The Swiss Armed Forces

Lieutenant General Roos is responsible for the leadership and the development of the Swiss Armed Forces. He heads the Department’s defence sector and is directly subordinated to the head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS), Federal Councillor Martin Pfister. Under his command as Chief of the Armed Forces are the Armed Forces Staff, Joint Operations Command, the Armed Forces Logistics Organisation, the Cyber Command and the Training and Education Command.

In the Swiss Armed Forces, officers holding the rank of brigadier general, major general and lieutenant general are considered senior staff officers. They are employed by the Swiss Confederation as career officers. In the event of a large-scale mobilisation, the United Federal Assembly appoints a commander in chief with the rank of general. Senior staff officers occupy key roles in the military command and central staff.

The origins of the Swiss Army date back to the late Middle Ages. The militia army founded on general national conscription is relatively young by comparison.