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Bundeswehr
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"Military of Germany" and "Armed forces of Germany" redirect here. For historical armed forces of Germany, see Military of Germany (disambiguation).
Federal Defence Forces of Germany
Bundeswehr
Insignia of the Bundeswehr (the Iron Cross)
Founded
12 November 1955; 62 years ago (1955-11-12)
Current form
3 October 1990
Service branches
German Army
German Navy
German Air Force
Joint Support Service
Joint Medical Service
Cyber and Information Domain Service
Headquarters
Berlin, Bonn, and Potsdam
Website
www.bundeswehr.de
Leadership
Supreme Command
During normal peacetime:
the Minister of Defence[1]
After declaration of state of defence:
the Federal Chancellor[2]
Federal Chancellor
Angela Merkel
Minister of Defence
Ursula von der Leyen
Inspector General
General Eberhard Zorn (Heer)
Manpower
Military age
17
Conscription
Yes, suspended
Active personnel
179,753 (28 February 2018)
Reserve personnel
27,900 (2017)
Deployed personnel
3,791 (26 March 2018)
Expenditures
Budget
€38.93 billion (FY18)
Industry
Domestic suppliers
Airbus
Heckler & Koch
Rheinmetall
Krauss-Maffei Wegmann
Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft
Walther arms
ThyssenKrupp
Foreign suppliers
European Union member nations;
United States
Annual imports
Volume of about $1 billion (2009 est.)
Annual exports
Volume of about €6.88 billion (2016)[3]
The Bundeswehr (German: [ˈbʊndəsˌveːɐ̯] ( listen), Federal Defence) is the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities. The States of Germany are not allowed to maintain armed forces of their own, since the German Constitution states that matters of defense fall into the sole responsibility of the federal government.[4]
The Bundeswehr is divided into a military part (armed forces or Streitkräfte) and a civil part with the armed forces administration (Wehrverwaltung). The military part of the federal defense force consists of the German Army, the German Navy, the German Air Force, the Joint Support Service, the Joint Medical Service, and the Cyber and Information Space Command.
As of 28 February 2018[update], the Bundeswehr has a strength of 179,753 active soldiers,[5] placing it among the 30 largest military forces in the world and making it the second largest in the European Union behind France in terms of personnel.[5] In addition the Bundeswehr has approximately 27,900 reserve personnel (2017).[6] With German military expenditures at €38.93 billion,[7] the Bundeswehr is among the top ten best-funded forces in the world, even if in terms of share of German GDP, military expenditures remain average at 1.13% and below the NATO target of 2%.[8] Germany aims to expand the Bundeswehr to around 198,000 soldiers by 2024 to better cope with increasing responsibilities.[9]
Contents
1 History
1.1 Founding principles
1.2 Cold War 1955–1990
1.3 German Reunification 1990
1.4 Reorientation
1.5 Coordination with European Partners
2 Command organisation
2.1 Mission
3 Operations
3.1 Equipment
4 Appearance
4.1 Uniforms
4.2 Ranks
4.3 Women
4.4 Rank structure
5 Awards
6 See also
7 References
8 Further reading
9 External links
History[edit]
Main article: Military history of Germany
Founding principles[edit]
The name Bundeswehr was first proposed by the former Wehrmacht general and Liberal politician Hasso von Manteuffel. The Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz) is its official emblem. It is a symbol that has a long association with the military of Germany. The Schwarzes Kreuz is derived from the black cross insignia of the medieval Teutonic knights; since 1813 the symbol has been used to denote a military decoration for all ranks.
When the Bundeswehr was established in 1955, its founding principles were based on developing a completely new military force for the defence of West Germany. In this respect the Bundeswehr did not consider itself to be a successor to either the Reichswehr (1921–1935) of the Weimar Republic or Hitler's Wehrmacht (1935–1946). Neither does it adhere to the traditions of any former German military organization. Its official ethos is based on three major themes:[10]
the aims of the military reformers at the beginning of the 19th century such as Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, and Clausewitz
the conduct displayed by members of the military resistance against Adolf Hitler, especially the attempt of Claus von Stauffenberg and Henning von Tresckow to assassinate him.
its own tradition since 1955.
A Großer Zapfenstreich at Ramstein Air Base in 2002.
One of the most visible traditions of the modern Bundeswehr is the Großer Zapfenstreich; this is a form of military tattoo that has its origins in the landsknecht era. The FRG reinstated this formal military ceremony in 1952, three years before the foundation of the Bundeswehr. Today it is performed by a military band with 4 fanfare trumpeters and timpani, a corps of drums, up to two escort companies of the Bundeswehr's Wachbataillon (or another deputized unit) and Torchbearers. The Zapfenstreich is only performed during national celebrations or solemn public commemorations. It can honour distinguished persons present such as the German federal president or provide the conclusion to large military exercises.
Another important tradition in the modern German armed forces is the Gelöbnis; the solemn oath made by conscripts (until 2011) now recruits during basic training and serving professional soldiers. There are two kinds of oath: for conscripts/recruits it is a pledge but it's a solemn vow for full-time personnel.
The pledge is made annually on 20 July, the date on which a group of Wehrmacht officers attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1944. Recruits from the Bundeswehr's Wachbataillon make their vow (Gelöbnis) at the Bendlerblock in Berlin. This was the headquarters of the resistance but also where the officers were summarily executed following its failure. National commemorations are held nearby within the grounds of the Reichstag. Similar events also take place across the German Republic. Since 2011 (when conscription was placed in abeyance within the Bundesrepublik Deutschland), the wording of the ceremonial vow for full-time recruits and volunteer personnel is:
"Ich gelobe, der Bundesrepublik Deutschland treu zu dienen und das Recht und die Freiheit des deutschen Volkes tapfer zu verteidigen."
"I pledge to serve the Federal Republic of Germany loyally and to defend the right and the freedom of the German people bravely."
