A Nation that ceases to honor its military begins, inevitably, to lose respect for itself. The greatness of Portugal is not measured only by the size of its territory, by the number of its inhabitants, or by the scale of its economy.
It is measured by the strength of its identity, by fidelity to its History, by respect for its Flag, and by the determination with which it defends its sovereignty. It is measured, above all, by the quality of the men and women willing to serve the Pátria, even when that service may demand the sacrifice of their own lives.
Among the nation's institutions, few deserve as much respect as the Portuguese Armed Forces. In an age when relativism seeks to turn permanent values into negotiable concepts, the military continues to represent principles that no civilized society should ever abandon: honor, discipline, hierarchy, loyalty, courage, authority, responsibility, and the fulfillment of duty.
Portugal possesses one of the oldest national identities in Europe.
It was not born of a bureaucratic decision, of an international commission, or of an agreement drawn up in some foreign cabinet. Portugal was built by the courage of its forebears, defended by its arms, and consolidated by the sacrifice of successive generations.
For nearly nine centuries, Portuguese military men have fought, sailed, flown, suffered, and died beneath the same Flag. The least the current generation owes them is respect, gratitude, and memory.
The Portuguese Armed Forces are composed of three branches: the Navy, the Army, and the Air Force. Each branch has its own identity, its own traditions, its own symbols, and its own particular capabilities. All of them, however, answer to one higher mission: to defend Portugal, to protect the Portuguese people, and to preserve national independence.
The Portuguese Navy
The Portuguese Navy represents the historical and spiritual bond between Portugal and the sea. It was through the Atlantic that a small European Nation launched itself into the World, confronting the unknown and writing some of the most extraordinary pages in the History of Humanity.
The Navy's motto, "Talant de bien faire", means the will to do well. It does not mean waiting for others to act, transferring responsibility, or seeking excuses. It means fulfilling the mission with rigor, competence, and the permanent pursuit of perfection.
Today, the Navy protects Portuguese territorial waters, watches over one of the most important maritime zones in Europe, takes part in search-and-rescue operations, combats illicit activities, and guarantees Portugal's sovereign presence at sea.
Within its ranks, the Fuzileiros (Marines) represent readiness, endurance, and combative vocation. Their motto, "Braço às armas feito" (Arm made for arms), reminds us that freedom and sovereignty do not survive through speeches alone. They require men who are prepared, trained, and determined to defend them.
The Fuzileiros are not shaped to seek comfort, media recognition, or social approval. They are prepared to fulfill the mission, to face danger, and to advance when others retreat. That culture of demand ought to inspire a society that too often confuses rights with privileges and freedom with the absence of responsibility.
The greatness of the Navy is also to be found in the crews of its ships, in its submariners, in its divers, in its technical specialists, and in every serviceman who serves far from his family so that Portugal may maintain an effective presence at sea.
The Portuguese Army
The Army constitutes the principal land force of national defense and is heir to a History of courage, sacrifice, and resistance.
Its motto, "Em perigos e guerras esforçados" (Steadfast in perils and in wars), conveys the willingness to serve even in circumstances that exceed the limits of human strength. In a time when so many seek the easier path, the Army continues to teach that nothing of true importance is built without effort, discipline, and sacrifice.
Among its most operationally demanding troops are the Commandos. Their emblem, "Mama Sume", means "Fortune protects the bold". The Commandos represent courage, operational aggressiveness, speed, and determination. Their mission allows no hesitations, no excuses, and no artificial weaknesses dressed up as virtues.
There are also the Paratroopers, guided by the motto "Que nunca por vencidos se conheçam" (May they never be known to have been defeated). Their capacity for immediate deployment and their readiness to act in high-risk conditions demonstrate that military superiority is born of preparation, courage, and the will to prevail.
The Special Operations troops take as their motto "Que os muitos, por ser poucos, não temamos" (Let us not fear the many, for being few). This is a profoundly Portuguese affirmation. Numerical superiority has never intimidated those who possess better preparation, greater determination, and absolute confidence in the mission entrusted to them.
These mottos are not ceremonial ornaments. They are codes of honor. They represent commitments assumed before the Pátria, before one's comrades, and before the Flag. They remind us that courage is not the absence of fear, but the capacity to do one's duty in spite of it.
Yet the Army is not made up only of its special troops. The Infantry, the Cavalry, the Artillery, the Engineers, the Signals Corps, the Logistics, the Military Health Service, and all the other specialties are indispensable to the fulfillment of the mission. A truly effective military force is not built on individual grandstanding, but on collective discipline, hierarchy, and respect for the chain of command.
The Portuguese Air Force
The Portuguese Air Force ensures the defense and surveillance of national airspace, as well as transport missions, search and rescue, medical evacuation, and support to populations.
Its motto, "Ex Mero Motu", means by one's own motion, or of one's own initiative. It stands for merit, autonomy, readiness, and the capacity to act. It is precisely the opposite of the mentality of dependence that always expects the State, an international organization, or another country to solve the problems that fall to the Portuguese themselves to resolve.
Portugal does not end on the continental coast. The Azores and Madeira are fundamental and inalienable parts of the national territory. The Air Force brings these different parts of the Pátria closer together, protects Portuguese skies, and guarantees a strategic capability indispensable to a Country with a privileged position in the Atlantic.
Pilots are the most visible face of this branch, but every mission depends on the rigorous work of controllers, mechanics, engineers, technicians, operators, members of the Air Police, and all those who ensure the security of the bases and the operational readiness of the aircraft.
In the Armed Forces, merit cannot be replaced by ideological quotas, political conveniences, or criteria of artificial representation. A military mission requires that each function be assigned to the person most prepared, most competent, and most capable of performing it. On the battlefield, reality does not submit itself to ideological fashions.
César DePaço
Businessman and Philanthropist
Consul ad honorem of Portugal from 2014 to 2020
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Nutritionals International Inc.®
Founder and Chairman of the Board of The DePaço Foundation
Unwavering Defender of Law Enforcement and Conservative Principles
This is an opinion column by its author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the newspaper.