While discipline remains essential for operational effectiveness, the understanding of military discipline has evolved from hierarchical obedience to a broader professional virtue grounded in integrity and ethical judgment. The article analyses this conceptual shift and compares military disciplinary law with other Dutch disciplinary regimes. It identifies structural concerns that reflect an outdated conscript-era model which does not align with the professional and normative demands of today’s armed forces. The article concludes that a fundamental reassessment of the disciplinary framework is needed.