"Even before taking office earlier this year, Germany's current federal government was planning to change the rules around military recruitment. The country's army is simply too small, the thinking goes, and given the imminent threat of Russia on one side and the US having become increasingly unreliable on the other, Germany's top leaders are in agreement that it's time to grow the German army (Bundeswehr) significantly."
"Last week, Germany took a significant step in that direction when the cabinet passed a law intended to introduce a new military service model. Headlines around the law change, and what it means for young men and women in the country have been less than clear, however. Specifically the term "compulsory service" comes up in many reports, whereas German leaders have insisted that recruitment will be voluntary."
The German cabinet passed a draft law to change recruitment and introduce a new military service model aimed at significantly expanding the Bundeswehr. Leaders cite a too-small army, concerns about Russia and decreased US reliability as motivations. Starting next year, all 18-year-olds will receive online questionnaires; men must complete them while women may opt in. The questionnaire will ask about interest in joining the Bundeswehr or its reserves, and suitable candidates would be invited for medical examinations. The draft does not immediately reinstate conscription, but it creates the legal possibility of introducing compulsory service later. The target age range is 18 to 25.
Read at www.thelocal.de
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]