Mountain Infantry Troop (Bundeswehr)

Platoon leader of the German mountain troops in San Gregorio, Spain as part of the NATO major maneuver Trident Juncture 2015

The mountain troop is a type of service in the army of the Bundeswehr and is one of its combat troops. It forms the infantry core of the German mountain troops and, together with the paratroopers and hunters, the infantry . It is specially equipped and trained for fighting infantry in difficult terrain (especially in the mountains) and under unfavorable climatic conditions.

assignment

The mountain troop is deployed like the hunter troop and is similarly equipped. In addition, the mountain hunters are able to fight especially in the mountains and high mountains, under extreme conditions such as extreme weather (with a focus on winter) and in arctic terrain, in urban terrain and in the desert.

In this area, the mountain troops lead the infantry fight against enemy infantry, using anti-tank weapons also against armored vehicles. Depending on the terrain, the weather and the hostile situation, supplies are provided by vehicles , helicopters or pack animals , especially mules . Mountain fighters can also be landed in rough terrain by army aviators .

The soldiers of the high mountain fighter platoons are trained and equipped for use in the high mountains . They are experienced alpinists and carry out special assignments alone or in small groups without further support and make the terrain accessible for subsequent hunting companies. Due to their special knowledge, they advise and support the other mountain hunters on missions and mountain rescue in difficult alpine terrain.

See also : Order of the hunter troop

history

After the founding of the Bundeswehr, the 1st Mountain Division was set up in 1956 , because NATO at the time required a large German unit with mountain combat capabilities. But it also included mechanized and armored forces on a large scale, e.g. B. Panzer Brigade 24 and Mountain Infantry Brigade 22, which was converted into Panzer Grenadier Brigade 22 in 1981 . From the beginning, this division also included parts of the mountain troops. In 2001 the division in Garmisch-Partenkirchen was dissolved. In 2008 the Mountain Hunter Battalion 571 of the Jägerbrigade 37 in Schneeberg was disbanded, which was the only battalion of the mountain troops in the Ore Mountains . The Gebirgsjägertruppe making it as before the accession of eastern countries fully with the Federal Republic in 1990 again in Bavaria stationed, but without the 1992 Mittenwald resolved mountain infantry battalion 234. The Gebirgsjägertruppe has since been in the 23rd Mountain Infantry Brigade , together, the last major unit of mountain troops.

See also : History of the German Mountain Troops

education

Mountain troopers of the Bundeswehr during a climbing exercise in Mittenwald

The basic infantry skills are taught to the mountain troops at the infantry school in Hammelburg . The mountain and winter combat training base in Mittenwald conducts special courses for combat in the special operational environment of the mountain troops . This is subordinate to the infantry school. Its commander is the general of the infantry . This is responsible in a special way for the training of the armed forces of hunters , paratroopers and mountain troops . The Army Development Office has been responsible for the further development of the military branch since June 2013 .

Particularly suitable and specially trained mountaineers / climbers and skiers are grouped into three high mountain hunter platoons , one of which is assigned to the supply and support company of each mountain hunter battalion. The mountain service and training in the mountains are largely shaped by the army mountain guides of the Bundeswehr. Heeresbergführer are officers and non-commissioned officers of the mountain troops who receive special mountaineering and skiing training at the mountain and winter combat training base for service in the mountains. You stand by the commanders and unit commanders in training and deployment in the high mountains as advisors.

organization

classification

The Gebirgsjägertruppe one of the combat troops of the army and forms with the paratroopers and the Jägertruppe the infantry of the army. The Gebirgsjägertruppe forms the core of the infantry German Gebirgstruppe , said membership categorization beyond the official service branches is of the Army.

Active units

	designation	place	Association
	Mountain Infantry Brigade 23	Bad Reichenhall	10th Armored Division
	Mountain Infantry Battalion 231	Bad Reichenhall	Mountain Infantry Brigade 23
	Mountain Infantry Battalion 232	Bischofswiesen- Strub	Mountain Infantry Brigade 23
	Mountain Infantry Battalion 233	Mittenwald	Mountain Infantry Brigade 23

See also : Hochgebirgsjägerzug , Heavy Hunters Company and Operation and Training Center for Packed Animals 230

Units decommissioned

→ Main article : List of the disbanded units of the mountain troops of the Bundeswehr

equipment

Main weapon system

As an infantry type of troops, the mountain troops have comparatively little large equipment. The weasel serves as a weapon bearer . The BV 206 Husky is one of the transport vehicles used in the mountains . The Gebirgsjägerbataillon 231 replaces the armored personnel carrier Fuchs with the GTK Boxer for personnel transport .

