Wachbataillon The Wachbataillon ( full name : " Wachbataillon beim Bundesministerium der Verteidigung " ( WachBtl BMVg ) ( Guard battalion at the Ministry of Defence ) ) is the German " Bundeswehr ' s " elite drill unit . The Wachbataillon is the largest battalion of the German forces with about 1 , 800 soldiers , split in two garrison s in Berlin and Siegburg . It consists of nine companies ( see list below ) and belongs to the " Streitkräftebasis " ( Joint Service Support Command ) of the Bundeswehr . The soldiers of the Wachbataillon often refer to themselves as " Protter " or " Protokollsoldaten " , meaning protocol soldiers . Mission . The primary mission of the Wachbataillon is to perform the military honours for the German president , the German Chancellor , the Federal Minister of Defence and the Inspector General of the Bundeswehr during state visits or on comparable occasions . In addition the Wachbataillon executes the " Großer Zapfenstreich " on special occasions ( for example on the 50th anniversary of the Bundeswehr in front of the Reichstag in Berlin on the night of October 26 , 2005 ) or takes part in ( inter ) national events like the ceremonial oath of the Bundeswehr ceremony , parade s , military tattoo s and shows with its drill team which is the best trained special unit of the battalion . A secondary mission is to perform ( ceremonial ) guard duty at the Ministry of Defence and other high profile public places and protect and guard the members of the German government and the Ministry of Defence . An additional secondary mission is securing and defending the alternate seat of the federal German government in conjunction with forces of the Federal Police . As a direct attack on Germany is no longer an urgent threat since the end of the Cold War , that mission has become obsolete . Recruitment . Until recently , the Wachbataillon protocol - and security companies only admitted male personnel that had a body height ranging from up to , normal eyesight and body weight and are generally in good health . Wachbataillon personnel are not allowed to grow beard s and moustache s . Since 2009 the 1 . / WachBtl BMVg staff - and supply company has started to admit female personnel . In the " Großer Zapfenstreich " for Karl - Theodor zu Guttenberg in March 2011 , the first female soldier was performing the role of torchbearer . Until the end of conscription in Germany in July 2011 , about 80 percent of Wachbataillon ' s personnel were conscript s . The requirements for Wachbataillon personnel where relaxed to a body height ranging from up to , no visible visual aids and having a good general fitness . In March 2012 the first female officer took command of a platoon of the Wachbataillon . The soldiers of the Wachbataillon are from all three German Armed Services ( i . e . Army , Navy and Air Force ) and have the uniforms from all forces at their disposal to be able to perform any drill mission on every occasion . Equipment . For reasons of tradition the Wachbataillon is the only unit of the Bundeswehr still using the Karabiner 98k because the traditional Prussia n rifle drills can be executed better with that historical weapon . In 1995 remaining Swastika and other Nazi - era markings were removed from these rifles , after criticism regarding the presence of such symbols on Wachbataillon kit by the SPD parliamentary party . As of 29 October 2011 females are allowed to attain the demanding drill training with the Karabiner 98k rifle . During normal day duty the Wachbattalion uses the Heckler & Koch G36 assault rifle and other kit like the other units of the Bundeswehr . Since 2006 the 1 . / WachBtl BMVg is the last unit in the Bundeswehr using ten Feldhaubitze 105 mm guns in the role of salute guns . The silent drill team of The Citadel , The Summerall Guards , models its close - order drill routine after Wachbataillon ' s . Tradition . The Wachbataillon has been granted exemption of the Traditionserlass and is thus continuing the traditions of the 1st Foot Guards and the Infantry Regiment 9 Potsdam , the only unit in the Bundeswehr to have such ties . Veterans of these regiments are joined with active and former members of the Wachbataillon in the Semper Talis Union . Structure . The Wachbataillon with its required strength of 1 , 714 soldiers has actually regiment al strength , but it remains a battalion sized formation in name . It is therefore by far the largest battalion of the Bundeswehr . It is stationed at the Julius Leber barracks in the center of Berlin and in the Brückberg barracks in Siegburg . Since 2001 the Wachbataillon is part of the Streitkräftebasis . The battalion is organized into nine companies ( eight of them honor guard companies ) , of which the 8 . / WachBtl BMVg ( 8th Air Force Company ) was reorganized on 1 July 2008 .