TODAY WE REMEMBER | March 16, 1817: when Chile decided to professionalize its Army

March 16, 1817 marks a milestone in the institutional construction of the Chilean State. On this day, following the victory of the Army of the Andes in the Battle of Chacabuco and in the context of the political and military reorganization of the country, the then Supreme Director, Brigadier Bernardo O’Higgins, ordered the creation of the Military Academy, an institution intended to train the future officers of the nascent republic’s army. This Academy is the origin of the current Military School of Liberator Bernardo O’Higgins, the main training establishment for Officers of the Chilean Army.

The creation of this institution responded to the strategic need of the independence process to provide the country with a professional body of Officers that combined discipline, technical knowledge, and commitment to the defense of the new State. Inspired by European military models, the Military Academy sought from its inception to systematize the professional training of those who would be responsible for leading the Armed Forces of the Republic.

More than two centuries after its founding, the Military School has been a pillar in the training of generations of officers of the Chilean Army. Under the principle of “merit, virtue, and patriotism,” its mission has been to prepare military leaders committed to serving the nation and strengthening republican institutions. In an international scenario marked by increasing geopolitical tensions, new security threats, and greater strategic complexity, the professional training of Officers with solid values and leadership capabilities remains a central element for the defense of the State of Chile.