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  BV 206S as a medical vehicle in use by the ISAF

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  Transport tank Fuchs

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  Boxer armored transport motor vehicle

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  Arms bearer weasel

Uniforms

The weapon color of the mountain troops, shown for example as the color of the braids and collar tabs , is (hunter) green . The color of the weapon is shared by the mountain infantry troops with other infantry troops and the armored infantry troops . Like most of the German mountain troops, the mountain hunters wear a special uniform : the service suit is the mountain suit with a ski blouse, wedge pants and mountain boots . The gray mountain hat is worn instead of the beret as headgear with the service suit, outside of combat duty often also with the field suit . The edelweiss badge of the Imperial and Royal Mountain Troops, which was awarded to the German Alpine Corps by the Austro-Hungarian High Command during the First World War in recognition of its support in securing the border with Italy , is worn on it. The beret usually does not belong to the mountain hunter uniform. Only mountain troops outside of defined troop units wear berets, see comments on the headgear of the mountain troops .

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  Service suit

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  Edelweiss pin on the mountain cap

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  Collar Tabs

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  Mountain cap with edelweiss and silver piping, which identifies the wearer as an officer below the generals

See also : Army uniforms

Tactical sign

The tactical symbol of the mountain troops consists of the St. Andrew's cross and a small triangle at the bottom, following the general NATO pattern. The triangle in the lower field is a stylized mountain as an indication of the operational area in the mountains. Most of the tactical signs of the troops of the mountain troops show this symbol. The St. Andrew's Cross is the basic symbol of all NATO infantry units. It stands for crossed rifles, swords or bandeliers .

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  Tactical sign of the mountain troops without information on the unit

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  4th Company, Mountain Infantry Battalion 233

Rank designations

→ Main article : Section "Bundeswehr" in the article on the collective term "Soldier"

The lowest rank in units of the hunter , parachute and mountain troops is the hunter . He corresponds to the rank of rifleman, radio operator, armored infantryman, etc. ( → see here ) of other branches of service. The other ranks correspond to the general ranks of the Bundeswehr .

Team rank
Lower rank		Higher rank
-	Hunter	Private
Rank group : Teams-NCOs-NCO-NCOs-Lieutenant-Captains-Staff officers-Generals See also : Ranks  and Rank Badges of the Bundeswehr

literature

• Sören Sünkler: The special units of the Bundeswehr . Motorbuch Verlag, 2007, ISBN 978-3-613-02592-9 .
• Reinhard Scholzen : The infantry of the Bundeswehr. Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 2011, ISBN 978-3-613-03293-4 .

Web links

Commons : Gebirgsjäger (Bundeswehr)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• The infantry. Federal Ministry of Defense , head of the press and information staff, accessed on November 18, 2017 . 
• Mountain Infantry Brigade 23rd Federal Ministry of Defense , head of the press and information staff, accessed on November 18, 2017 . 
• Alexander Schellong: Gebirgsjäger - Between past and present (no longer relevant). Retrieved October 13, 2010 . 
• Mountain hunter meeting in Mittenwald: Vulnerable maintenance of tradition. nadir eV, accessed on October 13, 2010 . 

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Infantry. (No longer available online.) Federal Archives, archived from the original on June 27, 2009 ; Retrieved October 10, 2010 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
2. ↑ ^{a b} The equivalent, higher and lower ranks are given in accordance with ZDv 14/5 B 185, cf. The Federal Minister of Defense (ed.): ZDv 14/5. Soldiers Act . DSK AV110100174, change status July 17, 2008. Bonn August 21, 1978, rank designations in the Bundeswehr, p. B 185 (Not to be confused with the Law on the Legal Status of Soldiers (Soldiers Act) . The order of the ranks shown in the info box does not necessarily correspond to one of the regular rank sequences provided for in the Soldiers' Career Ordinance , nor does it necessarily correspond to the rank hierarchy described in the Superiors Ordinance a managerial relationship ).