State, Soldier, Professionality

Defense is one of the oldest state responsibilities. Without the defense, protection or physical security the state, the power is unable to act on its own free will. The state is not able to fulfil its other functions (collection, distribution, regulation and sanctions) according to the interests of the society.

Clausewitz stated that the use of military power is the continuation of politics. In other words, politics aims to reach these aims by the implementation of military forces or war. Of course, to achieve the aims of the politics there are lots of instruments (diplomacy, politics, economics, information, ...) which have to be coordinated with the use of forces. This way of thinking is named as the comprehensive approach.

But politics has other important roles in order to achieve the aims. In the application of military force aims should be set to provide the necessary resources (human and material) and the appropriate legal environment. Professional military professionalism achieves its full potential in the case of three elements – aims, resources and legal environment - are harmonized for long-term. In the process of political decision-making professional military experts help to reach efficient choice. After the political decision is made the military does its best to act in order to achieve the aims.

In the western world the national armed forces have significantly reduced their strengths and abandoned the conscription-based military system. NATO and the EU in recent decades have carried out a number of operations. These operations were based on defending the member states’ individual or collective’ interests and values by strengthening peace and security. This new operational environment expects numbers of new skills and competencies from the 21th century’s soldiers.