Two years ago, the continued existence of the Special Forces Command was uncertain after extreme right-wing excesses. Now the military commissioner wants to concentrate on the group's military capabilities again - and suggests a redefinition of the tasks.
The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces, Eva Högl, sees the reform of the Bundeswehr Special Forces Command (KSK), which began a good two years ago after cases of extremism, as a success. The SPD politician said she would welcome it if we were now looking ahead and responding to the changed security policy situation. The past few months have always been spent first clarifying, working through and drawing conclusions.
"The reform package has worked and it has also been implemented well and consistently. Some points, such as political education, are permanent tasks. You have to keep an eye on them all the time," said Högl. "The processing at the KSK provides sufficient reason to now end the phase of permanent doubt, to look ahead and to trust him in terms of loyalty to the constitution, performance and commitment."
After the Russian attack on Ukraine and against the background of increased NATO deterrence along the eastern flank, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces advocates defining the future tasks of the command politically. "The special forces should have a role in national and alliance defense. This applies to all special forces, those of the Air Force, the Navy, as well as the KSK," said Högl. "If the KSK is given new tasks, for example in national and alliance defense, if it is under greater demand, then it must be better staffed."
A good two years ago, the future of the elite unit seemed to be hanging in the balance after right-wing incidents, the discovery of a soldier's weapon cache and irregularities in the handling of ammunition. The 2nd company of the command based in Calw (Baden-Württemberg) was dissolved in July 2020. In addition, the association was prescribed a program consisting of 60 individual measures, which has now practically been completed