Serving Bundeswehr personnel replace "Ich gelobe, ..." with "Ich schwöre, ..." ("I vow to...").
Cold War 1955–1990[edit]
The Federal Republic of Germany joined NATO in 1955.
After World War II the responsibility for the security of Germany as a whole rested with the four Allied Powers: the United States, the United Kingdom, France and the Soviet Union. Germany had been without armed forces since the Wehrmacht was dissolved following World War II. When the Federal Republic of Germany was founded in 1949, it was without a military. Germany remained completely demilitarized and any plans for a German military were forbidden by Allied regulations. Only some naval mine-sweeping units continued to exist, but they remained unarmed and under Allied control and did not serve as a national defence force. Even the Federal Border Protection Force, a mobile, lightly armed police force of 10,000 men, was only formed in 1951. A proposal to integrate West German troops with soldiers of France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Italy in a European Defence Community was proposed but never implemented.
There was a discussion among the United States, the United Kingdom and France over the issue of a revived (West) German military. In particular, France was reluctant to allow Germany to rearm in light of recent history (Germany had invaded France twice in living memory, in World War I and World War II, and also defeated France in the Franco-German War of 1870/71; (see also French–German enmity)). However, after the project for a European Defence Community failed in the French National Assembly in 1954, France agreed to West German accession to NATO and rearmament.
Leopard 2 tanks
With growing tensions between the Soviet Union and the West, especially after the Korean War, this policy was to be revised. While the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) was already secretly rearming, the seeds of a new West German force started in 1950 when former high-ranking German officers were tasked by Chancellor Konrad Adenauer to discuss the options for West German rearmament. The results of a meeting in the monastery of Himmerod formed the conceptual base to build the new armed forces in West Germany. The Amt Blank (Blank Agency, named after its director Theodor Blank), the predecessor of the later Federal Ministry of Defence, was formed the same year to prepare the establishment of the future forces. Hasso von Manteuffel, a former general of the Wehrmacht and liberal politician, submitted the name Bundeswehr for the new forces. This name was later confirmed by the West German Bundestag.
The Bundeswehr was officially established on the 200th birthday of Scharnhorst on 12 November 1955. In personnel and education terms, the most important initial feature of the new German armed forces was to be their orientation as citizen defenders of a democratic state, fully subordinate to the political leadership of the country.[11] A personnel screening committee was created to make sure that the future colonels and generals of the armed forces were those whose political attitude and experience would be acceptable to the new democratic state.[12] There were a few key reformers, such as General Ulrich de Maiziere, General Graf von Kielmansegg, and Graf von Baudissin,[13] who reemphasised some of the more democratic parts of Germany's armed forces history in order to establish a solid civil-military basis to build upon.
The Bundeswehr was the first NATO member to use the Soviet-built MiG 29 jet, taken over from the former East German Air Force after reunification.
After an amendment of the Basic Law in 1955, West Germany became a member of NATO. The first public military review took place at Andernach, in January 1956.[14] A US Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) helped with the introduction of the Bundeswehr's initial equipment and war material, predominantly of American origin.[citation needed] In 1956, conscription for all men between the ages of 18 and 45 was reintroduced, later augmented by a civil alternative with longer duration (see Conscription in Germany). In response, East Germany formed its own military force, the Nationale Volksarmee (NVA), in 1956, with conscription being established only in 1962. The Nationale Volksarmee was eventually dissolved with the reunification of Germany in 1990. Compulsory conscription was suspended – but not completely abolished as an alternative – in January 2011.
During the Cold War the Bundeswehr was the backbone of NATO's conventional defence in Central Europe. It had a strength of 495,000 military and 170,000 civilian personnel. Although Germany had smaller armed forces than France and the United States, Cold War Historian John Lewis Gaddis assesses the Bundeswehr as "perhaps world's best army".[15] The Army consisted of three corps with 12 divisions, most of them heavily armed with tanks and APCs. The Luftwaffe owned significant numbers of tactical combat aircraft and took part in NATO's integrated air defence (NATINAD). The Navy was tasked and equipped to defend the Baltic Approaches, to provide escort reinforcement and resupply shipping in the North Sea and to contain the Soviet Baltic Fleet.
During this time the Bundeswehr did not take part in combat operations. However, there were a number of large-scale training and operational casualties. The first such incident was in June 1957, when 15 paratroop recruits were drowned in the Iller river, Bavaria.[16]
German Reunification 1990[edit]
At the time of reunification, the German military boasted a manpower of some 585,000 soldiers.[9] As part of the German reunification process, under the Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany (Two-Plus Four Treaty), which paved the way for reunification, the Bundeswehr was to be reduced to 370,000 personnel, of whom no more than 345,000 were to be in the Army and Air Force. This would be Germany's contribution to the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, and the restrictions would enter into force at the time the CFE treaty would. As a result, the Bundeswehr was significantly reduced, and the former East German Nationale Volksarmee (NVA) was disbanded, with a portion of its personnel and material being absorbed into the Bundeswehr.
Play media
A Eurofighter Typhoon of the Luftwaffe.
About 50,000 Volksarmee personnel were integrated into the Bundeswehr on 2 October 1990. This figure was rapidly reduced as conscripts and short-term volunteers completed their service. A number of senior officers (but no generals or admirals) received limited contracts for up to two years to continue daily operations. Personnel remaining in the Bundeswehr were awarded new contracts and new ranks, dependent on their individual qualification and experience. Many were granted and accepted a lower rank than previously held in the Volksarmee.
In general, the unification process of the two militaries – under the slogan "Armee der Einheit" (or "Army of Unity") – has been seen publicly as a major success and an example for other parts of the society.
