The Army Staff, in the meaning of the Army general staff, of the German Army (German: Führungsstab des Heeres - Fü H) was a department of the Federal Ministry of Defence and one of the five staff headquarters in the military command of the Bundeswehr. The Army Staff was thus at the same time a ministerial division and the highest level of military command within the German Army. It was merged with the other high command authorities of the German Army to form the Army Command (Kommando Heer) in 2012.
In 2012, there existed in MOD Germany supreme military command authority as follows:
The Army Staff was commanded by the Inspector of the Army (Inspekteur des Heeres), effectively fulfilling the role of Chief of the Army. The Inspector holds the rank of Generalleutnant, and commanded the Army Staff, reporting to the Federal Minister of Defence. The General Inspector of the Bundeswehr and the Armed Forces Staff who work for him are only authorised to issue directives to the Army Staff in the fields of development and the realisation of the overall concept for the Bundeswehr. The Army Staff comprised about 180 soldiers and civil servants.
The Army Staff was the highest level of command in the German Army. The staff ensured the readiness of the Army from a materiel and personnel perspective. In addition the two command pillars of the Army, the Army Forces Command and the Army Office, were subordinate to the Army Staff. Furthermore, the staff supported the Inspector of the Army and the Federal Minister of Defence in their ministerial duties.
The Deputy Inspector General of the Army (in the Army Staff of MOD Germany) appointment was normally assigned to a three star rank, OF8-general (Generalleutnant / lieutenant general) rank.
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