At the age of 16, he joined the Military School of Realengo, Rio de Janeiro, which bred officials for the country's Army.

By the time he graduated, in August 1943, he was appointed to serve at the 3rd Military Region, in Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul.

Golbery's path to the highest rank included participating in a Military Mission to Paraguay thenceforth 1947, where he remained for three years.

Passing by Belo Horizonte, he was later reassigned to the Army's Higher Command, now as a Colonel, serving in the Operations Division within the Sub-Division of Doctrine.

In September 1961, serving as Chief of Staff at the National Security Council's General Secretariat, Golbery retired from the military.