Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports
| Military of Switzerland
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| Military manpower
| | Military age | 20 years of age
| | Availability | males age 15-49: 1,855,808 (2000 est.)
| | Fit for military service | males age 15-49: 1,579,921 (2000 est.)
| | Reaching military age annually | males: 42,169 (2000 est.)
| | Military expenditures
| | Dollar figure | $3.1 billion (FY98)
| | Percent of GDP | 1.2% (FY98)
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On May 18, 2003, Swiss voters approved the military reform project "Army XXI" that will drastically reduce the size of the Swiss Army. Starting in January 2004, the current 524,000-strong militia will be pared down to 220,000 conscripts, including 80,000 reservists. The defence budget of currently SFr 4.3 billion ($3.1 billion) will be trimmed by SFr 300 million and some 2,000 jobs are expected to be shed between 2004 and 2011. The mandatory time of service will be curtailed from 300 to 260 days. All able-bodied Swiss males aged between 20 and 30 must serve. Thereafter, most personnel are assigned to civil protection duties until the age of 37.
A new category of soldiers called "single-term conscripts" will discharge the total time of service of 300 days of active duty in one go. Recruiting to the single-term conscripts is on a voluntary basis, but it should not exceed 20% of a year's draft. The armed forces have a small nucleus of about 3,600 professional staff, half of whom are either instructors or staff officers, with the remainder mostly being fortification guards. The army has virtually no full-time active combat units but is capable of full mobilization within 72 hours. Women may volunteer to serve in the armed forces and may now join all units, including combat troops. About 2,000 women already serve in the army but, until the reforms Army XXI, were not allowed to use weapons for purposes other than self-defence. Since the reforms, women can take on any position within the armed forces.
The armed forces are organized in four army corps and an air force. They are equipped with modern, sophisticated, and well-maintained gear. In 1993, the Swiss government ordered 34 FA-18 fighter jets from the United States of America.
Military branches
Member of the Federal Council heading the "Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports", (formerly "Federal Military Department"):
Criticism
There is an organized movement in Switzerland (Gruppe Schweiz ohne Armee; GSoA) aiming at the abolition of the military. The Swiss have voted on such a referendum several times, but so far voted in favour of keeping the army.
Discussion
All able-bodied males are conscripted to the armed forces. For women the service is voluntary. Since recently, Swiss citizens can apply for a civilian service instead. This option is only available to those found physically fit enough to join the armed forces. Entry to the civilian service is based on moral grounds and subject to a successful application.
A significant number of young males chooses to avoid military service by visiting a doctor who attests their incapability to do military service on medical grounds. This can by both physically and mentally. Those who are found unable to serve the military pay 2% of their income to the government.
Conscription is at the age of 18 years. About half the service is done in an initial training of 21 or 18 weeks, depending on the branch of service. Thereafter, men remain in the military until the age of 34, performing three weeks of training every year or every other. It is possible to postpone the military service so that one can finish grammar school. The successive training weeks can also be postponed, but there is limited scope. In the normal case, men interrupt their work during these weeks. The employer is paid compensation.
To reduce training and logistics, the Swiss military standardizes on a few carefully selected types of weapons. For example, Switzerland uses only one rifle model, and three types of ground-based anti-aircraft systems.
To assure professional military leadership, the Bureau maintains professional schools for non-commissioned and commissioned officers. These require more than minimum service times. Computer based training is a growing part of formal Swiss military training.
Famously, members of the armed forces keep their rifles and uniforms in their house for immediate mobilization. Swiss military doctrines are arranged in peculiar ways to make this organization effective. The people are advised to keep the ammunition and the rifle in separate places, both out of reach of unauthorized people. Given the widespread distribution of weapons, gun crime involving arms from the military is surprisingly almost nonexistent.
Swiss building codes require radiation and blast shelters, protecting against bombing. There is a bed for every Swiss person in one of the many shelters. There are also hospitals and command centres in such shelters, aiming at keeping the country running in case of extremity. Moreover, tunnels and key bridges are built with tank traps. Permanent fortifications are established in the Alps, as a base to retake the fertile valleys after a potential invasion.
External links
See also: Switzerland, Swiss Civilian Service
Referenced By
Adolf Ogi | Conseil fédéral suisse | Consiglio federale | Defence Minister | Defence Ministry | Defense Minister | Defense Ministry | Department of Defence; Military Department | Federal Council | Federal Council of Switzerland | Minister for Defense | Minister of Defence | Minister of War | Minister of defense | Ministry of Defense | Samuel Schmid | Swiss Federal Council
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