Abstract
Defence agencies—ministries and departments of defence—play a key role in the civil-military relations of modern democracies, but what role is that? This paper explores the possibilities from overseer of the armed forces to supporter to protector. After developing the typology, the paper then develops several explanations for why particular roles develop for a variety of democracies. It then suggests the implications of different roles for the behavior and influence of the armed forces. This paper presents a preliminary set of case studies to illustrate the dynamics shaping the defence agencies' roles and then the impact of those roles on the making of defence and foreign policy.