From: [c d t] at [sw.stratus.com] (C. D. Tavares)
Newsgroups: misc.activism.militia
Subject: Re: Is there a Swiss perspective available?
Date: 19 Apr 1995 03:08:25 +0100

[c--ll--s] at [prairienet.org] (Chris Sullins) writes:

> I've heard that all Swiss citizens are considered a part of
> their country's militia and that they are "allowed" to keep
> full-auto rifles in their home.

Actually, they are PROVIDED with these rifles, no less.

More accurately, MOST households with men of military age -- not
quite all of them.

> One teacher I had who traveled
> Europe said some also kept APCs parked in their garages if
> they were resonsible for transporting their local units.
> Can someone verify this for me?  Thanks.

Not the APC part, but here is a copy of a post from Switzerland
explaining the personal armaments:

From [l--i--u] at [ifi.unizh.ch] (Andreas Luginbuehl)

About the "Swiss Reserve": Since we don't have a standing professional army,
basically everybody - except the top leadership and the pro instructors - is
"reserve". In Switzerland, one does 4 months of basic training at the age of
20, then 3 weeks "repetition course" every year till 32, then 2 week repetition
courses at larger intervalls till 50. (This is about to change slightly now with
the armed forces reforms under way).

Since everybody keeps the basic personal equipment at home, all men doing
military service, from the age of 20 until 50, have their personal weapon, plus
_sealed_ ammunition, at home. This is a SIG 9 mm pistol for officers and a
5.5 mm SIG automatic assault rifle (Sturmgewehr 90) for virtually everybody
else. (Officers can have a Stgw90 on loan, in addition to the pistol). There
still are units which are equipped with the older Sturmgewehr 57.

The personal weapon is on loan, but may be purchased at the moment that the
army gear is given back, at the age of 50.

By the way: There are mandatory shooting exercises to be done once every year.
This is done at the local shooting range, not during military service, and
therefore, Swiss men usually have some privately purchased ammo around and the
weapons get used regularly.
-- 

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