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Background Papers German Armed Forces Germany's armed forces, the Bundeswehr, have the following mission: - protecting the country and its people - promoting military stability and European integration - serving world peace and international security in accordance with the UN charter - providing disaster relief, saving lives and supporting humanitarian activities. With around 340,000 military personnel, the Bundeswehr is a well-trained, highly professional force using modern equipment. German soldiers have played a successful part in international peace operations, including a major civil-military operation in Bosnia. From the beginning, the German air force was part of the air campaign "Allied Force" against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and army units were among the first to go into Kosovo. Beginnings Ten years after the end of World War II, Germany became a member of NATO on May 6, 1955. In November of that year, the first soldiers and sailors were sworn in and on April 1, 1956, the first 10,000 conscripts reported for duty. The Bundeswehr's integration into NATO progressed quickly during the Cold War era. Within a period of about ten years the Bundeswehr grew to a peacetime strength of about 500,000 troops, the largest European conventional armed forces contingent within NATO. Personnel Germany's army has 233,000 personnel, the air force 77,400 and the navy 27,200. In wartime, the Bundeswehr's strength could be some 680,000 troops. These totals are comprised of 200,000 regulars and temporary career volunteers, up to 135,000 conscripts with varying terms of service and 5,000 reserve duty personnel. There are currently more than 3,500 women in the Bundeswehr, who, in accordance with Germany's constitution, the Basic Law, serve in non-combat duties. Conscription At 18, all German men are subject to conscription for ten months of basic military service, followed by a two-month period of stand-by readiness. At the end of basic military service, conscripts can enlist for an additional two to 13 months. 80% of conscripts perform their basic service in the army. The Bundeswehr recruits about 50% of its regular and non-commissioned officers from conscripts. If an individual is a conscientious objector and chooses not to enter the Bundeswehr, he must perform 13 months of community service. A Unified Military At German unification on October 3, 1990, the combined strength of the Bundeswehr and former East German forces (National People's Army or NPA) totaled about 600,000. According to international agreements, this force was reduced to 370,000 by 1994. Integration between the two forces progressed rapidly and many outside observers judged it to be more successful than that in the general population. A total of about 3,000 officers and 7,600 noncommissioned officers from the NPA qualified to serve in the Bundeswehr following a two-stage selection procedure. More than 18 major military agencies have relocated eastward, including the Army Officer School re-established in Dresden in 1998. Training and Education Every year some 180,000 men and about 700 women undergo basic training. This training up to platoon level makes use of simulation, wargaming procedures and advanced computer systems. Training prepares the soldier to be able to conduct his mission in highly intensive conventional war under threat of weapons of mass destruction. The basis for national and alliance defense, this training also allows a soldier to easily adjust, with some special training, to other missions, such as peace keeping operations. In addition to military skills, training also includes lessons in modern history, Germany's modern state and society, duties and rights of the individual soldier, disciplinary law in the armed forces, modern management practices and military leadership. For officer candidates, the Bundeswehr has two academic universities, one in Hamburg, the other in Munich. As they progress through the ranks, military leaders and superiors also receive training and follow-on training at various officer training and branch schools. The Armed Forces Command and General Staff College in Hamburg provides the highest level of joint training and education. Innere Führung -- A Unique German System The principals of Innere Führung combine the demands of the military mission and duty with the dignity and rights of the citizen. Innere Führung is fundamental to leadership and education in the Bundeswehr, playing an integral part in all leadership activity in all areas and at all levels. It comprises three major areas: the constitutional role of the Bundeswehr within Germany's democracy, the rights and responsibilities of the individual soldier in the military, and modern military leadership including the delegation of responsibilities and freedom of action within a general mission. Command During peacetime, the minister of defense is commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Rudolf Scharping holds this position. In wartime, the Federal Chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, assumes command and German forces would be integrated into the NATO command structure. The commander-in-chief is answerable to the German parliament. Parliamentary Oversight Before any use of the Bundeswehr in armed operations, Germany's parliament must vote on approval. In addition, the parliament's Defense Committee deliberates on all defense policy issues and has special power to set itself up as an investigative committee at any time. The Budget Committee also has a role in oversight with its review of the defense budget as part of the federal budget. And Budget Committee decisions must be approved by the Bundestag in plenary session. Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces International Cooperation Since Unification, the German military has fulfilled international expectations by participating in more than 20 international peace operations. In 1999, German army units were among the first to enter Kosovo. Currently in Kosovo, German General Reinhardt is commander of all troops taking part in KFOR and roughly 6,000 Bundeswehr troops have responsibility for one of five KFOR sectors. In Bosnia-Herzegovina there are also some 2,500 German troops taking part in SFOR. In Australia 100 soldiers are on duty in support of Operation INTERFET in East Timor. German troops take part in a number of multinational corps, including on German territory: the German-American Corps, the American-German Corps, the German-Netherlands Corps, the multinational Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, and elements of the Strasbourg-based Eurocorps. A German-Danish-Polish corps was recently established in Stettin, Poland. At the European Union (EU) Council meeting in Helsinki, December 1999, member states pledged to develop an EU security and defense policy and a rapid reaction capability numbering 60,000 by 2003. Activities in the U.S. and Canada Building upon a history of close military cooperation, the U.S. allows Germany to deploy complete military units to the States. German air force and navy combat jet crews and all surface-to-air missile operators are trained entirely in the U.S. and Canada (Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico; Fort Bliss, Texas; Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada). German troops participate in military exchanges, training programs and exercises conducted with U.S. forces. Command and control of these units and individual German soldiers in the U.S. and Canada is exercised by the German Armed Forces Command USA/CA in Reston, Virginia. The Defense Attaché Staff Washington, D.C. The Defense Attaché Staff to the German Embassy in Washington, D.C., is the link between the German Defense Ministry and the U.S. Department of Defense. The defense attaché, currently Brigadier General Peter Goebel (German Army), is a one-star general or admiral. The services and the defense research and engineering section are represented by field grade officers and senior civil servants. Weapons Systems, Equipment, Procurement Army Air Force Navy Procurement and Acquisition To ensure the continuation of the Bundeswehr's modern capabilities, procurement plans include the following: For further information, visit the Bundeswehr's website. See Defense Minster Scharping's speech at the NATO Defense College in Rome. Report of the von Weizsaecker Independent Commission on the future of the Bundeswehr |
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