Swiss Reserve

The Swiss Reserve Force is the military reserve force of the armed forces of Switzerland. With the "Armée XXI" reform, the referendum of May 18 2003 confirmed in Switzerland the concept of "a people in arms". The militia tradition of the swiss confederacy was therefore maintained, albeit in an evolved form. The Swiss reservists participated in the operation SWISSCOY in Kosovo.

Composition

The active army includes 150,000 soldiers of which 20,000 conscripts who have reached the age class for military service. The Swiss reserve includes 80,000 men in four age classes obliged to attend "cours annuels de répétition" (CR), annual training courses, to whom can be added the conscripts ten age classes who have completed a long service of about 300 days.

Organization

The military officers in long service make up intervention companies, which can be mobilised quickly to be engaged in operations. The militiamen are divided up in reserve formations that represent nearly a quarter of a brigade's battalions. They are subjected to an obligatory annual rifle training and keep their assault rifle and their munitions (placed in a sealed tin and only openable in time of war) in their homes. Only the command-structure of the formations of reserve is active. Units have no equipment especially for allocation or training, and are therefore not operational units. In case of major crisis, the federal Counsel and Parliament have to take the decision for reserve units to become operational.

Pay

A compensation fund allows employers to be compensated for the loss of work hours from reservists called to the colours, which rises to 65% of their wage.

ource

*"This page is a translation of its French equivalent."