Dog Tag Project/Projek

Answer the call for the last time 

This is how people become Monuments, 

Monuments have taught us how people make a difference, 

people loved throughout their lives, 

who paid the Highest Price for their Nation, 

so that we can see the sunrise today… 

Salute brothers and sisters In Arms, 

WE SHALL ANSWER your Call…  

To all our Compatriots 

Answer the call for the last time 

For 28 years from 1966 to 1989 plus-minus 600 000 South African men and women put their lives at risk during the Borderwar against a superpower to create a safe and peaceful environment to ensure a peaceful transition of political power. 

Every facet of daily living in South Africa was touched by this conflict: Father played his part in the Commando, Mother baked for the Southern Cross Fund, Sis had a boyfriend on the Border and Sonny boy was trained by the SA Defence Force into a professional, responsible, and capable soldier to defend his Country. This generation has been characterised by courage, sacrifice, innovation, and bravery – they deserve to be remembered and honoured. 

The SADF Wall of Remembrance features already at the Voortrekker Monument – VTM. Our compatriots, who paid the Highest Price, names are on that Wall. That Wall pays tribute and represents those honoured by the second minute of silence during remembrance services. 

The Pro Patria Museum – PPM, which are currently being created to preserve our heritage, is not only for those who paid the Highest Price. It is specifically there for those that returned and will serve as testimony and symbol of LIFE. In this manner we aim to recognise military veterans’ and their families’ contribution to the RSA and thus honour and preserve their heritage for their offspring. 

The Pro Patria Museum Non-Profit Company (NPC) was established in January 2022 to inspire participants in the conflict, their families, and offspring to remember and honour the historic events during this period. The NPC’s Board of Directors and Board of Control comprise competent veterans and business leaders who strive to achieve and maintain the highest standards of excellence, professionalism, and fiduciary responsibility.  The PPM Board has thus signed a formal Memorandum Understanding with the VTM to initially, establish an interim museum in the short term, and later a permanent museum.  

We are now entering Phase 1 of our plans as follows. 

Phase 1: The Pro Patria Museum is settled at Fort Schanskop. The PPM has conference facilities, use of the amphi theatre and the entertainment lapa to their, their supporters and their families’ disposal. The interim exhibition opened for the public on Heritage Day, the 24th of September 2022. 

Phase 2:  The “Affordable World-Class Pro Patria Museum” is planned in and around the Amphitheatre building of 3 500 m². This project will be launched and executed by the military veteran society and will reflect and honour the era (1966 - 1989) in all its glory. A typical Bush Base Camp is envisaged, a Veteran Wall of Recognition, as well as a Main Equipment Display in addition to the Exhibition area and supporting facilities in the space underneath the Amphi-theatre Parking Lot. Plans for these elements in the PPM Museum Complex are well underway and the target is to complete it in the next 24 months. 

Phase 3: Phase 3 commences when finances allow.  It envisages a re-designed lay-out of higher quality and sophistication and focuses specifically on the Exhibition area and its con-comitant enabling facilities, e.g., the library, coffee shop, Cuca-shop, meeting and recreational halls and offices.  

The Pro Patria Museum will also endeavour to provide orientation, educational and leadership programs to empower the youth – our future, to contribute towards and prepare them for the challenges of adulthood and life in general. 

The “Affordable Pro Patria Museum” of phase 2 is envisaged to cost in the vicinity of R20 million. We plan and strive to raise this amount by December 2023. 

To build a world-class museum for a world-class generation, we need your support. If you feel that the Borderwar tales of courage, innovation and sacrifice deserve to be remembered, and if the SADF and the compatriots you served with, added value to your life, you now could contribute to the Pro Patria Museum. This contribution will initially be recognised in a virtual Veteran Wall of Recognition and later in the physical Veteran Wall of Remembrance. This will be done in the form of the proverbial Dog Tag (Military Documentation Tag) engraved on a stainless-steel sheet.  These sheets will be displayed on the Wall, grouped in the various force number year groups. The Wall is to be erected around the Troopie Monument – which will form the focus point of the Veteran Wall of Recognition. 

Every single contribution will make a difference and our descendants will be grateful for ever. 

Please answer the call this one-last time! 

Antwoord 'n laaste keer op die Roepstem.

So word mense Monumente,  

Monumente wat ons geleer het hoe mense 'n verskil kan maak,  

mense wat geliefd was deur hulle lewe,  

wat die Hoogste Offer sal betaal vir sy Nasie,  

sodat ons vandag die son kan sien opkom...  

Saluut makkers,  

ONS SAL ANTWOORD op jul Roepstem…  

Aan ons mede Patriotte 

Antwoord 'n laaste keer op die Roepstem. 

