Association of Bundeswehr Soldiers

The Verband der Soldaten der Bundeswehr e.V. (VSB) is a German registered association (eingetragener Verein) headquartered in Berlin that functions as an interest group for active soldiers of the Bundeswehr. It was formed in March 2011 as a Gesellschaft bürgerlichen Rechts (civil-law partnership) by active members of various personnel representation bodies of the armed forces, emerging from the "Vereinigte freie Liste" as an alternative to existing interest representations for Bundeswehr soldiers. In February 2012 it was entered in the association register as "Verband der Soldaten der Bundeswehr e. V." The association advocates for broader and more comprehensive participation for all soldiers. It seeks better compatibility of family and career/service for all members of the Bundeswehr, initially demanding consistent implementation of existing directives and use of available possibilities by all superiors, and it calls for reform of measures concerning career permeability. The VSB aims above all to offer soldiers who have not previously been organized in association politics a new avenue for organized participation, both in personnel representation bodies and as a demanding partner vis-à-vis the employer. It describes itself as the only interest representation in the armed forces that works exclusively for the status group of soldiers. The VSB presents itself as a critical and constructive partner to both the employer and politics, vigorously representing its members' interests, including with the goal of helping shape the Bundeswehr's necessary attractiveness as an employer. Its federal leadership consists of two chairpersons, two deputy chairpersons, a managing director, a treasurer, a secretary, a legal advisor, and several officers for special tasks. The federal board also includes the regional chairpersons North, East, South and West, plus commissioners for the Navy, Air Force, Army, Cyber and Information Space Command, Support Area, Operational Command, and civilian organizational areas, as well as commissioners for reservist duty personnel, survivors and veterans (RHV), legal affairs, press management, personnel marketing, family and career/service, international cooperation, and agencies directly subordinate to the Federal Ministry of Defence. Below the federal board, the association is organized into eight state groups. On 26 November 2013 the VSB was admitted as a full member of the "Netzwerk der Hilfe" (Network of Help) by the Federal Ministry of Defence. The association is led externally by Oberstleutnant Tobias Brösdorf and Oberstabsgefreiter Mandy Wagner as federal chairpersons.

The Verband der Soldaten der Bundeswehr e.V. (VSB) was formed in March 2011 as a Gesellschaft bürgerlichen Rechts (civil-law partnership) by active members of various personnel representation bodies of the Bundeswehr. It emerged from the "Vereinigte freie Liste" as an alternative to the existing interest representations for Bundeswehr soldiers. In February 2012 the organization was entered in the association register as "Verband der Soldaten der Bundeswehr e. V." and thereby became a registered association (eingetragener Verein) with its seat in Berlin. On 26 November 2013 the VSB was admitted as a full member of the "Netzwerk der Hilfe" (Network of Help) by the Federal Ministry of Defence; in that network, organizations work to support soldiers, their relatives and families, and survivors in times of difficulty. The association has since built a federal structure with a federal leadership, a federal board including regional and service-branch commissioners, and eight state groups below the federal board.

• 2013

  Admitted as a full member of the "Netzwerk der Hilfe" by the Federal Ministry of Defence.

• 2012

  Entered in the association register as "Verband der Soldaten der Bundeswehr e. V."

• 2011

  VSB formed as a Gesellschaft bürgerlichen Rechts by active members of various Bundeswehr personnel representation bodies, emerging from the "Vereinigte freie Liste".

Interest representation exclusively for the status group of active Bundeswehr soldiers; a critical and constructive partner to the employer and politics.

1. 1Verband der Soldaten der Bundeswehr – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
2. 2Verband der Soldaten der Bundeswehr – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Website des Verband der Soldaten der Bundeswehr e.V.vsb-bund.de