Army of Germany (Freedom Ascendant)

The Army of Germany (German: das deutsche Heer) is the largest branch of the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr), and performs land-based military operations. It is one of the seven uniformed services of the Federal Republic of Germany, and is designated as the Heer der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in the German Constitution. As the largest and senior branch of the German military, the current German Army has its roots in the Prussian-led Deutsches Heer, which became the Reichsheer from 1919 to 1941, until the occupation forces dissolved the service. After the second world war, the Allied Powers aided the new German Republic in reconstituting a defensive military.

As a uniformed military service, the German Army is part of the Ministry of the Army (Heeresamt), which operates in the Ministry of Defense (Verteidigunsministerium). The German Army is headed by a civilian senior appointed civil servant, the Minister of the Army, and a chief military officer, called the Chief of Staff of the Army (Stabschef des Heeres) which also serves in the Council of Chiefs of Staff (Stabschefsrat), an advisory board to the Defense Minister.

Currently Germany has an active duty force of 196,355 personnel, National Guard force of 142,997, and a reserve force of 83,237 persons. As a branch of the armed forces, the mission of the German Army is "to fight and to win the nation's wars, by providing quick, sustained land dominance in support of the commanders of the armed forces of Germany." The branch participates in conflicts worldwide, and is the major ground-based offensive and defensive force of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Mission
The German Army serves as the land-based branch of the German Armed Forces. The civil code (Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch, BGB) of Germany (9 BGB §1044a)defines the purpose of the army as:
 * preserving the peace and security and providing for the defense of the Federal Republic of Germany, the territories, and overseas possessions and any areas occupied by Germany
 * supporting the national policies
 * implementing the national objectives
 * overcoming any nations responsible for aggressive acts that imperil the peace and security of the German Republic.

Organization
The army is divided into the Regular Army, the Army Reserve, and the Army National Guard (when serving in the state, the Landesheer). It is also divided into several major branches, such as Air Defense Corps, Medical Corps, Armored Corps, and so on. National Guard soldiers are considered state soldiers unless federalized (activated) by the German President.

Army Commands and Service Component Commands

 * German Space and Missile Command (Heereskommando für Raum und Rakete)
 * Overseas Commands
 * German Army Africa (Afrikanisches Kommando der Bundesrepublik Deutschland)
 * German Army South America (Südliches Kommando der Bundesrepublik Deutschland)
 * German Army Europe (Europa Kommando der Bundesrepublik Deutschland)
 * German Army Pacific (Pazifikkommando der Bundesrepublik Deutschland)
 * German Army Special Operations Command (Sondereinheitskräftekommando der Bundeswehr)
 * Direct Reporting Units
 * Zehlendorf National Cemetery (Bundesfriedhof Berlin-Zehlendorf)
 * Military Academy of Germany (Militärakademie der Bundesrepublik Deutschland)
 * German Army Intelligence and Security Command (Geheimdienst- und Sicherheitskommando der Bundeswehr Deutschland)