Swearing-in ceremony for 310 recruits in Innsbruck

310 recruits due to enlist in July 2020 took the oath of allegiance to the Republic on Friday at the Standschützen Kaserne in Innsbruck. The current regulations continue to restrict the holding of swearing-in ceremonies in their original form. These ceremonies are therefore held in the barracks in private.

The soldiers have been doing their military service with the Austrian Armed Forces since July of this year and will subsequently serve in various roles in the Tyrol Military Command and Staff Battalion 6. Guests of honor included Hermann Gahr, Member of the National Council, representing the province of Tyrol, Brigadier Ingo Gstrein, Military Commander of Tyrol, and Colonel Klaus Zweiker, Deputy Commander of the 6th Mountain Brigade.

In front of prominent political and military figures, Brigadier Gstrein emphasized the current situation of the Armed Forces in his speech: “We are living in turbulent times and the Armed Forces play an important role here. Together, the Tyrolean Military Command, which is responsible for operations in the province, and the 6th Mountain Brigade fulfill the military missions in Tyrol. As a pioneer, it is particularly important to me to build bridges between obstacles. As the military commander of Tyrol, I would once again like to emphasize what unites and not what divides in my leadership role in Tyrol.

Member of the National Council Hermann Gahr conveyed the greetings of the Governor of Tyrol Günther Platter and emphasized that the Austrian Armed Forces must be well equipped in both good and difficult times: “Time and again, the Austrian Armed Forces are called upon in crises, such as now during the pandemic. It should therefore also be made ‘fit’ by politicians and given the status among the population that it deserves after the 2013 referendum,” said Hermann Gahr. The field unit and an honorary platoon from Staff Battalion 6, as well as the flag delegation with a delegation from the Tyrolean Kaiserschützen formed the festive setting for the young conscripts, who loudly pledged their allegiance to the Republic of Austria. The Vorarlberg military band under the direction of military bandmaster Major Wolfram Öller provided the musical accompaniment for this ceremony. The reflective part of the ceremony was organized by the Protestant military pastor, Oliver Gross.