The paratroopers of the German armed forces, according to the commander of Airborne Brigade 1, are “not positioned for the times”. Brigade General Markus Meyer told the “FAZ” that the existing structure had worked during Afghanistan, but “we no longer need it in this form”. He added that long‑term structural changes are required.
Meanwhile Paratrooper Regiment 26 is working to reintegrate issues such as sexual assaults, drug use and right‑wing extremism into ordinary military life. Colonel Martin Holle said the matter is being discussed, even with regards to media coverage, but “the focus remains forward, on our core mission”. He stressed that the soldiers want to leave those problems behind-“not to minimise them”.
Concerning the dismissals among the paratroopers, Holle remarked: “It is better to fill those gaps than to have people who do not contribute positively to operational readiness”. Markus Meyer added that simply stationing the troops somewhere in Germany, positioning himself in front of them and ordering them to refrain from improper conduct does not help. “The road will be long, but even then: we will not be all saints, but we must improve”.