Armed Forces and Civil Protection

Abstract

Under the terms of the Constitution of the Republic, the Armed Forces, institutionally responsible for the country’s military defence, can collaborate in Civil Protection missions. According to the conceptual and doctrinal framework of Civil Protection, as this is an “all for all” activity, where public and private entities coexist, it is also expected, and even required, to change the paradigm of citizen commitment, with a view to greater intervention as the first Civil Protection agent. However, at the level of public representation, there is a tendency to consider this participation as one of the most serious flaws in the Civil Protection system. Therefore, differentiated social perceptions emerge in this panorama, which, due to their respective cultural idiosyncrasies, define the characteristics and organization of the Armed Forces with a spirit and discipline that enable them to have greater capacity to respond quickly and effectively, filling “shortcomings” and “deficits” usually attributed in this matter to civil organizations, given the emergence of new dangers and threats. This work reflects on the implications, advantages and disadvantages that would result from greater commitment by the Armed Forces to Civil Protection. To this end, members of the Armed Forces and other agents, personalities and different interlocutors linked to Civil Protection were interviewed. The conclusions discuss the importance of this theme, particularly in light of paradigm shifts in today’s societies, opening lines of action for its understanding and possible development.