Vir 28 jaar vanaf 1966 tot 1994 het ongeveer 600 000 Suid-Afrikaanse mans hul lewens tydens die Grensoorlog in operasies teen 'n supermag op die spel geplaas om 'n veilige en vreedsame omgewing vir 'n ordelike politieke oorgang te verseker. 

Elke faset van die Suid-Afrikaanse lewe is aangeraak deur hierdie konflik: Pa was in die kommando, Ma het koekies gebak vir die Suiderkruisfonds, Sus het 'n kêrel op die Grens gehad en Seun is, deur die SA Weermag, as 'n professionele en verantwoordelike soldaat opgelei ter verdediging van sy Land. Hierdie generasie is gekenmerk deur moed, opoffering, innovasie en braafheid; hulle verdien om onthou te word.  

Die SAW Muur van Herinnering staan reeds by die Voortrekkermonument - VTM. Onse Makkers wat die Hoogste Offer betaal het, se name is op daardie Muur, en daardie Muur verteenwoordig die tweede minuut van stilte as eerbetoon tydens herdenkingsdienste.  

Die Pro Patria Museum – PPM, wat ons nou bou om ons nalatenskap te bewaar, is nÍe net vir die wat die hoogste prys betaal het nie, maar ook die wat teruggekom het. Dit gaan ook dien as getuienenis en simbool van LEWE. Sodoende kan ons hierdie veterane en hulle families se bydrae tot die RSA gedenk, eer en bewaar vir die nageslag.  

Die Pro Patria Museum Maatskappy sonder Winsbejag (MSW) is gestig in Januarie 2022 om deelnemers, hul familie en ons nageslag te inspireer om die geskiedenis van hierdie tyd te eer en te onthou. Die MSW se Direksie en Beheerraad bestaan uit bekwame veterane en sakeleiers  wat die hoogste standaarde van uitnemendheid, professionalisme en fiskale verantwoordelikheid nastreef. Die PPM word soos ‘n besigheid bedryf. Die Pro Patria Museum MSW-direksie het vervolgens 'n ooreenkoms met die VTM gesluit om aanvanklik 'n tydelike en later ‘n permanente museum op te rig.  

Ons betree nou Fase 1 van ons planne. 

FASE 1: Die Pro Patria Museum sal gesetel wees in Fort Schanskop. Die PPM het in die Fort konferensiefasilieite, die amfiteater, onthaalsaal en Kuier-Lapa tot hul beskikking vir ondersteuners en hul families. Die uitstallings het op 24 September 2022, Erfenisdag, vir die publiek ge-open.  

FASE 2: Die “Bekostigbare Wêreldklas Pro Patria Museum” word beplan in en om die Amfiteatergebou van 3500m². Die projek word aangepak deur die militêre veterane gemeenskap en beoog om die tydvak (1966 – 1989) in sy volle glorie te vereer. Beplanning vir die beoogde Grensbasis, Veterane-akker, Hoofuitrusting Uitstalling en Museum uitstalarea, is alreeds in 'n gevorderde stadium en behoort binne 24 maande voltooi te wees.  

FASE 3: Hierdie fase behels ‘n beter kwaliteit en meer gesofistikeerde weergawe van spesifiek die Uitstal area van die museum kompleks. Dit sluit in verbeteterde fasiliteite soos die Biblioteek, Vergader- en Konferensiesale, Rekreasie areas, die Koffiewinkel en, laastens  die “Cuca winkel”. Die uitkomste verlang vir hierdie fase sal deur die beskikbaarheid van fondse dikteer word. 

Die Pro Patria Museum gaan onder andere orientasie-, opvoedkundige- en leierskapsontwikkelings-programme aanbied om die jeug, ons toekoms, in te lig, op te voed en ‘n bydrae te lewer om hulle voor te berei op die uitdagings van die lewe. 

Hierdie wêreldklasfasiliteit gaan na raming R20 miljoen kos en ons beoog om dit in te samel teen Desember 2023.  

Om 'n wêreldklasmuseum vir 'n wêreldklasgenerasie te bou het ons nou jou hulp nodig. Indien jy voel dat die Grensoorlog verhale van moed, innovasie en opoffering verdien om onthou te word - en as die SA Weermag en die mense saam met wie jy in jou lewe waarde toegevoeg het - kan jy nou 'n bydrae maak aan die Pro Patria Museum. Hierdie bydrae sal erken word in die Veterane-akker in die vorm van gegraveerde Militêre Identifikasie Plaatjies (Military Documentation Tag) – of, soos in die volksmond bekend, ‘n “Dogtag”. Dit word dan op vlekvrye staal plate - wat die onderskeie jaargroepe se magsnommers groepeer - vertoon op die muur rondom die Veterane-akker, waarvan die “Troepie Monument” die fokuspunt vorm.  

Elke bydrae gaan 'n verskil maak en ons nageslag sal jou vir ewig dankbaar wees.