Swiss Raid Commando
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| Swiss Raid Commando | |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1986 |
The Swiss Raid Commando is one of the most enduring and most important military competitions worldwide. It is addressed to very well trained, armed force personnel, who are willing to compete in a "commando" type exercise.
The raiders compete in teams of 4, in which at least one patrol member is required to be either an officer or an NCO. Solid infantry training, an excellent physical condition as well as analytical and above-average judgment skills are vital.
The competition's motto is "Vouloir, Croire et Oser" ("Want, Believe and Dare").[1]
History
The first SRC was held in 1986, implemented by the Neuchatel officers’ society. The 18th edition will take place in 2009.
From 1997 through 2003 the event was organized by the Field Division 2, since then by the Swiss Infantry Training Unit. The SRC has the full support of the Department of Defense, Population Protection and Sports (DDPS).
During each edition, an average of 650 soldiers compete, most of who come from elite troops from 15 different nations.
Competition
The competition is split in 2 main phases ("selection" and "action"). During the selection stage the patrols are required to acquire as many points as possible at various types of workplaces, such as aquatic courses, shooting, obstacle courses, etc. During this phase, the patrols progress by bike and accomplish an average of 120km. At the end of the "selection" stage a ranking is composed based on the teams results. Based on this intermediary ranking, the patrols are allowed to choose the missions that they will accomplish during the "action" stage. The missions during the "action" stage are, sabotage, raid, TRAP and ambush.
The competition solely caters to military personnel, active or reserve. However Swiss police forces and the Swiss border control are allowed to register special detachments.
The primary objective of the exercise is the promotion of inter army exchanges and to offer raiders a possibility to measure themselves with teams from other nations. On top of that it represents an opportunity for the Swiss army to demonstrate its know-how in organizing a competition at a high level of competence while allowing its military units to apply their skills and train under realistic circumstances.
The participating nations in 2007 were: Germany, Belgium, Austria, United Kingdom, Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Italy, Estonia, Norway, United States, Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, France and Switzerland.