The military consists of approximately 44,000 active duty personnel, about 30% of which are used for non-military activities such as security providers for government owned non-military facilities, toll security, prison guards, forestry workers and other state enterprises. The commander in chief for the military is the president. The principal missions are to defend the nation and protect the territorial integrity of the country. The army, twice as large as the other services combined with about 24,000 active duty personnel, consists of six infantry brigades, a combat support brigade and a combat service support brigade; the air force operates two main bases, one in southern region near Santo Domingo and one in the northern region of the country; and the navy maintains seven aging vessels and four new vessels. The Dominican Republic's military is second in size to Cuba's in the Caribbean.

The armed forces participate fully in counter-narcotics efforts. They also are active in efforts to control contraband and illegal immigration from Haiti to the Dominican Republic and from the Dominican Republic to the United States.