With the reduction, a large amount of the military hardware of the Bundeswehr, as well as of the Volksarmee, had to be disposed of. Most of the armoured vehicles and fighter jet aircraft (the Bundesluftwaffe – due to reunification – was the only air force in the world that flew both Phantoms and MIGs) were dismantled under international disarmament procedures. Many ships were scrapped or sold, often to the Baltic states or Indonesia (the latter received 39 former Volksmarine vessels of various types).
With reunification, all restrictions on the manufacture and possession of conventional arms that had been imposed on the Bundeswehr as a condition for West German rearmament were lifted.[17]
Since 1996, Germany also has its own Special Forces, the Kommando Spezialkräfte (Special Forces Command). It was formed after German citizens had to be rescued in Rwanda by Belgian Para-Commandos as the Special Commands of the Federal Police were not capable of operating in a war zone.
Reorientation[edit]
Bundeskader - Sportfördergruppe der Bundeswehr - Girls tracksuit
A major event for the German military was the suspension of the compulsory conscription for men in 2011. In 2011/12, a major reform of the Bundeswehr was announced, further limiting the number of military bases and soldiers.[18] The last reform set a required strength of 185,000 soldiers.[19] As of 31 December 2017[update], the number of active military personnel in the Bundeswehr was down to 179,753, corresponding to a ratio of 2.2 active soldiers per 1,000 inhabitants.[20] Military expenditure in Germany was at €37 billion in 2017, corresponding to 1.2% of GDP.[21]
German military expenditures are lower than comparable countries of the European Union such as France and the United Kingdom, especially when taking into account Germany's larger population and economy. This discrepancy is often criticized by Germany's military allies, especially the United States.[22][23]
In September 2014, the Bundeswehr acknowledged chronic equipment problems that rendered its armed forces "unable to deliver its defensive NATO promises". Among the problems cited were dysfunctional weapons systems, armored vehicles, aircraft, and naval vessels unfit for immediate service due to a neglect of maintenance, and serious equipment and spare parts shortages. The situation was so dire that it was acknowledged that most of Germany's fighter aircraft and combat helicopters were not in deployable condition.[24][25][26]
In 2015, as a result of serious NATO-Russian tensions in Europe, Germany announced a major increase in defense spending. In May 2015, the German government approved an increase in defense spending, at the time 1.3% of GDP, by 6.2% over the following five years, allowing the Ministry of Defense to fully modernize the army.[27] Plans were also announced to significantly expand the tank fleet to a potential number of 328, order 131 more Boxer armored personnel carriers, increase the submarine fleet, and to develop a new fighter jet to replace the Tornado.[28][29][30][31] Germany considered increasing the size of the army,[32] and in May 2016 it announced it would spend €130 billion on new equipment by 2030 and add nearly 7,000 soldiers by 2023 in the first German military expansion since the end of the Cold War.[33][34] In February 2017, the German government announced another expansion, which would increase the number of its professional soldiers by 20,000 by 2024.[35]
Coordination with European Partners[edit]
The Bundeswehr is to play a greater role as "anchor army" for smaller NATO states, by improving coordination between its divisions and smaller members' Brigades .[36] A further proposal, by Minister of Defence von der Leyen, to allow non-German EU nationals to join the Bundeswehr, has been met by strong opposition, even from her own party.[37]
As a consequence of improved Dutch-German cooperation, 2 of 3 Royal Netherlands Army Brigades are now under German Command. In 2014, the 11th Airmobile Brigade was integrated into the German Division of fast forces (DSK). The Dutch 43rd Mechanized Brigade will be assigned to the 1st Panzer Division (Bundeswehr) of the German army, with the integration starting at the beginning of 2016, and the unit becoming operational at the end of 2019. Also, the Seebatallion of the German Navy will start operating under Royal Dutch Navy command until 2018. The Dutch-German military cooperation is seen as an example for setting up a European defense union.[38][39]
Also the Czech Republic's 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade, and Romania's 81st Mechanized Brigade, will be integrated into Germany's 10 Armoured Division and Rapid Response Forces Division.[40]
Command organisation[edit]
Civil Emblem of the Bundeswehr
Minister of Defense, Ursula von der Leyen
With the growing number of missions abroad it was recognized that the Bundeswehr required a new command structure. A reform commission under the chairmanship of the former President Richard von Weizsäcker presented its recommendations in spring 2000.
In October 2000 the Joint Support Service, the Streitkräftebasis, was established to concentrate logistics and other supporting functions such as military police, supply and communications under one command. Medical support was reorganised with the establishment of the Joint Medical Service. In 2016, the Bundeswehr created its youngest branch the Cyber and Information Space Command.
The combat forces of the Army are organised into three combat divisions and participate in multi-national command structures at the corps level. The Air Force maintains three divisions and the Navy is structured into two flotillas. The Joint Support Service and the Joint Medical Service are both organized in four regional commands of identical structure. All of these services also have general commands for training, procurement, and other general issues.
A German Navy Frigate
The minister of defence or the chancellor is supported by the Chief of Defense (CHOD, Generalinspekteur) and the service chiefs (Inspekteure: Inspector of the Army, Inspector of the Air Force, Inspector of the Navy) and their respective staffs in his or her function as commander-in-chief. The CHOD and the service chiefs form the Military Command Council (Militärischer Führungsrat) with functions similar to those of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the United States. Subordinate to the CHOD is the Armed Forces Operational Command (Einsatzführungskommando). For smaller missions one of the service HQs (e.g. the Fleet Command) may exercise command and control of forces in missions abroad. The Bundestag must approve any foreign deployment by a simple majority. This has led to some discontent with Germany's allies about troop deployments e.g. in Afghanistan since parliamentary consent over such issues is relatively hard to achieve in Germany.
Mission[edit]
German Army soldiers in Afghanistan (2009) in front of Dingo infantry mobility vehicles
The role of the Bundeswehr is described in the Constitution of Germany (Art. 87a) as absolutely defensive only. Its only active role before 1990 was the Katastropheneinsatz (disaster control). Within the Bundeswehr, it helped after natural disasters both in Germany and abroad. After 1990, the international situation changed from East-West confrontation to one of general uncertainty and instability.
