Peran Pendidikan Bela Negara terhadap Persepsi Mahasiswa UPN Veteran Jawa Timur tentang Kewarganegaraan dan Cinta Tanah Air

State defense education plays an important role in instilling students' sense of patriotism and citizenship. This study investigates the effect of state defense education on the awareness of students of Universitas Pembangunan Nasional (UPN) “Veteran” in East Java. The research was conducted qualitatively with a semi-structured interview method. The research found that taking part in state defense activities improved students' understanding of their rights and obligations as citizens and instilled a sense of nationalism and social responsibility. State defense education is expected to help improve students'character.