Army
The armed forces represent the various organizations and military means a State dedicated to the implementation of its defense policy. Their primary mission is to ensure state security, defense of its interests and protecting its people and territories vis--vis an external threat. They can also receive missions from peacekeeping in an international context. In general, they also contribute to the implementation of other policies: foreign policy , homeland security , emergency preparedness , public health , protection of shipping , environmental protection ...
In some countries, they gather forces specially dedicated to the missions of internal security or police forces and then comprise of police forces or paramilitaries ( border guards , coast guards , firemen ...).
The armed forces are not always national, a state may make use of mercenaries or private military companies (PMCs).
Summary |
Armies, regular (from a legitimate government) and permanent, professional armies are organized (their members are military career or engaged on contract) or armed conscription (a portion of their workforce is composed of conscripts performing a military service ).
They may be supplemented by reserves , made either by civilian volunteers who received special training, either by former conscripts. Reservists are recalled for specific missions or crises.
Historically, armies have not always been permanent (the ost of the Middle Ages ) or regular ( sniper , militia , pirates ...)
Political control over the armed forces usually exerted through a Ministry of Defence.
Depending on the country, these components are more or less independent in their field of employment (land, sea and air), but increasingly they are part of an organization joint responsibility for the conduct of operations, consistency of capping means and a number of services (health, military intelligence , information systems and command, infrastructure, etc..), while retaining each Service's prerogatives in the preparation and availability of forces (training and support).
The highly organized an army resulting in the prioritization of its members (the military ) in military ranks. The organization of an army is also apparent in its own structure which, despite some local variations, repeated almost everywhere the same pattern and the same rules. (CEA ...)
This type of organization is sufficiently characteristic to be entered into the common habits and an army goes with a rigid structure, where respect for authority and obedience are the rule. In modern democracies, the concept of obedience is limited to the strict framework of laws and international conventions.
The different forces within the armed forces
The armed forces consist in general in different components:
- Army or land forces;
- Air Force or Air Force;
- Navy or naval forces;
- The gendarmerie or military police;
- Common services or support;
- The clergy member is sometimes considered an independent component.
History
As an army assumes a stable organization and infrastructure dedicated to military activities, it is not necessarily easy to identify the first army in the history of mankind.
He probably acts in a more or less organized (to the limit, a militia) of some individuals in a group ancestral human, who gave (or received) the task to defend and protect the group. It was perhaps a warning for a monarch and dignitaries.
However, scientists are still looking for traces of organized army or war on the archaeological sites. It was agreed for the moment that the first organized conflict dates back to less than 10,000 years in Mesopotamia , but the information is very scattered and difficult to interpret with certainty.
Military Dictatorship
During the history , the army was used by many dictators to enslave their people and prevent them from having access to democracy , or to provoke coup. Conversely, some armies have provoked riots and turned against their dictatorial regime , like the Portuguese army during the Carnation Revolution. Some countries are still run by a military dictatorship.
Military Medals
In a majority of the different armies, medals or decorations are awarded to reward merit, experience or participation in a mission. They may be awarded by a country or an international organization, which manages military mission, such as the UN or NATO.
Some medals may be awarded to civilians or military service to civil society or a country.
See also
Related articles
External Links
- (En) Site of the Ministry of Defence of France
- (En) (en) Site of the Ministry of National Defense of Canada
- (En) (do) Site Belgian Ministry of Defence
- (En) (en) Site of NATO
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