Today, after a ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court in 1994 the term "defence" has been defined to not only include protection of the borders of Germany, but also crisis reaction and conflict prevention, or more broadly as guarding the security of Germany anywhere in the world.[41] According to the definition given by former Defence Minister Struck, it may be necessary to defend Germany even at the Hindu Kush. This requires the Bundeswehr to take part in operations outside of the borders of Germany, as part of NATO or the European Union and mandated by the UN.
Operations[edit]
Since the early 1990s the Bundeswehr has become more and more engaged in international operations in and around the former Yugoslavia, and also in other parts of the world like Cambodia or Somalia. After the 11 September 2001 attacks, German forces were employed in most related theaters except Iraq.
Bundeswehr current international operations
Frigate Karlsruhe of the German Navy rescuing shipwrecked people off the coast of Somalia where it is patrolling
Currently (26 March 2018) there are Bundeswehr forces in:[42]
Afghanistan
Resolute Support Mission
1,133 personnel
(mandate limit: 1,300)
Kosovo
KFOR
411 personnel
(mandate limit: 800)
South Sudan
UNMISS
15 personnel
(mandate limit: 50)
Sudan
UNAMID
4 personnel
(mandate limit: 50)
Lebanon
UNIFIL
130 personnel
(mandate limit: 300)
Mali
EUTM Mali
148 personnel
(mandate limit: 300)
Mali / Senegal
MINUSMA
998 personnel
(mandate limit: 1,000)
Horn of Africa / Indian Ocean
Operation Atalanta
73 personnel
(mandate limit: 600)
Somalia
EUTM Somalia
4 personnel
(mandate limit: 20)
Mediterranean Sea
Operation Sea Guardian
193 personnel
(mandate limit: 650)
Mediterranean Sea
Operation Sophia
194 personnel
(mandate limit: 950)
(Middle East)
(Operation Counter Daesh)
306 personnel
(mandate limit: 800)
Iraq
Peshmerga training in northern Iraq
135 personnel
(mandate limit: 150)
Western Sahara
Minurso
3 personnel
(mandate limit: 20)
In addition to the numbers above, 42 soldiers are on permanent stand-by for medical evacuation operations around the world in assistance of ongoing German or coalition operations (STRATAIRMEDEVAC).
In support of Allied stabilization efforts in Iraq, the Bundeswehr is also training the new Iraqi forces in locations outside Iraq, such as the United Arab Emirates and Germany.
Since 1994, the Bundeswehr has lost about 100 troops in foreign deployments. See also: German Armed Forces casualties in Afghanistan.
Equipment[edit]
Further information: List of modern equipment of the German Army, Aircraft Inventory of the German Luftwaffe, and List of active ships of the German Navy
According to the new threat scenario facing Germany and its NATO allies, the Bundeswehr is currently reorganising itself. To realise growth in mobility and the enlargement of the air force's capabilities, the Bundeswehr is going to buy 53 Airbus A400M transports as well as 140 Eurofighter Typhoon fighters and also several unmanned aerial vehicle models. 57 Eurocopter Tiger, 100 NH90 (18 of them in the naval version) and 15 special forces helicopters are being delivered. For the ground forces it plans to produce 350 Puma infantry fighting vehicle, at least 400 Boxer MRAV, started to introduce a novel land soldier system and a new generation of transportation vehicles and light vehicles, such as the Fennek, and KMW Grizzly. Further, the German Navy is going to build 4 new F125 class frigates, 6 new multi-role combat ships (dubbed MKS 180) and 6 Type 212 submarines.
NH90 helicopter
Boxer MRAV
Airbus A400M
Appearance[edit]
Uniforms[edit]
German Army signallers in service uniforms.
The service uniform is theoretically the standard type of Bundeswehr uniform for general duty and off-post activity, but is most associated, however, with ceremonial occasions. The army's service uniform consists of a light gray, single-breasted coat and darker grey trousers, worn with a light blue shirt, black tie, and black shoes. The peaked, visored cap has been replaced by the beret as the most common form of headgear. Dress uniforms featuring dinner jackets or double-breasted coats are worn by officers for various social occasions. The battle and work uniform consists of Flecktarn camouflage fatigues, which are also worn on field duty. In practice, they are also used for general duty and off-post at least at barracks where there is also field duty even by others, and for the way home or to the post, and generally regarded as the Heer uniform.[43] In all three services, light sand-coloured uniforms are available for duty in warmer climates. In 2016 a new Multitarn pattern was launched, similar to the MultiCam uniforms of the British Army or US Army.[44][45][46]
A different, traditional variety of the service uniform is worn by the Gebirgsjäger (mountain infantry), consisting of ski jacket, stretch trousers, and ski boots. Instead of the beret, they wear the grey "mountain cap". (see here for details.) The field uniform is the same, except for the (optional) metal Edelweiss worn on the forage cap.
A German infantryman stands at the ready with his Heckler & Koch G36 during a practice exercise in 2004. US troops watch in the background. All rifles in the photo are equipped with blank firing adapters.
The traditional arm-of-service colours appear as lapel facings and as piping on shoulder straps. Generals wear an inner piping of gold braid; other officers wear silver piping. Lapel facings and piping are maroon for general staff, green for infantry, red for artillery, pink for armour, black for engineers, yellow for communications, dark yellow for reconnaissance and various other colors for the remaining branches. Combat troops wear green (infantry), black (armour), or maroon (airborne) berets. Logistics troops and combat support troops, such as artillery or engineers, wear red berets. A gold or silver badge on the beret denotes the individual branch of service.
The naval forces wear the traditional navy blue, double-breasted coat and trousers; enlisted personnel wear either a white shirt or a navy blue shirt with the traditional navy collar. White uniforms provide an alternative for summer. The officer's dress cap is mounted with a gold anchor surrounded by a wreath. The visor of the admiral's cap bears a double row of oak leaves.
