According to reports citing Bundeswehr circles, nearly three-quarters (72%) of the 18-year-old men who have been contacted by the armed forces concerning the new compulsory service model have completed a questionnaire. Conversely, somewhat more than one in four young men (28%) have failed to respond to the Bundeswehr’s notice, despite men born from 2008 onwards being subject to mandatory service.
The attached survey contains questions concerning eligibility and readiness to serve in the armed forces. Preliminary findings indicate that about half of those who responded expressed interest in undertaking at least six months of voluntary service. However, the government noted that expressing interest does not guarantee participation. In many cases, the decisive factor will be the ability to offer potential recruits a service station that is as close to their home as possible, as greater distances tend to reduce the chances of deployment. The article also pointed out that women are not subject to the same mandatory information requirement as men.
The Defense Ministry has stated that it refuses to accept men failing to meet their obligation to respond, and plans to pursue those who refuse. Non-compliant individuals face potential fines. Those who were contacted have one month to submit their answers.
The Ministry recently announced that since the beginning of the year up until April 24th, approximately 194,000 men and women received the notice along with access data for the questionnaire. Based on the positive responses received, the Ministry will conduct physical inspections and assessments, allowing interested parties to be assigned to specific roles. Comprehensive analyses and representative results are expected to be presented in the summer.
Secretary of Defense Boris Pistorius (SPD) is obligated to submit bi-annual figures. His current goals are ambitious: he aims to increase the number of active soldiers by 2035 from 186,000 to 260,000, and likewise raise the number of permanently planned reservists from nearly 60,000 to 200,000.