On behalf of the DRC Affinity Group, Dr. Maria Eriksson Baaz of the Nordic Africa Institute and the School of Global Studies, Gothenburg University (Sweden) and Judith Verweijen, a PhD Candidate at Utrecht Unversity (The Netherlands) present the history, underlying mechanisms and effects of never-ending military integration in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In light of the M23 rebellion and a possible new wave of integration, the authors offer precautions and recommendations for an upcoming process as well as viable alternatives for dealing with armed groups in DRC.