A German Parliament’s Defense Commissioner, Henning Otte, believes the German Armed Forces must become a more attractive employer to attract sufficient personnel.
According to Otte, the German Armed Forces must be an attractive employer, responding to job applications within 48 hours, a timeframe he considers too long at present. Moreover, the environment in which soldiers work is crucial and this includes the improvement of infrastructure. He emphasized that adapting the framework conditions to the security policy challenges is essential, not just pouring more money into the system.
The German Ministry of Defense has estimated a total investment of up to 67 billion euros for the military infrastructure. To achieve this, the planning and approval processes must be adapted within the timeframe of the ‘Zeitenwende’. Otte stressed that the federal government cannot solely rely on the state building authorities to implement this massive project.
The Defense Commissioner highlighted the importance of societal recognition, stating that people’s willingness to serve in the German Armed Forces must be honored. For both time and career soldiers, a good framework is essential and for the mostly younger volunteers, a value-added package is necessary. He suggested that this could include simplifications in the access to education or additional pension points, a discussion he believes should be had.