The air force service uniform consists of a blue jacket and trousers with a light blue shirt, dark blue tie, and black shoes. Olive battle dress similar to the army fatigue uniform is worn in basic training and during other field duty. Flying personnel wear wings on their right breast. Other air force personnel wear a modified wing device with a symbol in its centre denoting service specialisation. These Tätigkeitsabzeichen come in bronze, silver, or gold, depending on one's length of service in the specialty. Wings, superimposed over a wreath, in gold, silver, or bronze, depending on rank, are also worn on the service or field cap.
Ranks[edit]
Main article: Command and obedience in the Bundeswehr
Service Uniform Army (Heer)
In general, officer ranks are those used in the Prussian and pre-1945 German armies. Officer rank insignia are worn on shoulder straps or shoulder boards. Army (Heer) and air force (Luftwaffe) junior officers' insignia are four pointed silver stars while field grade officers wear silver (black or white on camouflage uniforms) stars and an oak wreath around the lowest star. The stars and wreath are gold for general officers. In the case of naval (Marine) officers, rank is indicated by gold stripes on the lower sleeve of the blue service jacket and on shoulder boards of the white uniform.
Soldier and NCO ranks are similar to those of the Prussian and pre-1945 German armies. In the army and air force, a Gefreiter corresponds to the NATO rank OR-2 and Hauptgefreiter to OR-3. An Unteroffizier is the lowest-ranking sergeant (OR-5), followed by Stabsunteroffizier (OR-6), Feldwebel and Oberfeldwebel (OR-7), Hauptfeldwebel (OR-8), Stabsfeldwebel (OR-9) and Oberstabsfeldwebel. Ranks of army and air force enlisted personnel are designated by stripes, chevrons, and "sword knots" worn on rank slides. Naval enlisted rank designations are worn on the upper (OR 1–5) or lower (OR-6 and above) sleeve along with a symbol based on an anchor for the service specialization (rating). Army and air force officer candidates hold the separate ranks of Fahnenjunker, Fähnrich and Oberfähnrich, and wear the appropriate rank insignia plus a silver cord bound around it. Officers candidates in the navy Seekadett (sea cadet; equivalent to OR-4) and Fähnrich zur See (midshipman second class; OR-5) wear the rank insignia of the respective enlisted ranks but with a gold star instead of the rating symbol, while an Oberfähnrich zur See (midshipman first class; OR-7) wears an officer type thin rank stripe.
Medical personnel of all three services wear a version of the traditional caduceus (staff with entwined serpents) on their shoulder straps or sleeve. The officers' ranks have own designations differing from the line officers, the rank insignias however are basically the same.
Women[edit]
Ulrike Flender, the first female combat pilot in the unified German military
Women have served in the medical service since 1975. From 1993 they were also allowed to serve as enlisted personnel and non-commissioned officers in the medical service and the army bands. In 2000, in a lawsuit brought up by Tanja Kreil, the European Court of Justice issued a ruling allowing women to serve in more roles than previously allowed. Since 2001 they can serve in all functions of service without restriction, but they are not subject to conscription. There are presently around 19,064 women on active duty[5] and a number of female reservists who take part in all duties including peacekeeping missions and other operations. In 1994, Verena von Weymarn became Generalarzt der Luftwaffe ("Surgeon General of the Air Force"), the first woman ever to reach the rank of general in the armed forces of Germany.
For women, lower physical performance requirements are required in the basic fitness test, which must be completed at the time of recruitment and later on annually. The sex surcharge for the sprint test and the 1,000m run is 15%, for chin-up 40%.[47]
Rank structure[edit]
Main article: Bundeswehr rank insignia
Army and Air Force
Enlisted
Schütze/Flieger or equivalent rank – Private/Airman Basic/Aircraftman or equivalent rank
Gefreiter – Private/Airman E2
Gefreiter-UA – Private/Airman E2 – NCO Candidate (Sergeants/Staff Sergeants)
Gefreiter-FA – Private/Airman E2 – NCO Candidate (Staff Sergeant/Flight Sgts.)
