Editing Swiss Armed Forces (section)

== Personnel ==
{{Further|Military ranks of Switzerland}}

As of 1 March 2017, the Swiss Armed Forces consist of 120,496 people on [[active duty]] (in Switzerland called ''Angehöriger der Armee'', shortly ''AdA'', engl.: ''Member of the Armed Forces''), of which 9,163 are professionals, with the rest being conscripts or volunteers.<ref name="basics">{{cite web|url=https://www.vbs.admin.ch/de/vbs/zahlen-fakten/armee.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200205163220/https://www.vbs.admin.ch/de/vbs/zahlen-fakten/armee.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 February 2020|title=Die Schweizer Armee in Zahlen|publisher=Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports|language=de|trans-title=The Swiss Armed Forces in Numbers|access-date=29 May 2019}} Updated annually.</ref> Women, for whom military service is voluntary, numbered 929: less than 1% of the total, with over 25% thereof being officers.<ref name="basics"/> The numbers had increased by 2021. Once in service, women have the same rights and duties as their male colleagues, and they can join all services, including combat units. Recruits in multi-lingual Switzerland are usually instructed in their native language, except that the small number of [[Romansh language|Romansh]]-speaking recruits are instructed in German.

In contrast to most other comparable armed forces, officers are generally not career regulars. Under the most recent army reform, all soldiers complete a full recruit school of 18 weeks.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.vtg.admin.ch/content/vtg-internet/fr/aktuell/themen/die-weiterentwicklung-der-armee/_jcr_content/inpagenav/items/deva_flyer/tabPar/downloadlist_copy_96/downloadItems/25_1516194642978.download/83_231_f_Flyer_Ausbildungsmodell.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221125015604/https://www.vtg.admin.ch/content/vtg-internet/fr/aktuell/themen/die-weiterentwicklung-der-armee/_jcr_content/inpagenav/items/deva_flyer/tabPar/downloadlist_copy_96/downloadItems/25_1516194642978.download/83_231_f_Flyer_Ausbildungsmodell.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 November 2022|title=Le modèle d'instruction et de service de l'Armée suisse|website=Swiss Armed Forces|access-date=10 December 2019}}</ref> During the initial 18-week training period, recruits may volunteer for consideration to continue with NCO training.<ref name=":0" /> After the completion of NCO training, individuals are promoted to sergeant and integrated into platoons at recruit schools as squad leaders (''Gruppenchefs'', ''Chefs de Groupe'', ''Capogruppi''). Squad leaders support their platoon commanders for the 18-week duration of the recruit school, with the exception of those who volunteer for officer school—they leave after 7 weeks of service as squad leaders—while those who volunteer for higher NCO school leave after 12 weeks of service as squad leaders. Officer candidates complete a 15-week course to prepare them for their role as platoon leaders (''Zugführer'', ''Chef de section'', ''Caposezione''), which traditionally culminates in a march covering {{convert|100|km|mi}} in 24 hours. After promotion to lieutenant, platoon leaders return to their recruit schools, where they take charge of a recruit school platoon for 18 weeks.<ref name=":0" />

There were about 15,000 officers and 29,000 NCOs in the Swiss Armed Forces in 2021.<ref name="basics" /> Those of higher rank serve for longer each year; a private may serve 365 days over 30 years, while a high-ranking officer may serve 2,000 days before retiring. Each promotion requires more time, which is known as "paying your rank". This describes the mechanism of a soldier fulfilling their rank's minimal service time after being promoted into said rank. Companies subsidize military training by continuing to pay their employees, who list their ranks and responsibilities on their résumés.<ref name="mcphee19831031">{{cite news | url=http://archives.newyorker.com/default.aspx?iid=16248&startpage=page0000103#folio=050 | title=La Place de la Concorde Suisse-I | magazine=The New Yorker | date=31 October 1983 | access-date=22 July 2013 | author=McPhee, John | pages=50 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714230210/http://archives.newyorker.com/default.aspx?iid=16248&startpage=page0000103#folio=050 | archive-date=14 July 2014 | url-status=live}}</ref>

In January 2023, the Swiss Armed Forces began integrating Muslim and Jewish [[Military chaplain|chaplains]] into the service. The army's chaplaincy had only been open to Catholics and Protestants until then. New insignia have been created for military jackets: the [[Star and crescent|Islamic crescent]] for Muslims and the [[Tablets of Stone]] for Jews.<ref>{{cite web |author=RCH |title=L'Aumônerie de l'armée est désormais ouverte aux non-chrétiens |url=https://www.rtn.ch/rtn/Actualite/Region/20230110-L-Aumonerie-de-l-armee-est-desormais-ouverte-aux-non-chretiens.html |access-date=25 November 2023 |website=www.rtn.ch |date=10 January 2023 |language=fr-CH}}</ref>

