Defense and Military Affairs -
                                                                                                  

           - Originally I titled this subject   "The Strange Story of the Largest Army in Europe                                        - but  with No Enemies Anywhere in Sight".

   The story of the military establishment in Switzerland is one of a classic military-
industrial complex, or better symbiosis, which has been honed to perfection over the
last fifty years. Now with the collapse of Communism and the end of the Cold War the      question of justifying spending some 10% of the nation budget and keeping the far and         away proportionally largest army in Europe can at last be discussed. Before getting into             present day details, it would be best to look back at how this system developed  over
the years.
    All during the Middle Ages and down to the 18th century Switzerland was noted for an          export commodity - mercenary soldiers. The land was very poor and some members of
each generation were forced to migrate (usually to the US) to survive. Many young
men served in the armies of the neighboring powers which were all made up of volun-
teers in those days. Often whole units were comprised of Swiss soldiers and they were
given elite duties. Examples of this are the Swiss guards at the Vatican and the units
which defended Louis XVI at the Louvre during the French Revolution. There all 260
fought to the last man, or at least that is the story told in Switzerland. Actually, the King
ordered them to surrender and then they were then massacred by the Paris mob.

    Military affairs were in the hands of the individual cantons down to the Constitution of
1878 and service was always an obligation - long before this was introduced in the other
European countries. In 1878 many of the functions of the cantons were placed under parlimentary control and military affairs became one of the seven Federal departments.
Even here though, about 25% of the troops were left under cantonal control - along with
the costs of such a parallel administrative organization. The problems this causes in the   present attempt to set up a modern structure will be presented later.
    From the earliest times the military service has been based on the citizen soldier or
milice structure. Here the trained reservist is available for immediate call up and the
equipment needed is available and ready for employment. Presently, there are some
3500 professional soldiers in the military for training purposes and in high ranks but
the system uses periodic training and exercises in the field to stay operational after the
basic training at 20 years of age.
   In detail, this means each soldier spends three weeks every two years in the field in            instruction and exercises using his personal equipment and weapons which, in the
meantime are kept at home. Presently, this active duty adds up to 300 days (usually 10
refresher exercises) for a simple soldier and he is discharged into a civil protection
unit at 42 years of age.
   Officers are on duty on a yearly basis and, for a captain this means active duty of some           900 days, for a colonel 1200 days and until age 52. The cost of this absence of a large               part of the working force is one of the hidden military costs for the economy. It is paid
partially by the employers and partially from the general taxes.  In the past, it was an
unwritten rule that to advance in industry or politics a high military rank was needed.
But recently, there has been an about-face in finance and industry concerning the need
for prolonged military service since it is precisely these most valuable people who are
absent the most.
    Today, all things being equal, a candidate who can avoid military service probably
has an advantage for a position at the management level.
   It must be mentioned though, that remaining a simple soldier is not so easy. A bright
young man who receives a good recommendation during basic training is obliged to
continue into the officers program. Refusal can lead to a fine and imprisonment by a
military court. In the last years, a civil service program has been instituted for ethical
or religious objectors. The requirements are strict and the length of civil service are
well above those for military service. Refusing to serve is still punished with a prison         sentence.
   The present day level of 360,000 fully armed and equipped troops is amazing for a
country in Europe with only seven million inhabitants. Expressed on a proportional
basis, this means Switzerland has some 550 soldiers  per 10,000 citizens, while the
neighbors Germany and France have only 80 and 125 per 10,000, respectively.
  Also, all this manpower is backed up by a modern arsenal of weapons. Some 1500
modern combat tanks, 30 F-18 fighters with another 100 Tiger combat jets, 800
heavy howitzers, etc. etc. Plus extensive supplies and strategic stockpiles in the
extensive tunnels and fortification constructed throughout the Alps. Just last year a
new modern atomproof command and control fortification for the government was
completed deep within the Alps.
   On average, each year equipment purchases through the miltary budget are given
as 4 billion dollars, but with the hidden costs are really the double. Already on the
shopping list for the next several years are more F-18`s, 190 specially modified
armoured troop transporters, new heavy lift helicopters, new long range (50 mile)
heavy rocket  launchers etc. etc.
   And all this for a country situated geographically in the middle of modern Europe
and surrounded by NATO and EU countries. And also, well knowing that all this
hardware is useless even before it is unpacked because the days of territorial
conquest in Europe are over - a fact guaranteed by one single weapon system -        thermonuclear rockets which can erase any of the countries in minutes and to which
there is simply nodefense. In Texas we have a saying, "big boys like expensive toys" -
which can be the only rational explanation for this type of continuing military policy.

   The other element which is blocking a climb down from the Cold War mentality is
the usual military-industrial complex complicated by a further politican-officiers
complex. By this I mean, that scaling back will cost jobs and influence within the huge infrastructure now in place and that the milice type army is in symbiosis with the milice
type parliament - where most of the influential politicians have high ranks in the army.
   A close look at the prevailing military structure shows how difficult even a small
reform will be. There are some 22 cantonal arsenals which are responsible for
equipping their own troops (everything from sewing uniforms to reserving hotel
rooms), All these parallel administrations, some often just a few miles apart are
doing the same  things. And just as bad, there are some 28 Federal arsenals
scattered about this small country also doing essentially the same things. So it will
be a long time before any efficiency is seen in this infrastucture which was originally
set up in 1961 for a 600,000 man army.

    It is interesting that in 1996, just after the fall of the Berlin Wall, there was a vote
on an initiative concerning whether or not to abolish the army - surprisingly some 36%
of the citizens voted to abolish. This has then has slowly opened a discussion about
a reduction. It may happen in the coming years that the strength will be reduced to
80,000 -120,000, with only 200 active duty days and service would end at 32 years.
   As might be expected,  the military department has already made it known that any
reduction will not automatically mean a corresponding spending reduction. The
reason given is that less manpower must be compensated by increased firepower,
ie. more new expensive high tech toys. A small army of professionals and specialists
have been repeatedly proposed, as have several of the neighboring countries. However,
this would require amending the Constitution and that is very unlikely.

  After completion of the above, some more information has become available about
the plans for 2002. A purchase of some 186 light tanks and fire control vehicles for
one billion dollars has been approved by the government. These light tanks are in
addition to the 500 other light tanks (and the 1000 heavy Tiger tanks now in storage).
  In the course of the debate it became known that Switzerland spends some $590
per year and per person on defense. This is more than the other European countries
with the exception of France (some $605), whereby France also has a large Navy
and a nuclear strike force.
   Each year though the military wish list is still passed with no real opposition in the  
parliament - a beautiful demonstration of the military-industrial-political machinery
in action. This is a direct result of the milice type army and parliament system. In
other countries such as the US, there is a strict separation of military and government
but in Switzerland, as mentioned above,many of the highest officiers are influential
members of parliament and actively determine miltary policy and execution.
   In any case, it is comforting to know that one is protected by the largest and most
expensive army that money can buy and things will probably stay that way - at least
for this lifetime.

   To be continued soon -  with facts about a large civil protection organization which
operates in parallel with the army on the local level. Also the story about why
Switzerland was not invaded during WW II - was it because of the strong army?
No, that was not the main reason.   
    Stay tuned -