Chief of the Army
The Chief of the Army (CdA; French chef de l'armée , Italian Capo dell'esercito ) is the commander of the Swiss Army in peacetime with the rank of corps commander . He is elected by the Federal Council.
The Chief of the Army heads the Defense Department of the Federal Department of Defense, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) .
As of December 31, 2003, there was no formal army chief. The function of a primus inter pares in the Commission for Military National Defense , to which all commanders of large units (army units and brigades) belonged, was performed by the Chief of Staff . This was in command of all troops on duty. The first chief of the army, Christophe Keckeis , was also the last chief of staff in the Swiss army.
On September 16, 2016, the Federal Council appointed the infantry officer Philippe Rebord as Chief of the Army on January 1, 2017. He had been Deputy Army Chief since April 2016. On April 4, 2019, the DDPS announced that Rebord would be stepping down for health reasons at the end of 2019. A search committee was set up for the successor.
On September 4, 2019, Federal Councilor Viola Amherd Major General Thomas Süssli ago as a future army chief. Süssli emerged from four career officers remaining in the process. Mrs. Brigadier Germaine Seewer was among them .
In times of war the army is no longer led by the CdA, but by a general as commander-in-chief . This is elected in active service by the parliament ( United Federal Assembly ) on the proposal of the Federal Council and loses its function again after the war.
Chiefs of the Army
| Surname | time | portrait |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas Süssli | Since January 1, 2020 |
|
| Philippe Rebord | January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019 | |
| André Blattmann | March 1, 2009 (interim since July 21, 2008) - December 31, 2016 |
|
| Roland Nef | January 1, 2008 to July 21 (suspension) or July 25 (resignation), 2008 | |
| Christophe Keckeis | January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2007 |
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ The Federal Council: The Federal Council appoints Philippe Rebord as the new head of the army. Retrieved February 15, 2017 .
- ↑ DDPS: Chief of the Army resigns for health reasons. Retrieved May 30, 2019 .
- ↑ Fabian Schäfer, Lukas Mäder: A manager for the army - Thomas Süssli will be the highest officer from 2020. Neue Zürcher Zeitung, September 4, 2019, accessed on December 6, 2019 .
- ↑ Cyberwar becomes new army chief