This research investigated stress and career commitment levels in military officers from Santa Maria (RS),divided in groups according to area: officers from 190 (emergency number), those from administrative activities and those from ostensive work. Instruments were a demographic questionnaire, a Career Commitment Scale and a Stress Inventory for Adults. Participants of the study were 75 policemen of both sexes, whose ages were between 22 to 44 years. Results showed that 57% of participants had stress symptoms and women had more severe symptoms. Administrative officers had higher career commitment than the other groups. These results confirm that military work is a context of vulnerability and indicate that higher risk is associated with lower career commitment. This study emphasizes that interventions promoting the development of coping strategies are important.