Defense: Högl: Bundestag should quickly decide on military service

The Bundestag’s military officer, Eva Högl, sees the Bundeswehr more seriously: While the number of soldiers remained at around 181,000, the average age has increased significantly within five years. Högl warns: “At the same time, the Bundeswehr is getting older. While the average age was still 32.4 years at the end of 2019, it has increased to 34 years by the end of 2024.”

The Bundestag had no longer adopted the military service model presented by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) due to the new elections, says Högl. She warns: “The next Bundestag should discuss the topic – the introduction of a new military service and the introduction of a mandatory social year – and make decisions quickly.”

No comprehensive position of possible conscripts

Above all, she calls for the pace in reconstruction of a military recording for the service in the armed forces, which was abolished when the compulsory military service was abandoned in 2011. Since then and three years after the so -called turn, the state does not comprehensively know who could be activated for the service in the armed forces.

“As a result, there is no longer a comprehensive image of the situation in terms of military duty and their willingness as well as their skills for military service, although the military service based on Article 12a of Basic Law and the compulsory military service for German men continues as a potential obligation,” said Högl.

According to Article 45b of the Basic Law, the military officer helps the Bundestag to control the armed forces. But she is also considered a lawyer for the soldiers who can turn to her at any time. Högl’s five -year term ends this May. Your annual report determines the situation in the Bundeswehr according to subject areas.

At around 52 billion euros, an output volume of around 1.8 billion euros in the defense budget (individual plan 14) was available in 2024 compared to the previous year. The expenses amounted to around 50.3 billion euros in 2024.

In addition, around 19.8 billion euros were provided from the special fund, of which the Bundeswehr spent around 17.2 billion euros. Högl writes: “The ministry should ensure in the future that available funds will also be issued.”

There are still “significant problems”. The total investment requirement is currently still on around 67 billion euros. Barracks and properties are partly “in a disastrous condition”. Projects would hardly make any progress. Högl calls a weapon chamber where construction has been pending since 2017.

One size: “The Bundeswehr departments are located in around 1,500 properties that are distributed all over Germany and summarized approximately as large as the Saarland. The entire usable area of ​​the approximately 35,000 buildings with approximately 900,000 rooms corresponds to the size of Frankfurt airport.”

“Overall, the Bundeswehr tends to complicate things through its given or created regulations and their small -scale (sometimes also misinterpreted),” writes Högl.

One cause is that the necessary digitization does not progress: “For example, an officer reported on a visit to the military officer that it would require” 16,000 sheets of paper “to relocate a company.”

In 2024, a total of 24,675 soldiers served in the armed forces. This means that women are still strongly underrepresented at 9.89 percent – and 13.62 percent in total – and 13.62 percent in total – despite all positive developments in recent years.

Soldings are also not uncommon for prejudices, discrimination and unfortunately sometimes exposed to sexual harassment. In total, the military officer received 48 entries for sexualized misconduct in the reporting year. In addition, she observed the investigation into 376 reportable events on suspicion of crimes against sexual self -determination.

The military shielding service (MAD) carried out a total of 305 (2023: 307) in the defense operations in 2024. The phenomenal areas: right -wing extremism 219 (2023: 178), Reichsbürger and Self -Manager 5 (2023: 20), Islamism 33 (2023: 32), left -wing extremism 11 (2023: 15), foreign extremism or foreign extremism 31 (2023: 47), Scientology Organization 1 (2023: 1) and constitutional protection Delegitimization of the state 5 (2023: 14)

Suicides and attempts to make suicide:

The office of military officers in the reporting year counted 29 suicide (2023: 15; 2022: 18; 2021: 2020: 11, 2019: 21) and 44 Secciber attempts (2023: 57; 2021: 58, 2020: 61, 2019: 52) of soldiers. A single of the cases reported in the reporting year was committed with a service weapon.

Crimes against the Bundeswehr

In the reporting year, the Bundeswehr was the goal of attacks or crimes in 185 cases (2023: 122). In 13 cases, they concerned members of the Bundeswehr (2023: six), for example when wearing the uniform in public.

In 172 cases, the deeds were directed against the property of the Bundeswehr (2023: 116). These included three arson attacks and four sabotage files. Högl also indicates threatening drone overflows.

Life rescue and aid campaigns:

Often it is not known in society that soldiers stumbling silently in the background. In 2024, soldiers had saved the lives of other people in at least 57 – known to the military officer.