To sum up in one sentence the opinions expressed in this dossier, I am tempted, in a very laconic way, to write that, for the future of the army, we must give priority to what makes the posture more than the size, structures or supplies.

Indeed, if the issues of formats, staff, equipment, organization, resources, etc. have not been addressed much in the preceding sheets, it is because they are by nature very cyclical. They are only consequences, ways of implementing decisions resulting from a debate that must focus on the effect to be achieved.

That is why I think it is important that any reflection should take into account the few key principles mentioned during the reading:

▪ General VERNA rightly reminds us of the importance of the freedom of action ofdecision-makers;his reflection goes beyond the scope of the debate.His thinking obviously goes beyond the Army framework alone and could apply to the chiefs of staff of the three armies;

▪ History teaches us the part that must be given to military thinking; it is above all a requirement for reflection on war andits principles, says General de BRAQUILANGES; it is then a way of putting intelligence into action: it is declined in terms of doctrine, training, level of supervision, operational preparation;

▪ The ability to influence the international scene remains fundamental, as General PERRUCHE reminds us; to train allies, to command a coalition, to enter first... are the associated aptitudes;

▪ Attention must continue to focus tirelessly on the quality of human resources; efforts to benefit them must focus on hardiness, hardening, diversity... of know-how... while preserving the specificity and the conditions of exercise of the profession; because our soldiers are always stronger when they know their commitment recognized by the Nation...

▪ A culture of adaptation remains imperative, General THOMANN tells us: it translates into attitudes to be maintained, such as subsidiarity, the ability to act in a degraded mode, versatility, curiosity...

▪ The aptitude and appetite for innovation, in all its forms - technical,methodological, organisational, tactical - are a new birth.To stay ahead of the armies that count, it is necessary to constantly question and evolve, because immobility and inertia are destructive.

These are the principles on which excellence can be lastingly built. They must irrigate the thinking of those whose task will be to define a model and a format.

The ambitious goal set for us by the President of the Republic to remain an army that counts in the world is not trivial. But it is the necessary condition for the country to be able to defend itself against any threat and continue to make its voice heard in an increasingly brutal context.