From the tornado pilot to Brigadiereral: Support to Germany's security!

From the tornado pilot to Brigadiereral: Support to Germany's security!

Schwäbisch Gmünd, Deutschland - Peter Georg Stütz, a man with an impressive military career, is celebrated in Schwäbisch Gmünd as Brigadiereral a.D. and as a former head of the staff of the Bundeswehr command command. Stütz, born on December 27, 1954, served in the Air Force for almost four decades and can look back on a versatile career. He started training in Germany and the USA and has been flying almost all of the Bundeswehr jets since 1980, with around 2500 flight hours on fighter planes. He in particular knows the ECR tornado from his own experience, since he took part in the first foreign missions of the Air Force in the former Yugoslavia in 1995. He says: "These missions were a turning point in German military history".

But what has been concerned with the general since he retired in 2017? After his time at the Bundeswehr, Stütz works as an armamental consultant in Germany and the USA. He is also involved in the community, for example as part of the visiting dog group of the Malteser aid service Schwäbisch Gmünd. There is also a clear point of view in terms of his views on conscription: it describes the suspension of compulsory military service as a "huge error" and sees an urgent need for action for a new "feeling of our feeling" in society.

The challenges of the Bundeswehr

support also brings his experiences and perspectives into the current discussion about the challenges of the Bundeswehr. These include lack of materials and personnel worries that are a big topic within the troop. The former Brigadiereral is convinced that Germany is in a new form of the Cold War. This leads him to the demand to strengthen both the Bundeswehr and the armaments industry. "The digital transformation and the armaments integration in Europe have to be promoted," he explains, and adds: "We must not be dependent on US arms products, but must strengthen our own defense skills."

Currently around 3,500 soldiers of the Bundeswehr are active in 13 missions around the world. These missions abroad, such as in Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina or Lebanon, are part of the integral part of German foreign and security policy. Stütz demands that the company is sensitized to these security issues, because the missions abroad not only serve international peace, but are also a sign of the willingness of Germany to take responsibility.

a look into the past

The Bundeswehr has been active in various foreign missions for more than 30 years. From the first missions in Kosovo to the current participation of missions in Mali and Ukraine, the image of the Bundeswehr has changed a lot. Annual reports on the missions show not only the development of the armed forces, but also the costs and the commitment of the soldiers who are willing to stand up for peace and security. As part of EU and UN missions, the German soldiers contribute to stability worldwide, and this is more important than ever in uncertain times.

For support it is clear: "Society has to develop awareness again that security is not a matter of course. We need a solid foundation to renew our defense strategy and be able to act in an emergency."