Christophe Keckeis
Christophe Keckeis ( born April 18, 1945 in Neuchâtel; citizens of Fislisbach, Canton Aargau ) is a Swiss officer. He was from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2007 at the head of the Swiss army.
Life
Prior to 2002,
Keckeis is bilingual ( French and German ).
He has a degree in Political Science ( University of Lausanne, 1976), but his career played almost exclusively in the army from. In 1966, he became a pilot in the Air Surveillance Wing (LEL ) and from 1968 professional military pilot. In 1974 he was promoted to captain and piloted a Mirage IIIS, in March 1977, he survived the crash of a Mirage IIIBS at Payerne military airfield, as he mitflog as an onboard photographer. In 1977 followed the general staff training, at the beginning of the 1980s, he was promoted as squadron leader to major. In 1989 he became a colonel in command of the air defense regiment. Between 1985 and 1992 Keckeis was also evaluating pilot for a new fighter plane.
In 1991 he became commander of the surveillance squadron. From 1993 to 1997 he was commander of the Air Brigade with the rank of brigadier, 1998-1999 Chief of Staff of the Air Force commander. Between 2000 and 2002 he served as divisional chief sub-group operations of the Air Force and Deputy Commander of the Air Force.
Chief of the Army 2002-2007
Keckeis was elected on 30 October 2002 by the Federal Council to the Chief of Staff and simultaneously designated as the future head of the army and project manager of Army XXI. On 1 January 2004, he assumed the position of Chief of the newly created Army with the rank of lieutenant general and was responsible for the development and leadership of the army.
In this role, he commanded the two branches of the armed forces Army and Air Force, the Higher Armed Forces College ( HKA ), the Armed Forces Logistics ( LBA), the Command Support Organisation (CSO ), the Planning Staff ( AFPS ) and the Armed Forces Joint Staff (FST A). He was thus a kind of peace -General, its function is not the same as in time of war to be elected by the Federal Assembly commander of the army.
The focus of his work as head of the army: Keckeis ' biggest task was XXI in the implementation of the reform of the army, which provided for a particular reduction of troop strength and increased cooperation with foreign partners.
On 31 December 2007 he handed over this office to his successor Roland Nef.
After 2007 / Privacy
Shortly before his retirement as head of the army became the Department of Defense (VBS ) because of the support of a book with the title Christophe Keckeis - The Future of Swiss Army with 100,000 Swiss francs tax money into sharp criticism. The cost of the Festschrift were adopted finally by a private benefactor.
Since 2008 Keckeis President of the Geneva Centre for Democratic Control of Armed Forces ( DCAF). From 2008 to 2011 he was the International Advisory Board of the Center of Security, Economics and Technology of the University of St Gallen. In 2009 he was Military expert in the Independent International Fact- Finding Mission on the Conflict in Georgia ( IIFFMCG ). Since 2009 he is a trustee of the Musée de l'aviation militaire de Payerne.
By 2012, he was a flight instructor CPL ( A) Club Neuchâtelois d' Aviation. He totalizing more than 5380 flight hours. In the years 2011 and 2012 he was responsible for the safety of the boat Planet Solar ( 1st Solar Boat Expedition Around the World).
Keckeis is married and has two daughters and a son.
Awards
- March 5, 2008: Commandeur de la Légion d' Honneur par le Président de la République Française.
- May 26, 2008: Grand Silver Medal with Star for Services to the Republic of Austria