Since 1996, the Center for Military History and Social Sciences of the Bundeswehr (ZMSBw) has conducted a representative survey of the German population on defense and security policy issues on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Defense. In 2003, this study was continued. For this purpose, N = 2618 persons were interviewed on various issues from Ocober 21,2003 until November 17,2008. The present survey focused in particular on Attitudes toward the security situation and security policy in Germany, attitudes toward the Federal Armed Forces, the profession of soldiering and applicant potential, external appearance of soldiers, military cooperation in Europe, and personality profile.
1. Security and threat perception: personal feeling of security; feeling of being threatened by: environmental destruction, violence by other people, poverty, crime, unemployment, wars or military conflicts in the world, right-wing extremism, new technologies (e.g. genetic engineering), diseases (e.g. AIDS), nuclear weapons, left-wing extremism, military threat to Germany, lack of data protection, foreign infiltration, international terrorism, religious fundamentalism, insufficient financial security in case of unemployment, old age or illness; agreement to various measures to protect against terrorism (e.g. more police officers in public, video surveillance of public places and buildings, etc.).

1. Security policy attitudes: Germany´s role in the world: Preference for a rather active vs. rather passive international policy of Germany; approved or rejected measures for Germany´s international action (e.g. aid with food and medicine, aid of a financial and economic nature, technical aid by civil organisations, peacekeeping deployment of the Federal Armed Forces within the framework of a UN mission, etc.). ); reasons why Germany should, as far as possible, stay out of the problems, crises and conflicts of others; expectations of the armed forces and their role in society (feelings of respect, inner solidarity, gratitude for the armed forces, normal part of society, etc.).

2. Perception and evaluation of the Federal Armed Forces: frequency of perception of the Federal Armed Forces on the following occasions: in everyday life, in stations and on trains, at public events, conversations in the family, with relatives, friends or colleagues, during television and radio broadcasts, contributions on the Internet and reports in newspapers and magazines; personal impression of the Federal Armed Forces on the respective occasions; self-assessment of the level of information about the Federal Armed Forces´ areas of responsibility and operations (disaster relief in Germany, search and rescue operations, guarding NATO partners´ facilities in Germany, protocol duties, disaster relief abroad, development aid operations abroad, participation in peacekeeping military missions abroad, e.g. SFOR in former Yugoslavia, participation in operations against international terrorism e.g. Enduring Freedom in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, participation in operations to stabilize Afghanistan, ISAF); assessment of the above-mentioned Federal Armed Forces operations; agreement with various statements on the Federal Armed Forces (feeling of esteem, inner solidarity, gratitude for the Federal Armed Forces, the Federal Armed Forces has become a normal part of society, it is no longer possible to imagine society without it, of course, that Germany has its own armed forces embodies central values of our society such as freedom or justice, contributes to the protection of our system of values, Federal Armed Forces missions abroad serve to restore human rights in the areas of operations, the existence of the Federal Armed Forces complies with the provisions of the Basic Law, important defence policy issues are debated and voted on in Parliament, Federal Armed Forces missions abroad are conducted in accordance with international treaties or corresponding alliance obligations); positive or negative attitude towards the Federal Armed Forces; activities or imaginable activities in the case of a positive attitude towards the Federal Armed Forces: confirming the wish of a family member who wants to become a soldier in the Federal Armed Forces, voting for a party that is favourably disposed towards the Federal Armed Forces, participation in a collection of signatures with positive statements about the Federal Armed Forces, contradicting someone who speaks badly about the Federal Armed Forces, participation in a rally in which someone speaks favourably about the Federal Armed Forces, giving a member of the Federal Armed Forces his or her own positive opinion about the Federal Armed Forces, participation in public events of the Federal Armed Forces); activities or imaginable activities in the case of a negative attitude towards the Federal Armed Forces: advising a family member or friend who would like to become a soldier in the Federal Armed Forces against his or her...