Civil Military Relations in the Modern Democratic Argentina Era: Army Soldiers as Military Professionals Versus Civilians in Uniform

Abstract : During the last three decades, military subordination to civilian authority has gained credibility after half a century of recurring interruptions of the Argentine Constitutional order. The Argentine Armed Forces have adjusted their missions, organization, and recruiting systems to deal with a new strategic scenario, a changing environment, and a different set of threats. New missions have been established for the Armed Forces since 1983, when democracy was achieved. While defense of territory and resources remain core to Argentina s military tasks, an emerging task is Peace Operations. In a changing environment, with an entirely volunteer force, the Army has evolved from being an internal security-oriented force to a highly skilled and professional, deployable military organization. Two discussions have been raised recently that center on this topic: one relates to how the meaning of professionalism in the Armed Forces influences the relationship between civilian authorities and the military; the other is related to the missions that the Argentine Army needs to accomplish. This SRP will identify characteristics that distinguish the military profession from other kinds of employments, and will analyze the tasks that modern democracies expect from the military. Finally, it will conclude with recommendations for enhancing civil military relations in Argentina.