Silvia Greß: After 37 years, the soul of the Bundeswehr service is leaving!

Silvia Greß: After 37 years, the soul of the Bundeswehr service is leaving!

On October 27, 2025, Silvia Greß retired from the Special Operations Training Center in Rengetsweiler with a warm ceremony. Around 150 relatives, from both military and civilian circles, came together to honor their achievements, which underlines the high level of recognition for their work. Silvia Greß joined the Bundeswehr in 1987 and spent her last years in Pfullendorf, where she was responsible, among other things, for vehicle service until her retirement.

Silvia Greß can present an impressive balance sheet. She has successfully processed over 25,000 transport orders, 1,000 repair orders and around 600 damage reports. She also coordinated more than 5,000 bus requests and presented 168 transportation order folders to her supervisor for signature. A working life full of commitment, which Captain Oliver Franke particularly emphasized in his speech, especially their commitment to the Bundeswehr's war graves care.

Appreciation and gifts

To say goodbye, Silvia Greß not only received a lovingly designed garden bench from Staff Sergeant Jörg Fritsche, but also two tickets for a Champions League game for her favorite club Borussia Dortmund, presented by Staff Corporal Christian Gröning. Ironically, she had never attended a game of her beloved BVB. Your moving commitment and many years of service will be remembered by everyone.

Retirement as part of larger changes

The farewell to Silvia Greß is part of a broader change within the Bundeswehr, which resulted in numerous personnel measures in top positions in October 2024. Well-known personalities such as Admiral Joachim Rühle and Major General Michael Hochwart also retired, while many top military positions were filled. Such personnel changes are not an isolated incident, but are part of the Bundeswehr's ongoing efforts to improve both combat readiness and structural requirements.

There are currently around 181,000 soldiers active in the Bundeswehr, of which the Army makes up the majority with around 60,000. In parallel, around 81,000 civilians were employed in 2024, working in various areas, including infrastructure and environmental protection. These figures illustrate the significant role that the Bundeswehr plays in society. However, a survey from April 2024 shows that 79 percent of the population rate the formation of the Bundeswehr as inadequate and are discussing how the size and equipment of the armed forces could be improved.

The federal government is also planning to increase the size of its troops to up to 60,000 soldiers in the future. After the Russian attack on Ukraine, a special fund of 100 billion euros was approved for rearmament. More recently, NATO member states have agreed on a defense target of five percent of national economic output by 2035. These developments show that the Bundeswehr is in a phase of change, while at the same time looking back on the experiences and commitment of its long-standing employees like Silvia Greß.