Highest-ranking soldier Date of publication Jul 31, 2017

The Chief of Defence, General Volker Wieker, is responsible for the overall military defence concept, including planning and further development, for command and control in the armed forces and for the planning, preparation, conduct and assessment of Bundeswehr operations. The Directors-General for Planning, for Forces Policy and for Strategy and Operations report to him.

As the highest-ranking soldier, the Chief of Defence has full command of the armed forces. He is thus authorised to establish binding principles for all Bundeswehr soldiers, regardless of their responsibility for a specific service. The Vice Chief of Defence, who is also the Bundeswehr Commissioner for Reserve Affairs, assists the Chief of Defence in the discharge of his functions.