Conscription in Switzerland Switzerland has mandatory military service ( ; ; ) in the Swiss Army for all able - bodied male citizens , who are conscripted when they reach the age of majority , though women may volunteer for any position . People determined unfit for service , where fitness is defined as " " satisfying physically , intellectually and mentally requirements for military service or civil protection service and being capable of accomplishing these services without harming oneself or others " " , are exempted from service but pay an additional 3 % of annual income tax until the age of 30 , unless they are affected by a disability . Almost 20 % of all conscripts were found unfit for military or civilian service in 2008 ; the rate is generally higher in urban cantons such as Zurich and Geneva than in the rural ones . Swiss citizens living abroad are generally exempted from conscription in time of peace , while dual citizenship by itself does not grant such exemption . Recruitment . Service in the army or civil protection usually begins at the age of 20 , but recruitment may commence as early as 16 for those interested in preparatory courses , which are a precondition for gaining access to some sectors of the armed forces . After the first written communications , all the male conscripts ( for which attendance is mandatory ) and female volunteers are convoked for an information day ( ; ; ) , usually taking place near the municipality of residence of the attendants . During this day they are given a presentation of the army , the civil protection , Switzerland ' s security policy , an overview of their rights and duties and administrative directives . On this occasion conscripts are issued a Service Record book , used to attest the fulfillment of military obligations . As it is not possible to postpone service to continue studies , conscripts are advised to either carry out their service in a single long stretch or to fraction their time by undergoing recruit training first and serving in a later phase . Recruitment itself takes place over a period of two or three days in one of the six Recruitment Centres spread across Switzerland ( Windisch , Lausanne , Sumiswald , Monte Ceneri , Rüti , Mels ) . Recruits are assigned different positions according to their physical fitness , intellectual capabilities and aptitude . Army service . Boot camp . Boot camp lasts 18 or 21 weeks . In the first seven weeks recruits receive the " general basic instructions " ; after this period , some recruits leave boot camp as they are presented with an opportunity to advance to cadre school . The second phase of six weeks is devoted to " function - specific basic instructions " , where recruits learn skills specific to their job . In the third phase , called " instruction in formation " , battlegroups and battalions are formed . Every Swiss soldier used to be issued with a sealed box of ammunition , but following a Swiss Federal Parliament decision to discontinue the practice in 2007 , ammunition have been withdrawn starting in early 2008 . Conscripts who are unwilling to carry a weapon on moral grounds may apply for weaponless service . Recruits seeking higher ranks will require further training : The age when military obligations end also varies with rank , ranging from 30 for enlisted men and NCOs to 50 for general officers . Long service . Conscripts choosing long service fulfill their entire military obligations in a continuous 300 - day service , after which they are incorporated in the reserve for the following ten years . A maximum of 15 % of conscripts of any age class has the possibility to choose this path . Compensation . All personnel are paid a basic salary ranging from 4 Swiss francs a day for a recruit to 30 for a corps commander . This is further supplemented by an additional salary ranging from 5 to 80 Swiss francs for non - commissioned officers or officers undergoing training . During military service , military personnel are further paid an " income - loss insurance " ( German , " EO " , " Erwerbsersatzordnung " ; French , " APG " , " Allocation pour perte de gain " ) . This " EO " is financed with social contributions levied on salaries . For employees , the " EO " consists in a compensation of 80 % of their regular salary . Most employers , however , continue to pay the full salary during military service . In this case , the compensation is paid to the employer . Employers cannot fire a person in service by law , although there is no specific provision preventing a conscript from being fired before or after a period of service , other than the catch - all law against wrongful termination . Students , independents or unemployed persons receive a fixed compensation of CHF 62 , although this compensation amounts to CHF 97 for non - commissioned and commissioned officers during undergoing training . This " EO " can be further improved to a maximum CHF 174 if one has children . Alternatives to military service . Since 1996 , conscripts who are found to be sufficiently fit for regular military service , but who object for reasons of conscience , can apply for " civilian service " . This service consists of various kinds of social services , such as reconstructing cultural sites , helping the elderly and other activities removed from military connotations . Civilian service lasts 340 days , 50 % longer than a soldier ' s regular army service . Conscripts found to be sufficiently unfit for regular military service , but not for exemption , take part in " civil protection " , where they may be called on to assist the police , fire or health departments , as well as natural disaster relief and crowd control during demonstrations or events with large attendances .