Bundeswehr: Cabinet decision: Federal government wants new military service

Green light for Boris Pistorius’ military service plans: The Federal Cabinet has approved legal changes for the introduction of a new military service in Germany. The SPD Defense Minister’s stated goal is for all young men who turn 18 next year to have to provide information in a digital questionnaire about their willingness and ability to serve in the military; young women can do this.

“The law on the new military service enables us to reinstall the military registration system, which no longer exists since the obligation for basic military service was suspended in 2011. If there were a defense case tomorrow, we would not know who we could draft because there is no complete data base “, said the SPD politician to the German Press Agency before the decision. “With the suspension of military service, military registration and military monitoring have been destroyed, even though the state is legally obliged to do so.”

The number of soldiers has recently continued to decline

Compulsory military service was suspended in Germany in 2011 under Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (CSU) after 55 years. This amounted to an abolition of military and community service, because at the same time practically all structures for compulsory military service were dissolved.

However, the Conscription Act further stipulates that compulsory military service for men will be revived if the Bundestag determines a situation of tension and defense, although there were no concrete preparations for such a situation after 2011. The Bundeswehr’s personnel concerns have recently increased and as of June the number of soldiers had even fallen below 180,000 men and women. There are also around 60,000 appointed – i.e. permanently integrated – reservists.

In an emergency, Germany needs 460,000 soldiers

Because of the changed security situation, Germany’s needs for NATO goals are completely different. “The German contribution to alliance defense requires a long-term defense volume of around 460,000 soldiers. A large part of this, namely around 260,000, must be able to be raised from the reserve,” says Pistorius.

Here are a few figures: There are currently around 15,000 places in the Bundeswehr for training voluntary military service members, of which 5,000 are regularly unfilled. This is the starting point that needs to be filled first. The plan: 3,000 additional training positions are to be created every year. A year in Germany has around 650,000 people, i.e. more than 300,000 young men.

The military planners are convinced that the principle of the mandatory questionnaire and voluntary service can attract a sufficient number of applicants. This leaves little left of compulsory military service – as it would come into force again in the event of war. However, the government is building up structures again and is also making offers to women without changing the Basic Law.

The Basic Law only recognizes compulsory military service for men

“We send out a digital questionnaire. Young men who turn 18 are obliged to fill it out. This allows us to collect the necessary data that we need for registration. It is not necessary to sample an entire cohort,” says Pistorius. “Women of the same age also receive the digital questionnaire. However, they are not obliged to fill it out, as the Basic Law only states compulsory military service for men and not for women.”

The basic training for the new military service should last six months – with the option of extending it to up to 23 months for specializations. There is a salary of at least 1,800 euros in the room, and depending on the circumstances, up to 200 euros more.

The future schedule is ambitious and the Ministry of Defense hopes that it will not be buried under the rubble of a traffic light coalition that is falling apart. The Bundestag and Bundesrat are dealing with the new military service. It is possible that the law could come into force in May next year.