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Frigate captain from Puttkamer

Photo: Operation Flotilla 1 / Bundeswehr

The Navy is increasing the visibility of women in the force: The 41-year-old frigate captain Inka von Puttkamer is to take command of the 3rd minesweeping squadron in Kiel from next Wednesday. She succeeds 43-year-old Carsten Schlüter, who is moving to the naval command in Rostock as adjutant to the naval inspector.

Von Puttkamer was most recently stationed at NATO's Allied Maritime Command in Northwood, UK. For her it is a return to Kiel, where she was already commander of the minehunter “Homburg” and deputy commander of the 3rd minesweeping squadron, the Navy said. The squadron includes ten minehunters. According to the Navy, they combine "all of the Navy's capabilities for so-called combined sea mine defense: targeted mine hunting and mine diving as well as large-scale mine clearing."

“I look forward to my task of leading the squadron with great excitement,” said von Puttkamer. The 3rd Minesweeper Squadron is their military home, as is the view of the Laboe naval memorial when they head into the Bay of Kiel.

Women are still a minority in the force

In the statement, von Puttkamer described the Navy as an example of how “family, career and the Bundeswehr fit together.” Von Puttkamer's husband will take command of a German Navy frigate in Wilhelmshaven in the next few weeks, it was said.

However, purely statistically speaking, women are still a minority in the force. According to the Bundeswehr, 24,000 female soldiers are currently serving - and the number is rising. This corresponds to a proportion of women of over 13 percent of the total of more than 182,000 military members. Since 2001, all career paths within the force have been open to women.

The German Bundestag's defense commissioner, Eva Högl (SPD), had already called for an increase in the proportion of women in the Bundeswehr years ago. "It is very important that there are enough women in both the military and civilian sectors, among everyone who is committed to the Bundeswehr," said Högl. The small proportion of women in the total troop strength must increase. “In order to achieve this, more excellent women must be in leadership positions.”

fek/dpa