These days, around 10,000 young men and women begin their course of instruction at the Swiss Army’s military training school. The “Rekrutenschule” run by the Swiss Armed Forces is nearly as old as the federal state itself. The first of its kind was conducted in Winterthur on 4 September 1849.

12 comments

  2. I personally served for almost two yrs and I saw a handful of women during my service. I agree with equal rights for women re. everything in the civil life, but doesn’t this mean that women also should do military service?

    Edit: the question is not if our Militia is needed or not or if it’s useless (IMO it is), it’s re. equal rights for male and female in the military duty.

    Edit2: I’m not saying “because it sucks for men, women should also have a shitty time”. I personally had a great time during my military service. I’m only speaking for myself tho.

  6. Not that I was a military fan when I had to go, but not having any might not be a very clever option as well… it’s said every country has an army, it’s own or the one of others. I prefer for sure ours and I think we should keep it and work on the useless part, to make it really work and increase the needed effort for any other military to get in. The cost for others should be too high to invade in comparison to what the can gain, since we don’t have oil, gas, gold, etc.

  9. When I got the letter that I was unfit to serve, I was really happy about it. Now I wish that I could go back and actually do my mandatory military service.

  10. I think civil service should be the new default with military service as an opt-in alternative. Anyone who’s been in the swiss military knows how at least 80% of it is a waste of time, money and infrastructure.

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