The incoming head of the Swiss armed forces, Roland Nef, has been promoted to the rank of corps commander at a ceremony near the capital, Bern.
This content was published on
1 minute
Nef, who officially takes up his post on Tuesday, replaces Christophe Keckeis who is retiring at the age of 62.
Defence Minister Samuel Schmid, Keckeis and the leaders of the armed forces attended the ceremony.
In his new position, 48-year-old Nef will be responsible for the development and leadership of the armed forces.
He will head the land and air forces, as well as supervise senior officers’ training, the armed forces logistics organisation, command support, and planning and joint support staffs.
Keckeis had been in the position since 2004, overseeing in particular major reforms.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Army chief says road to reform bumpy
This content was published on
Keckeis tells swissinfo these include peacekeeping missions abroad, which have been criticised by the political right, and the controversy over soldiers keeping their weapons at home, opposed by the left. As he prepares to retire, Keckeis points out that peacekeeping missions are clearly anchored in the Swiss constitution, while keeping a weapon at home is…
This content was published on
Defence Ministry Samuel Schmid said he had taken the decision for security reasons. Two army officers, currently working with a German team in the northeastern Kunduz province, will return home by March next year. The Isaf mission had become a peace enforcement operation rather than a peacekeeping duty, Schmid said. “The Swiss officers haven’t been…
This content was published on
The latest in a series of incidents involving army weapons – which all enlisted Swiss men have to keep at home with ammunition – will add fuel to the heated political debate over reforming the country’s gun laws. A 23-year-old local man, described by police as a practising Swiss Muslim, was detained on Monday night…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.