Gefreiter-OA – Private/Airman E2 – Officer Candidate
Obergefreiter – Private First Class / Airman First Class
Hauptgefreiter – Lance Corporal / Senior Airman
Stabsgefreiter – Corporal
Oberstabsgefreiter – Specialist / Master Corporal
Non-commissioned officers
Unteroffizier – Lance sergeant
Unteroffizier-FA – Lance-Sergeant – Candidate Staff Sergeant
Stabsunteroffizier – Sergeant
Feldwebel – Staff Sergeant / Flight Sergeant
Oberfeldwebel – Technical or Tech Sergeant / Flight Sergeant
Hauptfeldwebel – Master Sergeant / Sergeant First Class
Stabsfeldwebel – Senior Master Sergeant / Quartermaster Sergeant
Oberstabsfeldwebel – Chief Master Sergeant / Sergeant Major
Officer Cadets
Fahnenjunker – Cadet / Officer Candidate (with the rank of Lance Sergeant)
Fähnrich – Ensign (with the rank of Staff Sergeant)
Oberfähnrich – Senior Ensign (with the rank of Sergeant First Class)
Officers
General Wolfgang Schneiderhan
Leutnant – 2nd Lieutenant
Oberleutnant – 1st Lieutenant/Lieutenant
Hauptmann – Captain (OF-2)
Stabshauptmann – Senior Captain
Major
Oberstleutnant – Lieutenant Colonel
Oberst – Colonel
Brigadegeneral – Brigadier General/Brigadier
Generalmajor – Major General
Generalleutnant – Lieutenant General
General
Navy
Enlisted
Matrose – Seaman Recruit
Gefreiter – Seaman Apprentice E2
Gefreiter-MA – Seaman Apprentice E2 – Petty Officer Candidate
Gefreiter-BA – Seaman Apprentice E2 – Chief Petty Officer Candidate
Gefreiter-OA – Seaman Apprentice E2 – Officer Candidate
Obergefreiter – Seaman
Hauptgefreiter – Able Seaman
Stabsgefreiter – Leading Seaman
Oberstabsgefreiter – Master Seaman
Non-commissioned officers
Maat – Petty Officer 3rd Class
Maat-BA – Petty Officer 3rd Class – Probationary Petty Officer 1st Class
Obermaat – Petty Officer 2nd Class
Bootsmann – Petty Officer 1st Class
Oberbootsmann – Chief petty officer
Hauptbootsmann – Senior Chief Petty Officer
Stabsbootsmann – Master Chief Petty Officer
Oberstabsbootsmann – Master Chief Petty Officer, Fleet/Force Master Chief Petty Officer
Officer cadets
Seekadett – Sea Cadet in the rank of Petty Officer 3rd Class
Fähnrich zur See – Midshipman 2nd class in the rank of Petty Officer 1st Class
Oberfähnrich zur See – Midshipman 1st class in the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer
Officers
Leutnant zur See – Ensign
Oberleutnant zur See – Lieutenant (junior grade) / Sublieutenant
Kapitänleutnant – Lieutenant/Captain Lieutenant
Stabskapitänleutnant – Senior Lieutenant/Senior Captain Lieutenant
Korvettenkapitän – Lieutenant Commander
Fregattenkapitän – Commander
Kapitän zur See – Captain/Captain at Sea
Flottillenadmiral – Flotilla Admiral
Konteradmiral – Counter Admiral, Rear Admiral
Vizeadmiral – Vice Admiral
Admiral
Awards[edit]
Main article: Awards and decorations of the German Armed Forces
Badge of Honour of the Bundeswehr
Combat Action Medal of the Bundeswehr
German Armed Forces Badge of Marksmanship
German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency
German Armed Forces Service Medal
German Flood Service Medal (2002)
German Flood Service Medal (2013)
German Parachutist Badge
See also[edit]
Military of Germany portal
Germany portal
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Parachutist Badge (Germany)
Defence Force
United Nations Training Center of the Bundeswehr
References[edit]
This article incorporates public domain material from the Library of Congress document: Jean R. Tartte. "Germany: A country study". Federal Research Division. Uniforms, Ranks, and Insignia.
Jump up ^ "Art 65a Basic Law". Gesetze-im-internet.de. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
Jump up ^ "Art 115b Basic Law". Gesetze-im-internet.de. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
Jump up ^ "German arms sales drop – to second-highest levels on record". Deutsche Welle. 5 July 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
Jump up ^ "Art 87a (1) Basic Law". Gesetze-im-internet.de. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
^ Jump up to: a b c "Die Stärke der Streitkräfte [Personnel strength of German Armed Forces]". 3 April 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
Jump up ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (14 February 2018). The Military Balance 2018. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-1857439557.
Jump up ^ "Bericht: Bundeswehr hat nur vier kampfbereite "Eurofighter"". 2 May 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
Jump up ^ "Embargo Milex Fact Sheet" (PDF). Books.sipri.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b (www.dw.com), Deutsche Welle. "Germany to expand Bundeswehr to almost 200,000 troops - DW - 21.02.2017". DW.COM.
Jump up ^ "Traditionen der Bundeswehr" (in German). Bundesministerium der Verteidigung. Retrieved 6 August 2008.
Jump up ^ Fritz Erler, 'Politik und nicht Prestige,' in Erler and Jaeger, Sicherheit und Rustung, 1962, p.82-3, cited in Julian Lider, Origins and Development of West German Military Thought, Vol. I, 1949–1966, Gower Publishing Company Ltd, Aldershot/Brookfield VT, 1986, p.125
Jump up ^ Aberheim, 'The Citizen in Uniform: Reform and its Critics in the Bundeswehr,’ in Szabo, (ed.), The Bundeswehr and Western Security, St. Martin’s Press, New York, 1990, p.39.
Jump up ^ Donald Aberheim, 1990, p.37; Donald Aberheim, ‘German Soldiers and German Unity: Political Foundations of the German Armed Forces,’ California Naval Postgraduate School, 1991, p.14, cited in Artur A Bogowicz, ‘Polish Armed Forces of 2000: Demands and Changes,' NPGS Thesis, March 2000, and Obituary for General Ulrich de Maizière, The Times, 13 September 2006
Jump up ^ Large, David Clay Germans to the Front West German rearmament in the Adenauer era University of North Carolina Press 1996 pp244-5 ISBN 0-8078-4539-6
Jump up ^ John Lewis Gaddis, 'The Cold War – a New History', Penguin Books, London, 2005, p.220
Jump up ^ Large op.cit. pp263-4
Jump up ^ Duffield, John: World Power Forsaken: Political Culture, International Institutions, and German Security Policy After Unification, p. 32
Jump up ^ "Outlook: The Bundeswehr of the future". Bundesministerium der Verteidigung. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
Jump up ^ Madeline Chambers (3 December 2015), More assertive Germany considers bigger army as Syria vote looms Reuters.
Jump up ^ "Die Stärke der Streitkräfte" (in German). Bundesministerium der Verteidigung. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
Jump up ^ "Verteidigungshaushalt 2011" (in German). Bundesministerium der Verteidigung. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
Jump up ^ Shanker, Thom (10 June 2011). "Defense Secretary Warns NATO of "Dim" Future". New York Times. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
Jump up ^ "US Think Tank Slams Germany's NATO Role". Spiegel Online. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
Jump up ^ "Inside Germany's Higher Defense Spending – Foreign Affairs". Foreign Affairs.
Jump up ^ "Germany′s von der Leyen admits major Bundeswehr shortfalls – News – DW.COM – 27.09.2014". DW.COM.
