The professional training of military personnel is the main task of the Paraguayan Army’s Military Institutes of Education Command (CIMEE).
Its director, Major General Manuel Rodríguez Sosa, spoke with Diálogo about the institution and the military career plan to meet the needs of the Paraguayan Army.
Diálogo: What is the importance of the CIMEE?
Major General Manuel Rodríguez Sosa, director of the Paraguayan Army’s Military Institutes of Education Command: The Military Institutes of Education Command (CIME) was first created by Decree No. 16.204 of May 27, 1980; and Law No. 74 of November 20, 1991 made it a component of the Army. The CIMEE is a higher education military institute. It should be noted that Paraguay’s military education system is fully integrated into the national education system. Thus, academic credits are recognized by the other institutes of higher education. It is important to note that the commander of the CIMEE is a full member of Paraguay’s National Council of Higher Education, the body responsible for proposing and coordinating policies and programs for the development of higher education in the country.
Diálogo: What is the curriculum vision for military training for the men and women of the Paraguayan Army?
Maj. Gen. Rodríguez: One of the novelties presented by the CIMEE is the revision of the curriculum for 2022 with the aim of having military personnel in the Army with an entry and exit profile. We want military personnel of the Paraguayan Army to have ethical values, to be professionals of integrity, to respect democratic principles, and to defend those values in Paraguayan society.
Diálogo: You have reinforced that education on human rights (HR) and international humanitarian law (IHL) at the various levels within the Paraguayan Armed Forces is fundamental. What is the importance of this education?
Maj. Gen. Rodríguez: I made this assessment in a seminar held in June 2022 in Asunción on this subject. I am convinced that human rights protect people’s life, health, and dignity. So it is fundamental that within the educational process, especially within the teachings of military personnel at all levels of command, they receive training in human rights so that they can make the right decisions, given that today there are operational scenarios with new threats, new actors, and new situations, and as such ensure that our personnel can guarantee multidimensional security, which includes human security and citizen security.
Diálogo: What progress has been made in the professionalization of noncommissioned officers in the Paraguayan Army?
Maj. Gen. Rodríguez: The noncommissioned officer is a fundamental tool for the exercise of command in our country. They are trained at the Army’s Noncommissioned Officer Military College. The Military College is one of 11 academic centers that are part of CIMEE, which has a joint training, and among its strides is having foreign instructors. It functions as a higher military technical institute with the possibility to graduate as a Higher Technician in Administration of Human Resources and Military Materials.
Diálogo: What progress have you made in the area of gender integration in the Paraguayan Army?
Maj. Gen. Rodríguez: The first promotion of women from the Military Academy dates back to 2006, although female personnel have been integrated since previous years as noncommissioned officers within the health or legal advisory branches, or within the field of subsidiary officers who are not career officers. At present, female career officers have the rank of major, completing their training at the Army Command and General Staff College.
Diálogo: What kind of international academic agreements does the Paraguayan Army have with other countries?
Maj. Gen. Rodríguez: The Army has academic agreements with some countries within and outside the region, such as Argentina, Brazil, South Korea, the United States, and Taiwan. We are currently working to obtain scholarships at West Point Military Academy in the United States in order to continue the professionalization of our military personnel.
Diálogo: What types of exchanges do you carry out with the Massachusetts National Guard as part of the State Partnership Program?
Maj. Gen. Rodríguez: The Massachusetts National Guard supports us in a broad way, from teaching to training systems and currently supports us with assembly, repairing, and equipping our vehicle fleet, such as the Hummer vehicles.
