Young professional military officers' experience of their internal career development was studied longitudinally from a life-span, life-space approach. Significant transitions between the life roles of worker, student and leisurite, with concomitant changes in their value system, away from traditional military values towards occupationalism, were confirmed. Gender differences were found for the work and community roles as well as in the developmental patterns of the need for authority, creativity, cultural identity, physical activities, social relationships and variety. Significant differences between the career development profiles of military and civilian students with regard to life roles were revealed. Opsomming Jong militere beroepsoffisiere se belewenis van hulle interne loopbaanontwikkeling is longitudinaal uit 'n lewenspan-Iewensruimte benadering bestudeer. Beduidende oorgange tussen die werk-, studie- en ontspanningsrolle met gepaardgaande veranderinge in hulle waardestelsel, weg van tradisionele militere waardes in die rigting van 'n beroepsgeoriënteerde waardestelsel, is bevestig. Geslagsverskille is gevind wat betref die werk- en gemeenskapsrolle sowel as in die volgende ontwikkelingspatrone: 'n behoefte aan outoriteit, kreatiwiteit, kulturele identiteit, fisiese aktiwiteite, sosiale verhoudings en verskeidenheid. Beduidende verskille met betrekking tot lewensrolle het in die loopbaanontwikkelingsprofiele van militere en burgerlike studente aan die lig gekom.
An early career in the military: A developmental-contextual perspective