===Conscription===
{{Main|Conscription in Switzerland}}
Switzerland has mandatory military service for all able-bodied male [[Swiss citizen|citizens]], who are [[conscription|conscripted]] when they reach the [[age of majority]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Conscrits et recrues |url=http://www.vtg.admin.ch/internet/vtg/fr/home/militaerdienst/rekrut.html |language=fr |publisher=[[Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports]] |access-date=10 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090502061315/http://www.vtg.admin.ch/internet/vtg/fr/home/militaerdienst/rekrut.html |archive-date=2 May 2009}}</ref> though women may volunteer for any position.<ref>{{cite web |title=Femmes dans l'armée |url=http://www.vtg.admin.ch/internet/vtg/fr/home/militaerdienst/fda.html |language=fr |publisher=Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports |access-date=10 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090502010612/http://www.vtg.admin.ch/internet/vtg/fr/home/militaerdienst/fda.html |archive-date=2 May 2009}}</ref> Since 1996, conscripts who are found to be sufficiently fit for regular military service, but who object for reasons of conscience, can apply for ''[[civilian service]]''. This service consists of various kinds of social services, such as reconstructing cultural sites, helping the elderly and other activities removed from military connotations. Civilian service lasts 340 days, 50% longer than a soldier's regular army service.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vcampus-armee.ch/imperia/isa/rekr/ziversatz/info/00918/content_f.shtml|title=Ziviler Ersatzdienst|publisher=Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports|language=fr|access-date=10 July 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228134838/http://www.vcampus-armee.ch/imperia/isa/rekr/ziversatz/info/00918/content_f.shtml|archive-date=28 February 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

People determined unfit for service, where fitness is defined as "satisfying physical, intellectual and psychological requirements for military service or civil protection service and being capable of accomplishing these services without harming oneself or others",<ref>{{cite web |title=Définition de l'aptitude au service |url=http://www.vtg.admin.ch/internet/vtg/fr/home/militaerdienst/rekrut/diensttauglichkeit/definition.html |language=fr |publisher=Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports |access-date=10 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090502102130/http://www.vtg.admin.ch/internet/vtg/fr/home/militaerdienst/rekrut/diensttauglichkeit/definition.html |archive-date=2 May 2009}}</ref> are exempted from service, but pay 11 installments of a 3% additional annual [[income tax]] until the age of 37 unless they are affected by a [[disability]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Ordonnance sur la taxe d'exemption de l'obligation de servir |url=http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/rs/661_1/index.html |language=fr |publisher=Federal Authorities of the Swiss Confederation |access-date=10 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091114163138/http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/rs/661_1/index.html |archive-date=14 November 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> Conscripts found to be sufficiently unfit for regular military service, but not for exemption, take part in ''[[civil protection]]'', where they may be called on to assist the police, fire or health departments, as well as natural disaster relief and crowd control during demonstrations or events with large attendance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bevoelkerungsschutz.admin.ch/internet/bs/fr/home/partner/zivilschutz.html|title=Protection civile|publisher=Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports|language=fr|access-date=10 July 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430072242/http://www.bevoelkerungsschutz.admin.ch/internet/bs/fr/home/partner/zivilschutz.html|archive-date=30 April 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Almost 20% of all conscripts were found unfit for military or civilian service in 2008; the rate is generally higher in urban cantons such as [[Canton of Zurich|Zurich]] and [[Canton of Geneva|Geneva]] than in rural ones.<ref>{{cite web |title=Les chiffres du recrutement en 2008 |url=http://www.vtg.admin.ch/internet/vtg/fr/home/dokumentation/news/newsdetail.24787.nsb.html |language=fr |publisher=Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports |access-date=10 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724085052/http://www.vtg.admin.ch/internet/vtg/fr/home/dokumentation/news/newsdetail.24787.nsb.html |archive-date=24 July 2011}}</ref> [[Fifth Switzerland|Swiss citizens living abroad]] are generally exempted from conscription in peacetime.<ref>{{cite web |title=Les Suisses de l'étranger |url=http://www.vtg.admin.ch/internet/vtg/fr/home/militaerdienst/rekrut/wehrpflicht/auslandschweizer.html |language=fr |publisher=Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports |access-date=10 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090425064647/http://www.vtg.admin.ch/internet/vtg/fr/home/militaerdienst/rekrut/wehrpflicht/auslandschweizer.html |archive-date=25 April 2009}}</ref> [[Dual citizenship]] does not grant exemption.<ref>{{cite web |title=Doubles-nationaux |url=http://www.vtg.admin.ch/internet/vtg/fr/home/militaerdienst/rekrut/wehrpflicht/doppelb.html |language=fr |publisher=Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports |access-date=10 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090426105510/http://www.vtg.admin.ch/internet/vtg/fr/home/militaerdienst/rekrut/wehrpflicht/doppelb.html |archive-date=26 April 2009}}</ref>

On 22 September 2013, a [[Referendums in Switzerland|referendum]] was held that aimed to [[2013 Swiss referendums|abolish conscription]] in Switzerland.<ref>[http://www.parlament.ch/d/wahlen-abstimmungen/volksabstimmungen/volksabstimmungen-2013/abstimmung-2013-09-22/seiten/default.aspx Referendums on 22 September 2013] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140306000438/http://www.parlament.ch/d/wahlen-abstimmungen/volksabstimmungen/volksabstimmungen-2013/abstimmung-2013-09-22/seiten/default.aspx |date=6 March 2014}} Swiss Parliament, 28 June 2013. Retrieved, 4 March 2014{{in lang|de}}</ref> With a turnout of 47% on this particular question, over 73% voted against eliminating conscription.