Hope this will give some answers:
THE SWISS MILITARY
TRADITION
Compulsory military service in militia army
Switzerland has an old tradition of neutrality and self-defence
which has prevented the country being drawn in to the major
European conflicts of the last two centuries.
The Swiss army has always been based on a militia system. This
should not be confused with a reservist army. Under the militia
system, every able-bodied male citizen goes through regular
military training during a minimum period of 22 years, i.e. from
the age of20 to 42 (officer:52).
Annual shooting training for all soldiers
Military education starts with a 15 weeks basic training. After
that, the soldiers will be called to further training for a period
of 3 weeks every two years (NCOs and officers having additional
time to serve). Furthermore, annual target practice which is done
at a local target range is compulsory.
Privates and lower ranking NCO's are issued a 5.56mm assault rifle,
whereas higher NCO's and officers are armed with semi-automatic
handguns. In order to be able to mobilize within the shortest
possible time, all military personel keep their complete personel
equipment at home, including gas mask, weapons and 20 rounds of
ammunition for pistols as well as the new automatic rifles (24
rounds for the older 7.5mm rifle).
Weapons and ammunition (kept in a sealed container) have to be
stored under lock and key. They must be presented for regular
inspections, where it is also controlled whether the ammunition is
still properly sealed. Misuse of military weapons, as well as
failure to store them securely, is severley punished by military
justice (3 days to 3 years detention, considerably more in case of
mobilization).
Importance of personal responsibility
Due to the prolonged and strict drilling in manipulating weapons
under the special circumstances of military exercises, the Swiss
citizen-soldier develops a high sense of personal responsibility in
the use of weapons. Althought here are no official statistics
available it is well known fact there are very few incidents where
misuse of military weapons is involved.
It goes without saying that people who do not live up to the
required responsibility standards lose their right to carry their
personal military weapon.
On a personal note, I have seen for myself how the swiss military
servicemen carry their guns - on trains, on the streets, and they
don't keep it in their haversack. The guns are hanged from their
haversack, where everyone can see them. But they must be in
uniform.