Jump up ^ "Ramshackle Army at Odds with Berlin's Global Aspirations – SPIEGEL ONLINE". Spiegel.de. 30 September 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
Jump up ^ Reuters Editorial (17 March 2015). "Germany to boost mid-term defense spending". Reuters.
Jump up ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 31 December 2015. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
Jump up ^ "Germany's Army To Procure 131 New Boxer Armored Personnel carriers". Defense News. 17 December 2015.
Jump up ^ "Germany plans to develop new fighter jet to replace Tornado". Channel NewsAsia.
Jump up ^ "German military to bring back mothballed tanks". DW.COM.
Jump up ^ Madeline Chambers (3 December 2015). "More assertive Germany considers bigger army as Syria vote looms". Reuters.
Jump up ^ Smale, Alison (5 June 2016). "In a Reversal, Germany's Military Growth Is Met With Western Relief". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
Jump up ^ Tomkiw, Lydia (10 May 2016). "Germany Announces First Military Expansion Since Cold War Amid Cyber Threats, US Pressure". International Business Times. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
Jump up ^ "Germany to Expand Bundeswehr to Almost 200,000 Troops". Deutsche Welle. 21 February 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
Jump up ^ "Bundesregierung - Europa - NATO: Investing more in security". www.bundesregierung.de.
Jump up ^ "Germany proposes allowing foreigners to join its army". 14 July 2016.
Jump up ^ Mehta, Aaron (4 February 2016). "bundeswehr-sea-battalion-dutch-navy-integration". Defensenews.com. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
Jump up ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
Jump up ^ [1]
Jump up ^ "RSS-Feed (Bundeswehr und Bundesministerium der Verteidigung)". BMVg.de (in German). 14 January 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
Jump up ^ "The Strength of the German Contingents" (in German). Bundeswehr.de. 29 March 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
Jump up ^ A soldier's joke about this situation runs thus: “The service uniform is called service uniform because it's not worn on service, while the field uniform is called field uniform because it's not worn in the field.” (In the field they wear the battle uniform (“Gefechtsanzug”), an extended version of the field uniform.)
Jump up ^ Bei jedem Wetter, zu jeder Zeit: Neue Tarnung für die Truppe bundeswehr.de. Erding, Bayern, 9 February 2016.
Jump up ^ "Neue Bundeswehr Multi-Tarnuniform soll unsichtbar machen". Faz.net. 23 April 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
Jump up ^ "Die Bundeswehr tarnt sich: Deutsche Soldaten bekommen neue Uniform". Wiwo.de (in German). Retrieved 2 March 2017.
Jump up ^ "Zentralanweisung B1-224/0-2" (PDF) (in German). Bundesministerium der Verteidigung. p. 24. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
Further reading[edit]
Searle, Alaric (2003). Wehrmacht Generals, West German Society, and the Debate on Rearmament, 1949–1959. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers. ISBN 978-0-275-97968-3.
External links[edit]
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Territoriale Wehrverwaltung official site (in German)
Y – Magazine of the Federal Defence Forces (in German)
Zeitschrift für Innere Führung (in German)
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Grant Geissman
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Grant Geissman
Born
(1953-04-13) April 13, 1953 (age 64)
Berkeley, California, U.S.
Genres
Jazz, jazz fusion
Occupation(s)
Musician, composer
Instruments
Guitar
Years active
1976–present
Associated acts
Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band
Website
www.grantgeissman.com
Grant Geissman (born April 13, 1953) is an American jazz guitarist and Emmy-nominated composer. He has recorded extensively for several labels since 1976 and played guitar on the theme for Monk and other TV series.
Contents
[hide]
1 Career
2 Television
3 Books
4 Discography
5 References
6 External links
Career[edit]
Geissman was born in Berkeley, California and grew up in San Jose.[1] He took guitar lessons from local musicians, such as Geoff Levin (of the pop group People!), Bud Dimock, Don Cirallo, and Terry Saunders. Encouraged by these teachers to learn jazz standards and to improvise, he began playing in rock bands on weekends and also with small jazz groups and big bands. As a high school senior, he entered formal study with avant-garde guitarist Jerry Hahn, who introduced him to the music of Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Ornette Coleman.
After graduating from Prospect High School, Geissman attended De Anza Junior College, where he played in both De Anza's jazz band and the Daddio Band (of older professionals). Both were led by jazz educator Herb Patnoe, who was the director of Stan Kenton's Jazz Clinics.[1] Since the Kenton band at that time had no guitar player, Patnoe recommended Geissman to teach at Kenton's summer clinics in both Sacramento and in southern California. While teaching at these clinics for several summers, Geissman first met (and played with) drummer Peter Erskine and pianist Dan Haerle.
In 1973, Geissman moved to Los Angeles and attended one semester at Cal State Fullerton,[1] where he played in the band led by pianist and clarinetist Tom Ranier. Transferring to Cal State Northridge in 1974 to be closer to the Hollywood studio scene, Geissman joined the Northridge "A" band led by jazz educator Joel Leach. While at Northridge, he began playing in both Gerald Wilson's Big Band and with Louie Bellson's Big Band, recording several albums with Bellson. For Louie Bellson's Live at the Concord Summer Festival, Geissman contributed an original composition, "Starship Concord." He began playing in local jazz venues with Tony Rizzi's guitar band, recording Tony Rizzi's Five Guitars Play Charlie Christian (1976), which featured Tom Ranier and Pete Christlieb.
Geissman's first gig with fluegelhornist Chuck Mangione was at the Santa Monica Civic auditorium on November 9, 1976. A short tour of the Pacific Northwest followed, and soon after Mangione asked Geissman to become a permanent member of the band. Mangione's band consisted of Geissman on guitar, Charles Meeks on bass, Chris Vadala on woodwinds, and James Bradley Jr. on drums. Geissman appeared on the album Feels So Good (1977), which sold two million copies. On radio, the single "Feels So Good", featuring Geissman's guitar solo, was an international hit. A 1980 issue of Current Biography called it the most recognized tune since "Michelle" by The Beatles.
