Military attachés abroad

The military attachés at German embassies report on their host country’s defence and military policy, the state of development of its armed forces and defence industry, and on other related topics. Working together with their defence attaché offices, military attachés perform analyses and situation assessments, attend international conferences and conduct troop visits. They also act as local points of contact for the Bundeswehr. Whether in uniform or civilian clothing, defence attaché office staff and their family members assume an important and confidence-building role on behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany’s diplomatic service.

The way in which defence attaché offices are staffed varies, and is based on the host country’s relevance for the Federal Republic of Germany in terms of security policy. Defence attaché offices comprise service personnel who typically include the military attaché himself/herself as the head of the defence attaché office, a chief clerk responsible for office management duties, and an administrative/linguistic assistant. The defence attaché office provides representatives of the host country with information on Germany’s defence and security policy and on the Bundeswehr, and serves as a point of contact for defence technology and defence industry enquiries. It is also responsible for providing support to German servicemen and women in the area of responsibility of the Federal Ministry of Defence, such as those taking part in training courses in the host country. 

Defence attaché offices maintain close working relationships with the host countries’ defence ministries and armed forces agencies. They can only reliably fulfil their numerous duties related to military cooperation if they can draw on an extensive network. They also maintain close relations with defence attaché offices of other countries.

Defence attaché offices were integrated into West Germany’s foreign service just one year after the establishment of the Bundeswehr. All over the world, they are an integral part of Germany’s missions abroad. Officers and non-commissioned officers perform military attaché and office management duties respectively. They are seconded from the Federal Ministry of Defence to the Federal Foreign Office. The Armed Forces Office, which is part of the Bundeswehr Joint Support Command, is responsible for providing support to defence attaché office staff and their families. 
The Federal Office of Languages, the central language service provider for the Bundeswehr and the public sector, organises language training for defence attaché office staff and their family members. Knowing the local language of the host country is a key qualification for the deployed personnel.