Luxembourg - Armed forces

In 1967, Luxembourg abolished conscription and created a volunteer military force that is part of NATO. Responsibility for defense matters is vested in the Ministry of Public Force, which also controls the police and gendarmerie.

In 2002 the armed forces of Luxembourg consisted of the army numbering 900 and a gendarmerie of 612. NATO maintains 19 early warning aircraft with Luxembourg registration. Luxembourg maintains 23 personnel in the UN peacekeeping mission in Bosnia. More than 5,000 American soldiers, including Gen. George S. Patton, are buried at the American Military Cemetery near the capital. Budgeted defense expenditures in 2001–02 were $147.8 million or 0.8% of GDP.