In 1978 Geissman released his first solo album, Good Stuff (Concord Jazz),[1] which featured fellow Northridge alumnus Gordon Goodwin on sax, Tom Ranier on piano, Bob Magnussen on bass guitar, and Steve Shaeffer on drums. Grant left Mangione's band in 1981 to pursue other endeavors, including his own albums, session work, and composing. Two of his albums (Flying Colors and Time Will Tell) reached number one in the Gavin and Radio and Records Contemporary Jazz airplay charts, and many his recordings reached the top ten.
Geissman has been a regular member of Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band.[2] He has appeared as a session musician on albums by Peter Allen, Sheila E., Miki Howard, Quincy Jones, Rodney Friend, Diane Schuur, and Van Dyke Parks.[1] He has recorded with Keiko Matsui, 3rd Force, David Benoit, Cheryl Bentyne, and Lorraine Feather and had a guitar solo as a separate track on the album Hold an Old Friend's Hand by Tiffany.
Geissman reunited with Mangione in 2000 when they recorded the album Everything for Love (Chesky).[1] Geissman's early musical influences came full circle in 2003 when he played Dobro on Ringo Starr's Ringorama album. In 2006, he released his thirteenth album as a leader, Say That!, on his own label, Futurism Records. A throwback to the jazz that first influenced him, he has described the sound of this album as "Wes Montgomery meets Horace Silver meets Jimmy Smith." In All About Jazz, John Kelman said,
It's a shame that the words 'smooth jazz' have become an oxymoron. Say That!, with its relaxed pace and easy-on-the-ears approach, is as smooth as it gets. But smooth jazz it ain't. Geissman's clear roots in the jazz mainstream, and a less-is-more style that reveals greater depth, makes Say That! a welcome return to the fold for a guitarist who's always deserved more street cred than he's received.
Television[edit]
Geissman and Mangione appeared on many televisions shows, including The Tonight Show, Dinah Shore, Merv Griffin, Phil Donahue, The Midnight Special, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert and Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. Geissman's other albums with Mangione include Children of Sanchez (1978), Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1979), and Fun and Games (1980).
Geissman's playing has been heard on numerous television series, including Dawson's Creek, Family Affair, Boy Meets World, Touched by an Angel and Lizzie McGuire. He can be heard playing the Djangoesque acoustic guitar on the theme for the television series Monk, starring Tony Shalhoub. Nominated for a 2001 Emmy for co-writing the song "No Puedo Olvidar" for the daytime drama Passions, he received an Emmy nomination in 2004 for another Passions song, "Momma, Gotta Let Her Go". In 2003, he was nominated for an Annie award for producing Van Dyke Parks' songs for HBO's Harold and the Purple Crayon. He has written additional music for films and television movies, including The Ponder Heart (2001), Call Me Claus (2001), Monday Night Mayhem (2002), Die, Mommie, Die! (2003) and The Mojo Cafe (2004). Dennis C. Brown and Geissman collaborated on the underscore for the hit CBS-TV sitcom Two and a Half Men. The show's theme, co-written by Geissman, was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2004.
Books[edit]
Apart from his musical career, Geissman has written three books for Mad magazine and EC Comics: Collectibly Mad (Kitchen Sink Press, 1995); Tales of Terror! The EC Comics Companion, co-authored with Fred von Bernewitz (Fantagraphics, 2000); and Foul Play! The Art and Artists of the Notorious 1950s E.C. Comics! (HarperDesign, 2005). He has also compiled and/or written annotations for ten other Mad-related books, and he appears in Chip Selby's documentary, Tales from the Crypt: From Comic Books to Television (2004). In 2011, Geissman teamed with Russ Cochran to launch a publishing company, GC Press, to continue the hardcover EC Archives series originally published by Gemstone.
Discography[edit]
Good Stuff (Concord Jazz, 1978)
Put Away Childish Toys (Pausa, 1983)
Drinkin' from the Money River (TBA, 1986)
Snapshots (TBA, 1987)
All My Tomorrows (TBA, 1988)
Take Another Look (Mesa/Bluemoon, 1989)
Flying Colors (Mesa/Bluemoon, 1990)
Reruns (Mesa/Bluemoon, 1991)
Time Will Tell (Mesa/Bluemoon, 1992)
Rustic Technology (Mesa/Bluemoon, 1993)
Business As Usual (Positive Music, 1995)
In with the Out Crowd (Higher Octave Music, 1998)
Say That! (Futurism, 2006)
Cool Man Cool (Futurism, 2009)
Bop! Bang! Boom! (Futurism, 2012)
References[edit]
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Collar, Matt. "Grant Geissman". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
Jump up ^ Coveney, Janine (1 June 2006). "Gordon Goodwin: The Phat Boys Are Back". JazzTimes. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
External links[edit]
Official site
[hide]
v
t
e
EC Comics
Publications
Pre-Trend
Blackstone the Magician
Gunfighter
Land of the Lost
Moon Girl
New-Trend
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The Haunt of Fear
The Vault of Horror
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See also
Russ Cochran
Comics Code Authority
EC Archives
Grant Geissman
David Hajdu
Maria Reidelbach
Bhob Stewart
Lyle Stuart
Fred von Bernewitz
Authority control
WorldCat Identities
VIAF: 29806606
LCCN: n92028877
ISNI: 0000 0000 5520 7210
GND: 134382986
BNF: cb15000303q (data)
MusicBrainz: 8e93b8da-1e7c-4bae-8204-56605d761505
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Grant_Geissman&oldid=786990540"
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http://www.grantgeissman.com

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Cal State Fullerton

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Cal State Northridge

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