The Relationship Between Financial Rewards and Facilitation-in-kind Rewards for Non-commissioned Officers in the South Sudan People’s Defence Force

This study investigates the relationship between financial rewards and facilitation-in-kind entitlements for non-commissioned officers (NCOs) in the South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF). Financial rewards include salaries, allowances, and increments, while facilitation-in-kind covers housing, medical care, food, utilities, and family support. A cross-sectional mixed-methods design was employed, incorporating survey data (n = 166) and qualitative interviews and focus groups conducted at SSPDF Headquarters in Juba. Quantitative analysis using Pearson correlation and linear regression revealed a moderate but significant positive association between financial rewards and facilitation-in-kind (r = 0.443, p < 0.01), with financial rewards explaining approximately 19.6% of facilitation variance (R² = 0.196). Qualitative findings emphasised three themes: complementarity between cash and in-kind benefits, the critical importance of timeliness in delivery, and structural determinants such as rank and administrative allocation rules. Soldiers reported that welfare security was greatest when both pay and facilitation were provided predictably. Delays or inequitable distribution undermined trust in command and prompted informal coping strategies. The study contributes to reward-management theory by demonstrating that in fragile military contexts, facilitation-in-kind assumes contractual weight equal to financial pay, reshaping the psychological contract. Policy implications include adopting a total-rewards framework, guaranteeing timely salary payments, clarifying facilitation criteria, and piloting the Integrated Model of Financing through Income Generating Activities (IMFIGAs) to sustain welfare. These insights highlight that synchronized, transparent, and family-centred reward systems are vital to improving morale, retention, and operational effectiveness in the SSPDF.