This study investigates the motivations driving Swedish officers to apply for staff service abroad. Through semi-structured interviews with eleven officers, the research aims to identify and understand these motivational factors. The participants are representative of the target group for international staffing assignments and possess the requisite experience and knowledge to effec-tively represent the Armed Forces at strategic, operational, and tactical levels. Thematic analysis and a typology of motivation theories were employed to analyse the data. The findings reveal a significant emphasis on modern/occu-pational motivational factors influencing the officers' desire for international service. Additionally, the study highlights the crucial role of family in shaping these motivations and its impact on the officers' decisions to undertake inter-national missions.