This study explores how the professional identity of the Swedish army officer is shaped by the interplay between subjective professional beliefs and organizational expectations. Drawing on a thematic analysis of interviews with officers and a norm analysis of relevant policy documents, the results reveal two main themes; identity as constructed through daily professional practice, and identity as influenced by institutional structures and norms. The analysis, grounded in interpretivist methodology and guided by a framework as theoretical lenses understanding officers’ identity, shows that officer identity is dynamic, negotiated, and shaped by both role enactment and value conflicts. The study contributes to the field of war studies by offering a nuanced understanding of how military professionalism is constructed in peacetime as a foundation for the use of military capabilities in the hands of an effective officer corps.