The Navy’s strategic force is active in Brazil and abroad
Marcos Sampaio Olsen (FSP)
Recently, the press highlighted the entry of 120 women into the Marine Soldier Course. This fact, which reaffirms the effective inclusion of women in all bodies, cadres, schools and training centers of the Brazilian Navy, has aroused curiosity about the marines.
After all, who are these vibrant warriors?
Born on March 7, 1808, when it landed in Rio de Janeiro, tasked with the security of the Royal Family, the Marine Corps (CFN) celebrates its 216th anniversary this Thursday (7). After two centuries, the CFN is recognized as a strategic, immediate, amphibious and expeditionary force. An exclusively professional force, they are recruited by public examination and undergo a long and exhaustive training process.
In accordance with the National Defense Strategy, the Navy keeps its marines permanently ready to contribute to safeguarding national interests. Since 2022, the UN has classified the CFN at the highest level of readiness for peace operations, being the first and only troop in the country to reach this level, with an “expeditionary, mobile and agile mentality; high standards of operational and personnel readiness; strong command and control; high morale and discipline”.
Without neglecting their constitutional mission of defending their homeland, the marines work intensively in Brazil and abroad, in naval warfare operations; activities with limited use of force; and benign, humanitarian assistance and support for Civil Defense.
In Brazil, for the last four months, they have been active in the GLO (guarantee of law and order) in the ports of Rio de Janeiro, Itaguaí and Santos and in the respective maritime access areas. In the recent past, GLOs in major events and public security crises, operations to combat Covid-19, cross-border crime in the Amazon and the triple border and support for Civil Defense in numerous environmental disasters stand out.
In the social area, 3,000 children in vulnerable situations are sheltered in CFN units under the Forces in Sport Program (Profesp). Abroad, peacekeeping operations in Angola, Haiti and Lebanon and humanitarian demining in Colombia, among others.
At the same time as preserving the traditions consolidated throughout history, where they have won the respect and admiration of the population, they keep a watchful eye on the challenges of the future, imposed by a world in a convulsive process of transformation, with serious threats to peace, especially in maritime spaces.
A recent international symposium, held in Rio de Janeiro with the most respected Marine leaders from ten countries (Argentina, Brazil, China, Colombia, South Korea, Spain, USA, France, Italy and Portugal), reinforced the importance of amphibious operations, riverine operations, coastal actions and protection actions. In a country with the geostrategic dimension of Brazil, the integrated action of ships and marines is fundamental for maritime security, especially in Brazilian Jurisdictional Waters (AJB) – our immense and rich Blue Amazon (5.7 million km2).
At the forefront, the marines started this year, in partnership with the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV), the first postgraduate course in artificial intelligence (AI) applied to military systems in the country.
The immortal Rachel de Queiroz, the first woman to be admitted to the Brazilian Academy of Letters, defined these vibrant warriors well: “When there are no more soldiers in the world, when absolute peace reigns, let at least the marines remain, as an example of everything beautiful and fascinating that they were!”.
“Adsumus! All for the Fatherland and the Navy!
*** Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version) ***