison with the GSBdD-EM, the bureau pilotage chancellerie (human resources) is responsible for management of active and reserve servicemembers (assessment, promotion, decoration, training, orientation, retraining and condition of personnel). It also provides support for the management of civilian personnel, under the direction of the GSBdD-EM.

Support

The person responsible for prevention of accidents in the workplace coordinates and supervises activities linked with health and safety. In liaison with the administrative services of the DAD, they act as an interface between the divisions of the CDEF and regional support organisations (GSBdD-EM, GSBdDVincennes, Etat-Major de Soutien Défense) and contribute to the success of visits, conferences and colloquiums organized by the Center.

Core functions

Publication/distribution service

The publication/distribution service:

- produces the Doctrine Tactique and Héraclès reviews, from typesetting through to distribution.

- is responsible for the technical production of the other CDEF publications: doctrinal reference documents (FT, concepts, employment manuals, guidebooks), Cahiers de la DREX (Réflexion doctrinale, RETEX, Témoignage, etc.), Cahiers de la DSRO (Cahiers de la recherche opérationnelle, Cahiers de la simulation).

- provides access to all editorial, doctrinal and lessons learned publications, in electronic form, via Army intranet and web sites and the doctrinal e-library.

Translation service

The translation service is responsible for the English language version of the "Doctrine Tactique" review, as well as other land forces doctrinal publications produced by the CDEF. It is also responsible for implementing an IT system to aid in the translation of military terminology, and provides linguistic support for officers who have to express themselves in English in high-level meetings or on missions.

CDEF publications : Website and documentation

Reference documents in electronic form

www.cdef.terre.defense.gouv.fr

The DAD hosts the official documentation it is responsible for on-line (electronic publications). It also provides access to the doctrinal reference e-library of the Army in the form of an electronic database. It provides constant updates to the publications of the different divisions, for experts or the wider public, on Internet and intranet sites. Every year, the DAD produces a CD or DVD version of the electronic reference library.

Distribution of general audience reviews and documentation in paper and electronic form.

The general review "Doctrine Tactique", written in French and English, is primarily aimed at the conceptual and doctrinal community. It is also aimed at political and military decision-makers, at civilian researchers and at facilitators. It aims to spread the influence of French land forces employment doctrine, either through specific themes (discussed in standard issues) or via lessons learned from current conflicts and crises (discussed in special issues).

The bi-monthly Héraclès news and exchange letter is destined for the French Army's own internal use, at staff and unit level. It is more specifically aimed at land forces which apply doctrine directly on the ground, either in operations or in exercises. Large units (brigades, etc.), and major commands (CFT, etc.) are in turn invited to contribute to an issue.