Armed Forces Staff (AFS)
The Armed Forces Staff (AFS) supports the Chief of the Armed Forces in leading the Defence sector. It is responsible for implementation of the political directives and military-strategic instructions. It also ensures development, planning, resource allocation as well as steering of the armed forces and is accountable for Defence sector management and control. Through directives the Armed Forces Staff controls the operational level with its training, operations and support sectors.
Staff of the Chief of the Armed Forces
The Staff of the Chief of the Armed Forces supports the Chief of the Armed Forces or Armed Forces Command in its (military-)strategic work. The Military-Strategic Staff, a militia unit, provides support in specific factual issues. The Staff CAF forms the interface between armed forces and the superior (departmental) political sectors..
Staff of the Armed Forces Staff
The Staff of the Armed Forces Staff assists the Chief of the Armed Forces Staff in planning, controlling and preparing his tasks and portfolios, and provides the Armed Forces Staff and the Defence sector with products and services relating to management support, human resources management, finances, controlling, operation and integral security. It is responsible for the control of the business carried out by the agencies directly subordinate to the Chief of Armed Forces Staff.
Management Development Defence / Military Doctrine (MD D/D)
The MD D/D elaborates military-strategic foundations within the context of the main command and control process. The unit is in charge of strategy development and evaluation and compiles directives for integral planning. It also is in charge of and steers the direction of military capabilities as well as defence process management. The MD D/D is also responsible for the command and control regulations of the armed forces and the issue of military orders. The SAP integration management programme for the defence sector is led by the unit too..
Armed Forces Planning
The Armed Forces Planning agency is responsible for implementing the political and military directives with regard to developing the armed forces. It controls the project and system portfolios, compiles the MASTERPLAN and steers the material resources safeguarding the armed forces. The Armed Forces Planning agency is also responsible for preserving historic military equipment for future generations.
International Relations Defence
The organisational unit International Relations Defence directs and steers safeguarding and enforcing the interests of the armed forces and the Defence sector in the international realm. For this purpose it supports relevant authorities in the armed forces und the Defence sector and maintains a small network of outposts (defence attachés and military representatives).
Personnel Defence
The Personnel Defence agency pursues a forward-looking occupational policy for both military and civilian professional staff. Serves as contact and superior specialist agency for the human resource services of all organisational units in the Defence sector.
Finances of the Defence
The Fin D agency represents the Defence sector in financial issues within and without the organisation as assigned by the Chief of the Armed Forces. It bears overall responsibility for the financial business process of the Defence sector.
Real Estate Defence
Der Real Estate Defence agency directs and controls the Defence sector's real estate planning. It is obliged to consistently align real estate management with the core tasks of the armed forces and is responsible for economy, appropriateness and financial feasibility of real estate planning. As assigned by the Chief of the Armed Forces and according to its role as 'strategic tenant of the Defence sector' it fulfils tasks relating to the stationing concept of the armed forces, requirement planning for regional utilisation concepts as well as steering and prioritisation of real estate measures (investments and reductions).

CH-3003 Bern
- Tel.
- +41 58 465 02 62
- Fax
- +41 58 464 03 47
Armed Forces Staff
Schermenwaldstrasse 13
CH-3003 Bern